utious than the experienced hunters, were badly wounded--one
of them mortally, while the other was unable to handle his rifle.

The palisade being now burned to the ground, we were deprived of its
protection, and our assailants could consequently get close up to the
walls. But though our numbers were diminished, we endeavoured, by the
rapidity of our fire, not to let the enemy discover our loss.

The fight had now continued for some hours, but still our foes seemed as
determined as ever to capture the place. They, or perhaps the white men,
had heard a report that Uncle Jeff was the owner of fabulous wealth, of
which they had resolved to make themselves the possessors. This would
account for their obstinate perseverance.

Fresh bands continued to arrive, too; and after a cessation of firing, a
shower of arrows, from enemies concealed behind the rocks, came flying
over the house. Had they been simply arrows, they would not have done
much harm; but, to our dismay, we saw that each one carried a piece of
burning tow; and if these fell on the shingles of the roof, they would
too probably set them on fire. To extinguish the flames, too, we should
have to expose ourselves to a great risk of being shot. Happily, as yet
the arrows either flew over the building, or the tow fell out, and as
far as we could discover no damage had been done. Some, however, struck
the out-buildings; and the roofs of these being thatched, they were soon
in flames. The barns, too, were set on fire, and blazed furiously.

Night at length came on, but it brought us no respite; for our savage
foes could be seen, by the light from the burning out-buildings, still
hovering in vast numbers round us. Suddenly, too, the granary burst into
flames, making the night almost as bright as the day. It enabled us,
however, to see our foes more clearly, and of this we did not fail to
take advantage. We prudently retained only light enough in the house to
enable us to see our way about; and we were thus comparatively
concealed, while they were exposed to view.

We might have still kept the enemy at bay, had not the other two field
hands both been struck down, in the same manner as their companions. We
were now only six, opposed, as it appeared to us, to several hundred
foes. Still no one dreamed of giving in.

Klitz and Gillooly behaved admirably, and did much to retrieve their
character. They always kept together--Klitz kneeling down to fire, while
Gillooly sprang