But the forest of the West
Indies bears to our English forest the relation of a giant to a
dwarf. The fronds of the bracken grow to feet where we have inches;
weeds that with us would shelter a mouse would there oonceal an
elephant, and a creeping plant which in England would delay a man
only while he kicked its tendrils aside grows in Jamaica to such a
strength and tanglement that it would obstruct the passage of a
troop of horse.
This was somewhat in our favor. We could run where horses might
not. But I took little comfort from this, for where we went the
dogs would certainly follow. And we had not gone above a mile, as I
reckoned, when the howling sound came to our ears--a deep-toned
baying, faint and mellow, stealing through the umbrageous foliage
like the horns of some fairy host. The hounds had found our scent.
Uncle Moses groaned. Doubtless he knew full well the fate of
unhappy slaves who had been recaptured in flight. He quickened his
strides for some yards, then, stopping, he held his hand to his
side and begged me to go on alone.
"But I can not," I said. "I do not know the way; and besides, I
will not leave you. Give me your musket. We have still a good
start, and after you have rested a little you will be able to run
again."
I took his musket, and when we set off again we were lucky to come
upon a stream swirling athwart our track. We stepped into this and
walked through the water for some distance, until we had, as I
thought, effectually blinded our trail.
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