deathlike silence he crawled through the bushes, and with in thirty yards, discovered an Indian stooping over the flame. The click of his rifle-lock startled the savage, who, with eager gaze, looked around. At this moment, the whistling bullet pierced his heart, and he fell prostrate on the fire. The two ladies sprang towards the major, and clung about him, just as the second Indian rushed forward with his tomahawk. Smith threw them off by a sudden effort, and turning his gun, aimed a blow, which his antagonist evaded, by springing on one side. The movement was of little avail, for he received his mortal wound from the person stationed at the rear. The third Indian ran up the creek, and met his fate from the hands of the person stationed in that quarter.

We cannot pretend to describe the sudden change of bursting joy felt by the two young ladies. The blanket coats of our woodsmen were cut into garments for the females, whilst every humane assistance and tender care, to lessen their fatigue, were afforded, during the slow progress of their journey homewards. No alarm was excited, except for a moment, on the ensuing day, when the party of horsemen overtook them. They had proceeded to the Blue Licks, and discovering no Indian trace, pursued a different route to the garrison, which led them on the trace of the victorious and happy party.

SUFFERINGS OF A MARSEILLIAN FAMILY DURING THE
REIGN OF TERROR.

THIS family consisted of the father, the mother, and four children; two sons and two daughters, all grown up. The father and the eldest son were in the law; the youngest son was what is called at Marseilles, a Courtier de Commerce, that is, an agent for negotiating commercial transactions. The eldest son was the first that was involved in the revolutionary troubles; he had been a member of one of the sections, and was enrolled among the proscribed, at the time when most of those who had belonged to the sections fell under proscription. For seven months did he remain concealed in his father's house, by means of a place

contrived for the purpose, in the room at the very top of it. In the day time he generally sat in the room; but as the domiciliary visits were more frequently made by night than by day, his bed was, for greater security, made up in his place of asylum: hither he could at any time retreat in a moment, upon a signal agreed on being made below, and shut himself up within; and the door was so well contrived, that any one searching the room ever so accurately, unless previously acquainted with the secret, was not likely to discover it.

As a suspicion was always entertained that he was in the house, frequent domiciliary visits were made to search for him, but he fortunately escaped them all. His eldest sister, between whom and himself a particular affection had always subsisted, and who entertained in consequence a double share of anxiety for his safety, was the person on whom he principally relied for giving him timely notice to conceal himself in case of alarm; and she has many times passed the whole night at the window, to watch whether any one approached the house ;-afraid to lie down, lest, exhausted by fatigue, sleep should overtake her, and her brother be surprised unawares.

In this situation he continued seven months, the family all that time not daring to attempt removing him, as they well knew that a constant watch was kept upon the house. But the vigilance of the revolutionists beginning at length to abate, wearied with the many fruitless searches they had made, an opportunity was taken to convey him by night on board a Genoese vessel, the owner of which had agreed to carry him to Leghorn. He was covered over with a heap of cords, sacks, and rubbish of different kinds and as soon as the entrance of the port was opened in the morning, the vessel was put in motion; but at this moment, when it was hoped all danger was over, a party of the national guards appeared, and calling to the mariners to stop, came on board to visit her. They asked a thousand questions of the master, and even kicked some of the cords about, but fortunately, without discovering what they concealed. At length departing, they left the vessel to pursue its course, and the fugitive was finally landed in safety at the place of his destination. To pro

vide the means of satisfying the exorbitant demands of the Genoese captain, the two sisters made a sacrifice of many little objects of value which they possessed in personal

ornaments.

The youngest son, whose name was equally on the list of the proscribed, saved himself by escaping to Paris, where, lost among the crowd, he remained unknown and unregarded, until the death of Robespierre. He then returned to Marseilles, and resumed his former occupation.

Very soon after the eldest son's departure, the father was menaced with imprisonment, perhaps with death, as having two sons in emigration; on which the youngest daughter presented herself before the municipality, entreating that her father might remain at liberty, and offered herself as a hostage that he would commit no act contrary to the interests of the republic. Her offer of becoming a prisoner was accepted, and she was conveyed to the convent of the Ignorantins, which was set apart for confining the women who were arrested, and where eight hundred were then immured. But though she was detained, her father was not left at large; he was arrested a few days after, and sent with a number of proscribed, to confinement in another convent. The prison of the father was at a different end of the town from that of the daughter, and both were equally removed from their own house. During eight months that elapsed from this period, to the conclusion of the reign of terror, the eldest daughter's daily occupation was to visit her father and sister in their respective prisons, which she was permitted to do, being always searched at her entrance, lest she should convey any thing to them which might assist their escape. The anxiety for her sister's life was not very great, as few women were led to the scaffold; but she daily entered the prison of her father, uncertain whether she might still find him, or whether he might not have been among the number who were daily immolated. While at home, her sole occupation was to endeavor to soothe and console her mother. How miserable,-how painful was such a state of existence !—and yet, painful as it was, this family was ultimately among the number of the fortunate, since no member of it was cut off.

CONTEST BETWEEN TWO HIGHLANDERS.

THERE is a narrow pass between the mountains in the neighborhood of Bendearg, in the Highlands of Scotland, which, at a little distance has the appearance of an immense artificial bridge, thrown over a tremendous chasm; but, on nearer approach, is seen to be a wall of nature's own masonry, formed of vast and rugged bodies of solid rock, piled on each other, as if in the giant sport of the architect. Its sides are in some places covered with trees of considerable size, and the passenger who has a head steady enough to look down the precipice, may see the eyrie of birds of prey beneath his feet. The path across is so narrow, that it cannot admit of persons passing; and indeed none but natives would attempt the dangerous route, though it saves a circuit of three miles; yet it sometimes happens that two travellers meet, owing to the curve formed by the pass preventing a view across from either side; and when this is the case, one lies down while the other crawls over his body. One day a Highlander, walking along the pass, when he had gained the highest part of the arch, observed another coming leisurely up, and being himself one of the patrician order, called to him to lie down. The person, however, disregarded the command, and the Highlanders met on the summit. They were Cairn and Bendearg, of two families in enmity with each other. "I was first at the top," said Bendearg, "and called out first; lay down that I may pass over in peace." "When the Grant prostrates himself before the M'Pherson," answered the other, "it must be with a sword driven through his body." "Turn back then," said Bendearg, "and repass as you came." "Go back yourself, if you like it," replied Grant, "I will not be the first of my name to turn before the M'Pherson." They then threw their bonnets over the precipice, and advanced with a slow and cautious step, closer to each other. They were both unarmed. Stretching their limbs like men preparing for a desperate struggle, they planted their feet firmly on the ground, compressed their lips, knit their dark eyebrows, and fixing fierce and woful eyes upon each other, stood

prepared for the onset. They both grappled at the same moment; but, being of equal strength, were unable for some time to shift each other's position,-standing fixed on the rock, with suppressed breath, and muscles strained to the "top of their bent," like statues carved out of solid stone. At length M'Pherson, suddenly removing his right foot, so as to give him a greater purchase, stooped his body, and bent his enemy down with him by main strength, till they both leaned over the precipice, looking downward into the terrible abyss. The contest was as yet doubtful, for Grant had placed his foot firmly on the elevation at the brink, and had equal command of his enemy; but at this moment M'Pherson sunk slowly and firmly on his knee, and, while Grant suddenly started back, stooping to take the supposed advantage, whirled him over his head into the gulf. M'Pherson himself fell backwards, his body partly hanging over the rock,-a fragment gave way beneath him, and he sunk further, till, catching with desperate effort at the solid stone above, he regained his footing. There was a pause of death-like stiliness: the bold heart of M'Pherson felt sick and faint. At length, as if compelled unwillingly, by some mysterious feeling, he looked down over the precipice. Grant had caught with a death-gripe, by the ragged point of a rock,-his enemy was yet almost within his reach. His face was turned upward, and there was in it horror and despair; but he uttered no word or cry. The next moment he loosed his hold, and his brains were dashed out before the eyes of his hereditary foe. The mangled body disappeared among the trees, his last heavy and hollow sound arose from the bottom. M'Pherson returned home an altered man. He purchased a commission in the army, and fell in the wars of the Peninsula. The Gaelic name of the place where this tragedy was acted, signifies Hell Bridge.