German composition

Section 41 The Indian Chief⁠. I.1

During the war in America, a company⁠2 of Indians attacked a small body⁠3 of British troops⁠4, and defeated⁠5 them. As⁠6 the Indians had⁠7 greatly the advantage in swiftness of foot, and were eager in the pursuit, very few of the English escaped; and those who⁠8 fell into their hands, were treated with a cruelty of which there⁠9 are not many examples, even in that country.

Two of the Indians came up⁠10 to a young officer, and attacked him with great fury. As⁠6 they were armed with battle-axes, he had no hope of⁠11 escape. But, just at⁠12 this crisis, another Indian came up⁠13, who was advanced in years, and was armed with a bow and arrows. The⁠14 old man instantly drew his bow; but, after⁠15 having taken his aim at the officer, he suddenly dropped his arrow, and⁠16 interposed between the young soldier and his pursuers, who were about⁠17 to cut him to pieces. The two Indians retired with respect.

Notes

1 Der Indianerhäuptling.

2 Haufe, m.

3 Schar, f.

4 troops = soldiers.

5 to defeat, in die Flucht schlagen.

6 When the conjunction ‘as’ stands for ‘since’, it must be rendered by ‘da’.

7 had — foot, den Britten im Laufen bedeutend überlegen waren; and — pursuit = and eagerly pursued the same. For the following clause see S. 27, N. 8, and say ‘only few of the Britons succeeded to escape (davon´kommen)’. I succeed, es gelingt mir.

8 welche den Indianern in die Hände fielen.

9 there are, es giebt. The subject ‘es’, which must be placed immediately after the relative pronoun, should be followed by the adverbial clause ‘even in that country’.

10 to come up to a person, sich einem nähern.

11 auf Rettung.

12 at = in; crisis = critical (entscheidungsvoll) moment.

13 to come up = to appear; who — arrows = of advanced (vorgeschritten) age and armed with bow and arrows.

14 der Alte; to draw, spannen; immediately, unverzüglich, which may be emphasized by being placed at the head of the clause (App. § 14).

15 Say ‘after he had aimed (zielen) at (auf) the officer’; to drop, fallen lassen.

16 and interposed, und stellte sich.

17 to be about, im Begriff sein; to cut to pieces, zerstückeln; with respect = respectfully.