art of the way through the swamps, thickets and pine forests.
At night, while the party were sitting round a fire, in the act of
preparing for refreshment some dried meat, and a wild root of the
woods reduced into flour, an alarm was given. In a moment they were
obliged once more to fly, for their enemies were upon their track.

_Brian._ Dreadful! dreadful!

_Hunter._ The fire was put out by the Indians, their blankets hastily
rolled up, and the squaws and children sent to hide themselves in the
tangled reeds and brushwood of a swamp, while the war-men turned
against the enemy. The Indians beat them off, but Econchatti-mico was
wounded in the wrist, a musket ball having passed through it.

_Brian._ Did Econchatti die of his wound?

_Hunter._ No; but he and the war-men, expecting that their enemies
would return in greater numbers, were again forced to fly. The dreary
pine forest, the weedy marsh, and the muddy swamp were once more
passed through. Brooks and rapid rivers were crossed by Econchatti,
wounded as he was, with his son on his back. He swam with one hand,
for the other was of little use to him.

_Austin._ Econchatti seems to be as brave a man as Oseola. Did they
escape from their enemies?

_Hunter._ While they were sitting down to partake of some wild turkey
and deer, with which their bows and arrows had furnished them during
their flight, their enemies again fell upon them. The Seminoles had,
perhaps, altogether two thousand warriors, with Oseola at their head;
but then the whites had at least ten thousand, to say nothing of their
being much better armed. No wonder that the Seminoles were compelled
to fly, and only to fight when they found a favourable opportunity.
But I must not dwell longer than necessary on my account; suffice it
to say, that, after all the bravery of the warriors, and all the
exertions of Econchatti, Nikkanochee once more fell into the hands of
the enemy.

_Basil._ Oh, that was terrible! I hoped he would get away safe.

_Brian._ So did I. I thought the white men would be tired of following
them into those dreary forests and muddy swamps.

_Austin._ How was it that Nikkanochee was taken?

_Hunter._ He was captured on the 25th of August, 1836, by some
soldiers who were scouring the country, and brought by them the next
day to Colonel Warren. Poor little fellow, he was so worn, emaciated
and cast down, that he could not be looked upon without pity. For
several weeks he hardly spoke