To tell the truth, when I saw all the rest of the men run to
catch him, my hair stood on end with fright. In the creek, he
swam like a fish, and the plunge which he took brought him
through it in a few strokes. All the men now gave up the chase
but two, and they swam through the creek, but by no means so fast
as the slave had done. Now, I thought, was the time for me to
help the poor man, and my heart told me it would be right to do
so. I ran down my steps with my two guns, and went with all speed
up the hill, and then down by a short cut to meet them.

I gave a sign to the poor slave to come to me, and at the same
time went up to meet the two men, who were in chase of him. I
made a rush at the first of these, to knock him down with the
stock of my gun, and he fell. I saw the one who was left, aim at
me with his bow, so, to save my life, I shot him dead.

The smoke and noise from my gun, gave the poor slave who had been
bound, such a shock, that he stood still on the spot, as if he
had been in a trance. I gave a loud shout for him to come to me,
and I took care to show him that I was a friend, and made all the
signs I could think of to coax him up to me. At length he came,
knelt down to kiss the ground, and then took hold of my foot, and
set it on his head. All this meant that he was my slave; and I
bade him rise, and made much of him.

But there was more work to be done yet; for the man who had had
the blow from my gun was not dead. I made a sign for my slave (as
I shall now call him) to look at him. At this he spoke to me, and
though I could not make out what he said, yet it gave me a shock
of joy; for it was the first sound of a man's voice that I had