What could he do?
His tired horse refused to take the leap, and he could plainly hear the voice of the Indians encouraging each other in the pursuit.
Along the edge of the precipice there lay a long hollow log, which had been probably dragged there with the intention of making a bridge across the chasm.

Overton dismounted, led his horse to the very brink, and pricked him with his knife the noble animal leaped, but his strength was too far gone for him to clear it; his breast struck the other edge, and he fell from crag to crag into the abyss below.

This over, the fugitive crawled to the log, and concealed himself under it, hoping that he would yet escape.

He was mistaken, for he had been seen; at that moment, the savages emerged from the wood, and a few minutes more brought them around the log.

Now certain of their prey, they wished to make him suffer a long moral agony, and they feigned not to know where he was.
"He has leaped over," said one; "it was the full jump of a panther.
Shall we return, or encamp here ?" The Indians agreed to repose for a short time; and then began a conversation.