Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/167

 cross the river; and by obliging us to defer our journey, rescued us from captivity or death.

Most men are haunted by some species of terror or antipathy, which they are for the most part able to trace to some incident which befell them in their early years. You will not be surprised that the fate of my parents, and the sight of the body of one of this savage band, who, in the pursuit that was made after them, was overtaken and killed, should produce lasting and terrific images in my fancy: I never looked upon, or called up the image of a savage, without shuddering.

I knew that at this time some hostilities had been committed on the frontier—that a long course of injuries and encroachments had lately exasperated the Indian tribes—that an implacable and exterminating war was generally expected: we imagined ourselves at an inaccessible distance from the danger; but I could not but remember that this persuasion was formerly as strong as at present, and that an expedition which had once succeeded, might possibly be attempted again: here was every token of enmity and bloodshed; each prostrate figure was furnished with a rifled musket and a leathern bag tied round his waist, which was probably stored with powder and ball.

From these reflections, the sense of my own danger was revived and enforced; but I likewise ruminated on the evils which might impend over others: I should, no doubt, be safe by remaining in this nook; but might not some means he pursued to warn others of their danger? Should they leave this spot without notice of their approach being given to the fearless and pacific tenants of the neighbouring district, they might commit in a few hours the most horrid and irreparable devastation.

The alarm could only be diffused in one way. Could I not escape unperceived, and without alarming the sleepers, from this cavern? The slumber of an Indian is broken by the slightest noise; but if all noise be precluded, it is commonly profound. It was possible, I conceived, to leave my present post, to descend into the cave, and issue forth without the smallest signal: their supine posture assured me that they were asleep: sleep usually comes at their