"shot fire." He concluded very mildly, and advancing, shook
hands with many of the party--then he attempted to take his
wife from us; being opposed in this he drew from beneath his
cassock an axe, the whole of which was finely polished, and
brandished it over our heads. On two or three pieces being
presented, he gave it up to Mr. ----, who then intimated that
the woman must go with us, but that he might go also if he
pleased, and that in the morning both should have their
liberty. At the same time two of the men began to conduct her
towards the houses. On this being done, he became infuriated,
and rushing towards her strove to drag her from them; one of
the men rushed forward and stabbed him in the back with a
bayonte: turning round, at a blow he laid the fellow at his
feet; the next instant he knocked down another, and rushing on
----, like a child laid him on his back, and seizing his dirk
from his belt brandished it over his head; the next instant it
would have been buried in him, had I not with both hands
seized his arm; he shook me off in an instant, while I
measured my length on the ice; Mr. ---- then drew a pistol from
his girdle and fired. The poor wretch first staggered, then
fell on his face; while writhing in agonies, he seemed for a
moment to stop; his muscles stiffened: slowly and gradually he
raised himself from the ice, turned round, and with a wild gaze
surveyed us all in a circle around him. Never shall I forget
the figure he exhibited; his hair hanging on each side of his
sallow face; his bushy beard clotted with blood that flowed
from his mouth and nose; his eyes flashing fire, yet with the
glass of death upon them,--they fixed on the individual that
first stabbed him. Slowly he raised the hand that still grasped
young ----'s dagger, till he raised it considerably above his