THE CAYGUAS OVERTAKEN.—THE FEARFUL RACE.  337
Again, as they were closer pressed, I saw them throw down the body, and renew their friendly gesticulations ; but they were still disregarded ; the foe came on relentlessly.
Then I turned again, and saw the pursuers close with the pursued. Both parties mingled with a howl, that reached us like the shocking startle of a thunder-clap out of a clear sky.
They were now merged into one rushing mass, the onward progress of which did not appear for one moment stayed. Whether the Cayguas had been instantly annihilated or not, it was impossible for me to judge.
Their fate was sufficiently ominous, and we had quite enough to occupy us in the efforts necessary for our own escape, to prevent a closer examination as to their fate.
On, on they came, raging like a hell of furies in our wake : and all the hope we had left was that our horses might yet hold out a few miles, until we could reach some heavily-timbered motts, which we remembered broke up the valley into thread-like meadows of prairie.
But the terror was, that their fresh horses would bear down as easily upon us as they had upon the Cayguas, whose horses were of course as much fatigued as ours.
However, we had to comfort and encourage us the recollection that we had obtained nearly a mile the start, while they had little, over two hundred paces; and if our horses only held out, we had some hope of reaching the motts.
It was a terrific race.
We were not exactly panic struck, but desperate. Resistance would be useless, nay, impossible, unless we reached cover. That heavy mass would pass trampling over us, as over a ripe wheat-field, bending as we were to fall already, with our exhausted horses..
Ah ! how dear life seemed to me now, for the first time, through all the perils of these adventures! now, at last, I had something to make it dear to me, and now both the object and the life were, as my fears represented, for the first time really jeopardized.
Ff