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him. He strained himself to such a degree that the blood gushed from his nostrils, and flowed freely down the front of his body. Another mile and he would reach the river. Again he looked round, and this time the Indian was within twenty yards, with his spear already couched to strike him. In order to avoid the blow, and scarcely knowing what he was doing, Coulter turned round and suddenly stopped, spreading his arms out. This surprise, and perhaps his bloody appearance, caused the Indian to stumble just as he was about to strike, and in doing so his spear snapped in twain. It was but the work of a moment for Coulter to seize the pointed end and pin the savage to the earth with it.

With renewed speed he made for the river. In less than two minutes a loud yell told him that some of the tribe had reached their fallen companion. Every second was precious, and this little delay of the Indians gave him time to reach the water. Alas! his late companions were not there, and the other side was quite exposed to view. A little farther down the stream, however, was an island, against which a number of fallen trees and logs had drifted. Plunging into the river, he made for the island, and hid himself beneath these trees. He had not long been in this position before a hundred of the Indians were in the water and on the banks, searching diligently for him. At one time they were over the very place of his concealment, and he could have touched their feet. In this situation he remained for several hours, holding on to the submerged branches and keeping his head just above the water.

In the middle of the night, finding all was quiet and the savages apparently gone, he dived into the

stream and swam a considerable distance down the river, when he landed. Knowing the country well, he soon made his way to a fort, where his wounds were healed and his wants attended to.

LESSON II.

A REMARKABLE DREAM.

al-lay, ease, set at rest

hoist-ing, lifting up

ex-haust-ed, very weak, worn

limp-ets, shell-fish

out

pro-long, lengthen

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In the year 1695, about the middle of June, the son of a captain in the island of Guernsey dreamt that a ship was in distress on a large body of rocks called the Caskets, about eight miles from the island. He told his father, who at that time was coasting in a different direction, and urged him to bear for the rocks. The father refused to do so, but on his son having the same dream the next night, and having an unfavourable wind for his own journey, he decided to steer for the Caskets. When he arrived there he was just in time to save the crew of a vessel that had become a total wreck. The men were taken on board in an exhausted condition. A glass of cider and water was given to each to drink, but two of them, in the madness of thirst, seized a bottle each and drank to excess; in less than two hours they both died.

As soon as the others revived, one of them told

the story of the shipwreck. He said that about three o'clock in the morning the ship struck against the rocks; the bows were stove in, the water poured in, and in less than half an hour she sank. The crew in the fore part of the ship clung to the topmast, from which they managed to swim or crawl to the rock. The ship soon sunk out of sight, and the rest of the crew with her. Fourteen men had escaped the wreck, but they had not a scrap of food or drop of fresh water. For the first day they fed on limpets which clung to the rocks, but finding their thirst increased thereby, they resolved to eat no more of them. A dog which had swam to the rock was then killed, and they chewed his flesh to allay their thirst. Nine days then passed without any other food.

On the tenth day they agreed that two of their number should die, in order, if possible, to prolong the lives of the rest. The two were chosen by lot, and the poor fellows stood ready to stab themselves in order that each of the others might suck the blood which flowed from the wounds. This they did, and some of them did actually drink the blood of their fellow-creatures. By the advice of one of their number, they made one more attempt to attract attention to themselves. Hoisting a piece of a shirt on a stick, this signal was seen by the captain we have mentioned above, and who was at that time making his way towards them in response to the wishes of his son who had had the remarkable dream.

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The following lines by Mrs. Hemans refer to Ivan the Terrible, one of the emperors of Russia. He besieged Novgorod, and though in a very weak condition, insisted upon taking the command personally. His nobles urged him to give way to his son, but the monarch was so enraged that he struck his son a violent blow, from which he died two days afterwards. The Czar then became a victim of remorse and despair, and lived but a few months longer. The poem pictures the sovereign addressing the dead body of his son.

He sat in silence on the ground,

The old and haughty Czar,

Lonely, though princes girt him round,
And leaders of the war;

He had cast his jewelled sabre,

That many a field had won,

To the earth beside his youthful dead-
His fair and first-born son.

With a robe of ermine for its bed
Was laid that form of clay,

Where the light a stormy sunset shed
Through the rich tent made way;

And a sad and solemn beauty
On the pallid face came down,
Which the lord of nations mutely watched,
In the dust, with his renown.

Low tones at last, of woe and fear,
From his full bosom broke,
A mournful thing it was to hear
How then the proud man spoke!
The voice that through the combat
Had shouted far and high,

Came forth in strange, dull, hollow tones,
Burdened with agony.

'There is no crimson on thy cheek,
And on thy lips no breath:

I call thee, and thou dost not speak,
They tell me this is death!
And fearful things are whispering
That I the deed have done;
For the honour of thy father's name,
Look up, look up, my son!

'Well might I know death's hue and mien; But on thine aspect, boy,

What, till this moment, have I seen

Save pride and tameless joy?

Swiftest thou wert to battle,

And bravest there of all;

How could I think a warrior's fame
Thus like a flower should fall?

'I will not bear that still, cold look ;
Rise up, thou fierce and free!

Wake as the storm wakes! I will brook
All, save this calm, from thee!

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