off him
when they were interrupted. From the appearance of the body, he had, we
conjectured, been dead two or three days, perhaps longer, for, as it lay
in the shade, it was not so decomposed as it might otherwise have been.

"I'm afther thinkin' the sooner we get away from this place the better,"
said Tim, as, having hurried from the spot, we stood near the pool I
have described, from which Caesar was lapping the water.

"I don't see that we run much risk while we remain here, as the Indians
are not likely to come back again," I answered; "at the same time, I
more than ever regret having parted from our companions, and I shall be
thankful when we find them again."

The result of our consultation was, that we agreed to push forward as
long as daylight lasted, and should we not find our friends in the
meantime, to camp at nightfall. Had we been amply supplied with powder
I should have been less anxious about our possible fate. The Indians
who had murdered the poor woodcutter had, I trusted, passed by; and we
earnestly hoped that we might not fall in with any other bands on their
way to the north. We thought it possible that we might come upon the
settlement to which the woodmen belonged; but we had, as yet, fallen on
no trail which might lead to it, and as the mist still hung over the
face of nature, we had nothing to guide us. Still we went on, both of
us believing that our faces were directed eastward.

CHAPTER NINE.

CAMPING OUT--SUFFERINGS FROM THIRST--NAPPING--HEAVY FOGS--THE PHANTOM
DEER--REDUCED TO EXTREMITY--A TORTOISE GUIDES US TO WATER--FIGHT WITH A
BEAR--RELIEF--CAMP FOR THE NIGHT--MARCH CONTINUED--INCREASED
SUFFERINGS--ON THE WRONG TRACK--SNAKE FOR BREAKFAST--HARD TRAINING--
TIM'S AMMUNITION EXPENDED--WE REACH A LAKE--MY LAST SHOT--DEATH OF
CAESAR--SINKING FROM PRIVATION--TIM PROCURES FOOD--DINE ON FROGS--OUR
USUAL BILL OF FARE--I SUCCUMB AT LAST--I BEG TIM TO PROCEED ALONE--WE
COME UPON SOME BLACK SETTLERS--HELP AT LAST--AN INVITATION.

Again Tim and I camped without having fallen in with Lejoillie and
Carlos. Although we were anxious about ourselves, we had also reason to
fear that they might meet with some disaster. They had, however, plenty
of powder and shot. They had also a compass to guide them, so that,
notwithstanding the foggy state of the atmosphere, they might be able to
keep a direct course towards the Saint John. The birds we had shot
afforded us an ample meal; and by cooking the