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ed preparatory to execution. They dressed themselves in strange and fantastic attire, and wore hideous masks to heighten the effect of their uncouth and antic ceremonies. They were unquestioned in their proceedings, being avoided by all, through mingled emotions of fear and detestation.

Xalissa availed herself of this superstition to effect her designs. Habited in the disguise of these pretended magicians, she came by night to the place where Alama was confined. It was an enclosure strongly constructed of stakes sunk into the ground, and covered by like materials, firmly set on in the form of a roof. His companions had been successively led out to execution, and he lay alone, in the centre of the prison, bound to a post driven deep into the earth. On the outside a gallery, composed lightly of cane and covered with branches, sheltered a numerous guard, and the entrance was constantly occupied by a powerful Indian. These precautions interposed difficulties of no ordinary kind; the approach of Xalissa was, however, unobstructed; the Indian reverently gave way, and she was soon at the side of the prisoner. He had been accustomed to such scenes, and marked the entrance of his supposed tormentor with perfect unconcern. She performed over him various unmeaning ceremonies; she heaped abuse and insult on the victim, cast opprobrium upon his name and tribe, and kneeling over him, chanted those low sad tones which warn the captive of doom and death. Then she reci

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ted the victories of the Natchez, their deeds of renown, and the glories of their ancestors, uttering new imprecations on their foes. At length, however, as the curiosity of the guard subsided, she gradually brought her face nearer to that of Alama, and, taking his hand, addressed him in a whisper.

"Let your ears be open, your tongue still, your face unchanged. I am here to save you! Fear not; I am Xalissa!"

The warrior, overcome by love, gratitude, and joy, with a heart bursting to give expression to his emotions, exerted, nevertheless, the control over his feelings so remarkable in the Indian.

"Your wounds," resumed the beautiful girl, with her mouth close to his ear, while she was heaving her arms in all the frenzy and eccentricity of the character she had assumed, "your wounds will not suffer you to fly-promise to obey me. To-morrow I will tell you

all-promise!"

Alama pressed her hand in token of assent, but whispered, as he did so,

My foot is heavy, but my hand is not weak. Cut the thongs that bind me; give me my hatchet; I will yet open our path to the forest."

"No blood must be shed," rejoined Xalissa; "my brother guards you; he must not die by your hand. You have promised! Silence! The Natchez are wary. If I am suspected, we are lost! I will come again!"

She now sprang suddenly to her feet, and rocking her body to and fro, often repeated the same or like mockeries, and then slowly left the prison. Here she wandered about among the guards who were lying sluggishly around the fire, took their bows in her hands, and pronounced over them certain cabalistic words; at the same time, dancing round them with grimaces and frantic gestures. Having thus familiarized herself with those whom she intended to deceive, laid a plan for accomplishing a most important design in relation to their arms, and lulled suspicion asleep, she retired.

The following day the same mummery was repeated, and the guard, not only unsuspecting, but exhibiting some symptoms of disgust and weariness at the perseverance of the sorceress, lay indolently about the dungeon; thus enabling Xalissa briefly to unfold her plan.

"To-morrow you are doomed to the stake. We must fly to night. The warrior who guards the door, I have told you, is my brother; his life must be safeat least till all else fails. We must exchange dresses. I know the passes to the river, which you do not; wounded, you could not escape. I will break the guard! When the Natchez pursue me, take your course to the Humachitto. I will meet you where it joins the Mississippi. Fear not for me-the bowstrings will be charmed! My foot is light. Be silent. Obey, and we are safe!"

Then, with a wild and unearthly shriek, she seized

a firebrand, and renewing her sibyl-like denunciations and incoherent maledictions, her voice sank away, as if from the exhaustion of passion, into coarse and direful tones; the notes were taken up by the guard excited to fury, and the song of death rang fearfully among the surrounding echoes.

Xalissa returned at night prepared to accomplish her hazardous purpose. She had brought with her a vegetable acid, active and powerful in its effects; and with this, in the progress of her pretended witchcraft, she managed to touch all the bowstrings. The savages were passive and unsuspecting; for they regarded her as being supernaturally inspired, and excited to new raptures by the near prospect of vengeance and blood.

So soon as all became silent and the watch fire sank down upon the embers, she again seated herself by the side of Alama and cautiously severed the cords which bound him. She took his bright head-piece, and clasped it on her own brow. She then put her mask upon him, and threw around him the particoloured tunic she had worn, at the same time enveloping her little person in his hunting shirt, stiff with blood from numerous and ghastly wounds. She now took the position he occupied, while Alama, assuming hers, personated the character of the tormentress, while she appeared as the wounded and condemned captive.

These changes were effected more silently and rapidly than can be explained by words. Fuel had been added to the fire by the Indians. And, by the time

they were accomplished, the flame went up, bright and sparkling, in the midst of a savage but picturesque group, worthy the pencil of Salvator Rosa.

Now was the moment for action. Xalissa sprang forward, and, by a blow dealt with all her force, threw her brother from his balance, and passed him. He, not doubting that the prisoner had escaped while the old woman slept, raised a whoop which alarmed all his companions. They seized their bows, and, before Xalissa had passed beyond the light of the fire, twenty arrows were drawn upon her, either of which must have proved mortal; but the charm she employed proved effectual, and the bowstrings snapped into a thousand pieces! They were, of course, relinquished, and the whole band, with a shout of vengeance, pressed hotly on the flying girl.

We now return to Alama. The brief communications which necessarily passed between him and Xalissa, and the engrossing interest of the occasion did not enable him properly to appreciate the motives of this generous girl. All now flashed upon his mind. After his fetters were removed, he might have passed the guard, as she had done, and with no greater hazard; but she dreaded lest Alama, in the struggle for escape, would endanger the life of her brother; or, that stiff from wounds, he would be overtaken in flight. But, if these apprehensions had proved groundless, his ignorance of the passes might involve him in difficulty, or, at best, leave him to contend, at fearful odds, with