begun to fall behind, when I saw in front of me a broad piece of water.
The fugitive saw it too, but had he turned either to the right or to the
left it would have given an advantage to his pursuer; he therefore kept
straight on.

His efforts to escape were vain. As he approached the bank the ground
became so soft that his feet sunk deep into it at every step. He
discovered, too late, his mistake. Springing back, he attempted to make
his way to the right; but in doing so he fell. Recovering himself,
however, he sprang back on to the firm ground; but seeing that escape by
flight was no longer possible, he turned round and boldly faced his
pursuer. At the same instant a wild swan, rising from the water, flew
off with a loud cry. It might have been taken for the death-wail of one
of the combatants. Like a couple of wild beasts, the two Indians rushed
at each other, and the next instant they were clasped in a deadly
embrace. A desperate struggle ensued. It was youth and activity
opposed to well-knit muscles and firm nerves.

Fierce was the contest. The young man attempted to free himself from
the grasp of his opponent; now they strove to seize each other by the
throat; now his antagonist bore back the chief by making a desperate
spring as his feet for a moment touched the ground; but if the older man
allowed himself to retreat, it was only for the purpose of wearing out
the strength of the younger, which he knew would soon be exhausted.

Winnemak now seized one of his antagonist's arms, and with a movement as
quick as thought threw him on his back across his own knee; then
pressing him down, it appeared to me that he intended to break his
spine. A fearful shriek, wrung from him by the agony he was suffering,
escaped the lips of the young brave; his eyes closed--the struggle was
over. Still Winnemak did not let go his victim, but gazing fiercely
down on his countenance until all appearance of life had ceased, he
hurled the body to the ground. As he did so he exclaimed, "Stay there!
You have betrayed me once; you would have stolen my daughter; you will
no longer have the power to follow your evil practices."

The combat was over as I reached the place.

"Is he dead?" I asked, as I gazed down on the face of the vanquished
brave.

"He will die," answered Winnemak; "but he still breathes."

"But I thought you wished to gain information from him?" I observed,
feeling anxious to preserve the life of the poor