like a steamer among the snags. But right above you, the crags, Lord love you! are bare as this here hand, And your eyes you wink at the bright blue chink, as looking up you stand, If a man should pop in that trap at the top, he'd never rest arm or leg, Till neck and crop to the bottom he'd drop-- and smash on the stones like an egg! 'Come back, you cuss! come back to us! and let the critter be!' I screamed out loud, while the men in a crowd stood grinning at them and me.... But up they went, and my shots were spent, and at last they disappeared,-- One minute more, and we gave a roar, for the Injin had leapt,--and _cleared!_ A leap for a deer, not a man, to clear,--and the bloodiest grave below! But the critter was smart and mad with fear, and he went like a bolt from a bow! Close after him came the devil's limb, with his eyes as dark as death, But when he came to the gulch's brim, I reckon he paused for breath! For breath at the brink! but--a white man shrink, when a red had passed so neat? I knew Phil Blood too well to think he'd turn his back dead beat! He takes one run, leaps up in the sun, and bounds from the slippery ledge, And he clears the hole, but--God help his soul! just touches the tother edge! One scrambling fall, one shriek, one call, from the men that stand and stare,-- Black in the blue, where the sky looks thro', he staggers, dwarfd up there; The edge he touches, then sinks, and clutches the rock--our eyes grow dim-- I turn away--what's that they say?--he's hang- ing on to the brim! ... On the very brink of the fatal chink a ragged shrub there grew, And to that he clung, and in silence swung betwixt us and the blue, And as soon as a man could run I ran the way I had seen them flee, And I came mad-eyed to the chasm's side, and-- what do you think I see? All up? Not quite. Still hanging? Right! but he'd torn away the shrub; With lolling tongue, he clutched and swung-- to what? Ay, that's the rub! I saw him glare, and dangle in air,--for the empty hole he trod-- Helped by a _pair of hands_ up there!--the InJin's? Yes, by God! Now, boys, look here! for many a year I've roamed in this here land-- And many a sight both day and night I've seen that I think grand; Over the whole wide world I've been, and I know both things and men, But the biggest sight I've ever seen was the sight I saw jest then. I held my breath--so nigh to death Phil Blood swung hand and limb, And it seemed to us all that down he'd fall, with the Panther after him, But the Injin at length put out his strength--