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 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD
 
 

 
 EVERYMAN'S LIBRARY 
 EDITED BY ERNEST RHYS 
 
 FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 MARTIN RATTLER
 
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 EDITOR'S NOTE 
 
 "Martin Rattler" was one of. Robert Michael 
 Ballantyne's early books. Born at Edinburgh in 1825, 1 
 he was sent to Rupert's Land as a trading-clerk in^the 
 Hudson Bay Fur Company's service when he left school, 
 a boy of sixteen. There, to relieve his home-sickness, he 
 first practised his pen in long letters home to his mother. 
 Soon after his return to Scotland in 1848 he published a 
 first book on Hudson's Bay. Then he passed some years 
 in a Scottish publisher's office ; and in 1855 a chance 
 suggestion from another publisher led to his writing his 
 first book for boys — " Snowflakes and Sunbeams, or The 
 Young Fur Traders." That story showed he had found his 
 vocation, and he poured forth its successors to the tune 
 in all of some fourscore volumes. " Martin Rattler " 
 appeared in 1858. In his "Personal Reminiscences" 
 Ballantyne wrote : " How many thousands of lads have 
 an intense liking for the idea of a sailor's life ! " and he 
 pointed out there the other side of the romantic picture : 
 the long watches " in dirty unromantic weather," and the 
 hard work of holystoning the decks, scraping down the 
 masts and cleaning out the coal-hole. But though his 
 books show something of this reverse side too, there is no 
 doubt they have helped to set many boys dreaming of 
 
 " Wrecks, buccaneers, black flags, and desert lands 
 On which, alone, the second Crusoe stands." 
 
 Among these persuasions to the life of adventure " Martin 
 Rattler'' is still one of the favourite among all his books. 
 
 1 See Note to "The Coral Island" in this series. 
 
 684*883
 
 viii Editor's Note 
 
 Ballantyne himself was fated to die on foreign soil in 1894, 
 at Rome, where he lies buried in the English Protestant 
 cemetery. 
 
 The following is a list of Ballantyne's chief romances, 
 tales of adventure, and descriptive works: — 
 
 " Hudson's Bay, or Every-day Life in the Wilds of North 
 America," etc., 1848 ; " Snowflakes and Sunbeams, or the Young 
 Fur Traders," 1856. In 1857 and 1858 appeared, under the pseu- 
 donym of " Comus " : " The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's 
 Feast" (in verse by Roscoe), ed. with music, coloured illustra- 
 tions, and a prose version; "Mister Fox"; " My Mother " ; 
 "The Robber Kitten " (by the author of " Three Little Kittens "). 
 "The Coral Island, a Tale of the Pacific Ocean " (with a preface 
 subscribed " Ralph Rover"), 1858 (1857) ; " Ungava, a Tale of 
 Esquimaux Land," 1858 (1857) ; " Martin Rattler, or a Boy's 
 Adventures in the Forests of Brazil," 1858 ; " Ships, the Great 
 Eastern and lesser Craft" (with illustrations), 1859 ; " Mee-a-ow ! 
 or Good Advice to Cats and Kittens," 1859 ; "The World of 
 Ice, or Adventures in the Polar Regions," i860 (1859) ; "The 
 Dog Crusoe, a Tale of the Western Prairies," 1861 (i860); 
 "The Golden Dream, or Adventures in the Far West," 1861 
 (i860) ; "The Gorilla Hunters, a Tale of the Wilds of Africa," 
 1861 ; "The Red Eric, or the Whaler's Last Cruise," 1861 ; 
 "Man on the Ocean, a Book for Boys," 1863 (1862); "The 
 Wild Man of the West, a Tale of the Rocky Mountains," 
 1863 (1862) ; "Gascoyne, the Sandal-wood Trader, a Tale of 
 the Pacific," 1864 (1863); "The Lifeboat, a Tale of our 
 Coast Heroes," 1864 ; " Freaks on the Fells, or Three Months' 
 Rustication," nnd "Why I did not become a Sailor," etc., 1865 
 (1864); "The Lighthouse, being the Story of a Great Fight 
 between Man and the Sea," etc., 1865 ; " Shifting Winds, a 
 Tough Yarn," etc., 1S66 ; " Silver Lake, or Lost in the Snow," 
 1867 ; " A Rescue in the Rocky Mountains," 1867 ; " Fighting 
 the Flames, a Tale of the London Fire Brigade," 1868 ; 
 "Away in the Wilderness, or Life among the Red Indians and 
 Fur Traders of North America," 1869 ; " Erling the Bold, a 
 Tale of the Norse Sea-kings," with illustrations by the author, 
 1869; "Deep Down, a Tale of the Cornish Mines," 1869; 
 " The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands," with illustrations 
 by the author, 1870; "The Iron Horse, or Life on the Line, 
 a Tale of the Grand National Trunk Railway," 1871 ; "The 
 Norsemen in the West, or America before Columbus," 1872 ; 
 ' ' The Pioneers, a Tale of the Western Wilderness, illustrative
 
 Editors Note ix 
 
 of the Adventures and Discoveries of Sir A. Mackenzie," 
 1872; "Black Ivory, a Tale of Adventure among the Slaves 
 of East Africa," 1873; "Life in the Red Brigade, a Story 
 for Boys," 1873; "The Ocean and its Wonders," 1874; 
 "The Pirate City, an Algerine Tale," 1875; "Under the 
 Waves, or Diving in Deep Waters," 1876; "Rivers of Ice, a 
 Tale illustrative of Alpine Adventure and Glacier Action," 1876 ; 
 "The Settler and the Savage, a Tale of Peace and War in 
 South Africa," 1S77 ; "Jarwin and Cuffy" (Incident and 
 Adventure Library), 1878; "In the Track of the Troops, a 
 Tale of Modern War," 1878; "Six Months at the Cape, or 
 Letters to Periwinkle from South Africa," 1879 (1S78) ; "Post 
 Haste, a Tale of Her Majesty's Mails," 1880 (1879); "The 
 Red Man's Revenge, a Tale of the Red River Flood," 1880 ; 
 " Philosopher Jack, a Tale of the Southern Seas," 1880 ; "The 
 Lonely Island, or the Refuge of the Mutineers," 1880; "The 
 Robber Kitten "(in volume of tales by two or three authors), 
 1880; "The Collected Works of Ensign Sopht, late of the 
 Volunteers, illustrated by himself," 1881 ; " My Doggie and I," 
 etc., 1 88 1 ; "The Giant of the North, or Pokings round the 
 Pole," 1882 (18S1); "The Kitten Pilgrims, or Great Battles 
 and Grand Victories," 1882; "The Madman and the Pirate," 
 18S3 ; " The Battery and the Boiler, or Adventures in the Laying 
 of Submarine Cables," etc., 1883; "Battles with the Sea, or 
 Heroes of the Lifeboat and Rocket," 1883 ; "Dusty Diamonds 
 Cut and Polished, a Tale of City-arab Life and Adventure," 1884 
 (1883) ; " Twice Bought, a Tale of the Oregon Gold-fields," 1885 
 (1884) ; "The Island Queen, a Tale of the Southern Hemisphere," 
 etc., 1885 ; "The Rover of the Andes, a Tale of Adventure in 
 South America," 1885 ; " Red Rooney, or the Last of the Crew," 
 1886 ; "The Big Otter, a Tale of the Great Nor'-West," 1887 
 (1886) ; "The Middy of the Moors, an Algerine Story," 1888 ; 
 " Blue Lights, or Hot Work in the Soudan, a Tale of Soldier 
 Life," 1888; "The Crew of the Water Wagtail, a Story of 
 Newfoundland," 1889; "A Gallant Rescue" (stories jolly, 
 stories new, etc.), 1889; "The Fight on the Green" (Miles' 
 Fifty-two Stories for Boys), 1889 ; " Charlie to the Rescue, a 
 Tale of the Sea and the Rockies," with illustrations by the author, 
 1890 ; "The Garret and the Garden . . ., or the Young Coast- 
 guardsman," 1890 ; "The Coxswain's Bride, or the Rising Tide, 
 and other Tales," with illustrations by the author, 1891 ; "The 
 Hot Swamp, a Romance of Old Albion," 1892 ; " Hunted and 
 Harried, a Tale of the Scottish Covenanters," 1892; "The 
 Walrus Hunters, a Romance of the Realms of Ice," 1893. 
 Ballantyne's Miscellany was started in 1863.
 
 Mv Dear Young Readers, 
 
 In presenting this book to you I have only to 
 
 repeat what I have said in the prefaces of my former 
 
 works, — namely, that all the important points and 
 
 anecdotes are true ; only the minor and unimportant 
 
 ones being mingled with fiction. With this single 
 
 remark I commit my work to your hands, and wish 
 
 you a pleasant ramble, in spirit, through the romantic 
 
 forests of Brazil. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 [October 1858.] 
 
 R. M. BALLANTYNE.
 
 MARTIN RATTLER 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE HERO AND HIS ONLY RELATIVE 
 
 Martin Rattler was a very bad boy. At 
 least his aunt, Mrs. Dorothy Grumbit, said so ; 
 and certainly she ought to have known, if 
 anybody should, for Martin lived with her, and 
 was, as she herself expressed it, " the bane of 
 her existence, — the very torment of her life." 
 No doubt of it whatever, according to Aunt 
 Dorothy Grumbit's showing, Martin Rattler was 
 " a remarkably bad boy." 
 
 It is a curious fact, however, that, although 
 most of the people in the village of Ashford 
 seemed to agree with Mrs. Grumbit in her 
 opinion of Martin, there were very few of them 
 who did not smile cheerfully on the child when 
 they met him, and say, " Good day, lad ! " as 
 heartily as if they thought him the best boy in 
 the place. No one seemed to bear Martin 
 Rattler ill-will, notwithstanding his alleged 
 badness. Men laughed when they said he was 
 a bad boy, as if they did not quite believe their 
 own assertion. The vicar, an old whitehcaded 
 
 3
 
 4 Martin Rattler 
 
 man, with a kind, hearty countenance, said that 
 the child was full of mischief, full of mischief ; 
 but he would improve as he grew older, he was 
 quite certain of that. And the vicar was a good 
 judge, for he had five boys of his own, besides 
 three other boys, the sons of a distant relative, 
 who boarded with him ; and he had lived forty 
 years in a parish overflowing with boys, and he 
 was particularly fond of boys in general. Not 
 so the doctor, a pursy little man with a terrific 
 frown, who hated boys, especially little ones, 
 with a very powerful hatred. The doctor said 
 that Martin was a scamp. 
 
 And yet Martin had not the appearance of 
 a scamp. He had fat rosy cheeks, a round rosy 
 mouth, a straight delicately-formed nose, a firm 
 massive chin, and a broad forehead. But the 
 latter was seldom visible, owing to the thickly- 
 clustering fair curls that overhung it. When 
 asleep Martin's face was the perfection of gentle 
 innocence. But the instant he opened his dark- 
 brown eyes, a thousand dimples and wrinkles 
 played over his visage, chiefly at the corners of 
 his mouth and round his eyes ; as if the spirit 
 of fun and the spirit of mischief had got entire 
 possession of the boy, and were determined to 
 make the most of him. When deeply interested 
 in anything, Martin was as grave and serious as 
 a philosopher. 
 
 Aunt Dorothy Grumbit had a turned-up
 
 Martin Rattler 5 
 
 nose, — a very much turned-up nose ; so much 
 so, indeed, that it presented a front view of the 
 nostrils ! It was an aggravating nose, too for 
 the old lady's spectacles refused to rest on any 
 part of it except the extreme point. Mrs. 
 Grumbit invariably placed them on the right 
 part of her nose, and they as invariably slid 
 down the curved slope until they were brought 
 up by the little hillock at the end. There they 
 condescended to repose in peace. 
 
 Mrs. Grumbit was mild, and gentle, and little, 
 and thin, and old, — perhaps seventy-five ; but 
 no one knew her age for certain, not even 
 herself. She wore an old-fashioned, high- 
 crowned cap, and a gown of bed-curtain chintz, 
 with flowers on it the size of a saucer. It was a 
 curious gown, and very cheap, for Mrs. Grumbit 
 was poor. No one knew the extent of her 
 poverty, any more than they did her age; but 
 she herself knew it, and felt it deeply, — never so 
 deeply, perhaps, as when her orphan nephew 
 Martin grew old enough to be put to school, and 
 she had not wherewithal to send him. But love 
 is quick-witted and resolute. A residence of 
 six years in Germany had taught her to knit 
 stockings at a rate that cannot be described, 
 neither conceived unless seen. She knitted two 
 dozen pairs. The vicar took one dozen, the 
 doctor took the other. The fact soon became 
 known. Shops were not numerous in the village
 
 6 Martin Rattler 
 
 in those days ; and the wares they supplied were 
 only second rate. Orders came pouring in, Mrs. 
 Grumbit's knitting wires clicked, and her little 
 old hands wagged with incomprehensible 
 rapidity and unflagging regularity, — and Martin 
 Rattler was sent to school. 
 
 While occupied with her knitting, she sat in a 
 high-backed chair in a very small deep window, 
 through which the sun streamed nearly the 
 whole day ; and out of which there was the 
 most charming imaginable view of the gardens 
 and orchards of the villagers, with a little dancing 
 brook in the midst, and the green fields of the 
 farmers beyond, studded with sheep and cattle 
 and knolls of woodland, and bounded in the far 
 distance by the bright blue sea. It was a lovely 
 scene, such an one as causes the eye to brighten 
 and the heart to melt as we gaze upon it, and 
 think, perchance, of its Creator. 
 
 Yes, it was a scene worth looking at ; but 
 Mrs. Grumbit never looked at it, for the simple 
 reason that she could not have seen it if she 
 had. Half way across her own little parlour 
 was the extent of her natural vision. By the 
 aid of spectacles and a steady concentrated 
 effort, she could see the fire-place at the other 
 end of the room ; and the portrait of her 
 deceased husband, who had been a sea-captain ; 
 and the white kitten that usually sat on the 
 rug before the fire. To be sure she saw them
 
 Martin Rattler 7 
 
 very indistinctly. The picture was a hazy blue 
 patch, which was the captain's coat ; with a 
 white patch down the middle of it, which was 
 his waistcoat ; and a yellow ball on the top of 
 it, which was his head. It was rather an 
 indistinct and generalized view, no doubt ; but 
 she saw it, and that was a great comfort. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 IN DISGRACE 
 
 FlRE was the cause of Martin's getting into 
 disgrace at school for the first time; and this 
 is how it happened. 
 
 " Go and poke the fire, Martin Rattler," said 
 the schoolmaster, " and put on a bit of coal, and 
 see that you don't send the sparks flying about 
 the floor." 
 
 Martin sprang with alacrity to obey ; for he 
 was standing up with the class at the time, and 
 was glad of the temporary relaxation. He 
 stirred the fire with great care, and put on 
 several pieces of coal very slowly, and re- 
 arranged them two or three times ; after which 
 he stirred the fire a little more, and examined 
 it carefully to sec that it was all right ; but he
 
 8 Martin Rattler 
 
 did not seem quite satisfied, and was proceeding 
 to re-adjust the coals when Bob Croaker, one of 
 the big boys, who was a bullying, ill-tempered 
 fellow, and had a spite against Martin, called 
 out, — 
 
 " Please, sir, Rattler's playin' at the fire." 
 
 " Come back to your place, sir ! " cried the 
 master, sternly. 
 
 Martin returned in haste, and resumed his 
 position in the class. As he did so he observed 
 that his fore-finger was covered with soot. 
 Immediately a smile of glee overspread his 
 features ; and, while the master was busy with 
 one of the boys, he drew his black finger gently 
 down the forehead and nose of the boy next to 
 him. 
 
 " What part of the earth was peopled by the 
 descendants of Ham ? " cried the master, pointing 
 to the dux. 
 
 " Shem ! " shrieked a small boy near the foot 
 of the class. 
 
 " Silence ! " thundered the master, with a 
 frown that caused the small boy to quake down 
 to the points of his toes. 
 
 " Asia ! " answered dux. 
 
 " Next ? " 
 
 " Turkey ! " 
 
 "Next, next, next? Hallo! John Ward," 
 cried the master, starting up in anger from his 
 seat, " what do you mean by that, sir ? "
 
 Martin Rattler 9 
 
 "What, sir?" said John Ward, tremulously, 
 while a suppressed titter ran round the class. 
 
 " Your face, sir ! Who blacked your face, 
 eh?" 
 
 " I— I— don't know," said the boy, drawing 
 his sleeve across his face, which had the effect of 
 covering it with sooty streaks. 
 
 An uncontrollable shout of laughter burst 
 from the whole school, which was instantly 
 followed by a silence so awful and profound 
 that a pin might have been heard to fall. 
 
 " Martin Rattler, you did that ! I know you 
 did, — I see the marks on your fingers. Come 
 here, sir ! Now tell me ; did you do it ? " 
 
 Martin Rattler never told falsehoods. His 
 old aunt had laboured to impress upon him from 
 infancy that to lie was to commit a sin which 
 is abhorred by God and scorned by man ; and 
 her teaching had not been in vain. The child 
 would have suffered any punishment rather than 
 have told a deliberate lie. He looked straight 
 in the master's face and said, " Yes, sir,' I did it." 
 
 " Very well, go to your seat, and remain in 
 school during the play-hour." 
 
 With a heavy heart Martin obeyed ; and soon 
 after the school was dismissed. 
 
 " I say, Rattler," whispered Bob Croaker, as 
 he passed, " I'm going to teach your white 
 kitten to swim just now. Won't you come and 
 see it ? "
 
 io Martin Rattler 
 
 The malicious laugh with which the boy 
 accompanied this remark convinced Martin that 
 he intended to put his threat in execution. For 
 a moment he thought of rushing out after him 
 to protect his pet kitten ; but a glance at the 
 stern brow of the master, as he sat at his desk 
 reading, restrained him ; so, crushing down his 
 feelings of mingled fear and anger, he 
 endeavoured to while away the time by watching 
 the boys as they played in the fields before the 
 windows of the school. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE GREAT FIGHT 
 
 " MARTIN ! " said the schoolmaster, in a severe 
 tone, looking up from the book with which he 
 was engaged, " don't look out at the window, sir ; 
 turn your back to it." 
 
 " Please, sir, I can't help it," replied the boy, 
 trembling with eagerness as he stared across the 
 fields. 
 
 " Turn your back on it, I say ! " reiterated 
 the master in a loud tone, at the same time 
 striking the desk violently with his cane. 
 
 " Oh, sir, let me out ! There's Bob Croaker
 
 Martin Rattler n 
 
 with my kitten. He's going to drown it. I 
 know he is, — he said he would ; and if he does 
 aunty will die, for she loves it next to me ; and 
 I must save it, and — and, if you don't let me 
 out — you'll be a murderer ! " 
 
 At this concluding burst, Martin sprang 
 forward and stood before his master with 
 clenched fists and a face blazing with excite- 
 ment. The schoolmaster's gaze of astonishment 
 gradually gave place to a dark frown strangely 
 mingled with a smile, and, when the boy 
 concluded, he said quietly — " You may go." 
 
 No second bidding was needed. The door 
 flew open with a bang ; and the gravel of the 
 play-ground, spurned right and left, dashed 
 against the window panes as Martin flew across 
 it. The paling that fenced it off from the fields 
 beyond was low, but too high for a jump. 
 Never a boy in all the school had crossed that 
 paling at a spring, without laying his hands 
 upon it ; but Martin did. We do not mean to 
 say that he did anything superhuman ; but he 
 rushed at it like a charge of cavalry, sprang 
 from the ground like a deer, kicked away the 
 top bar, tumbled completely over, landed on his 
 head, and rolled down the slope on the other 
 side as fast as he could have run down, — perhaps 
 faster. 
 
 It would have required sharper eyes than 
 yours or mine to have observed how Martin got
 
 12 Martin Rattler 
 
 on his legs again, but he did it in a twinkling, 
 and was half across the field almost before you 
 could wink, and panting on the heels of Bob 
 Croaker. Bob saw him coming and instantly- 
 started off at a hard run, followed by the whole 
 school. A few minutes brought them to the 
 banks of the stream, where Bob Croaker halted, 
 and, turning round, held the white kitten up by 
 the nape of the neck. 
 
 " O spare it ! spare it, Bob ! — don't do it — 
 please don't, don't do it ! " gasped Martin, as he 
 strove in vain to run faster. 
 
 " There you go ! " shouted Bob, with a coarse 
 laugh, sending the kitten high into the air, 
 whence it fell with a loud splash into the water. 
 
 It was a dreadful shock to feline nerves, no 
 doubt, but that white kitten was no ordinary 
 animal. Its little heart beat bravely when it 
 rose to the surface, and, before its young master 
 came up, it had regained the bank. But, alas ! 
 what a change ! It went into the stream a fat, 
 round, comfortable ball of eider-down. It came 
 out — a scraggy blotch of white paint, with its 
 black eyes glaring like two great glass beads ! 
 No sooner did it crawl out of the water than Bob 
 Croaker seized it, and whirled it round his head, 
 amid suppressed cries of "Shame!" intending 
 to throw it in again ; but at that instant Martin 
 Rattler seized Bob by the collar of his coat 
 with both hands, and, letting himself drop
 
 Martin Rattler 13 
 
 suddenly, dragged the cruel boy to the ground, 
 while the kitten crept humbly away and hid 
 itself in a thick tuft of grass. 
 
 A moment sufficed to enable Bob Croaker, 
 who was nearly twice Martin's weight, to free 
 himself from the grasp of his panting antagonist, 
 whom he threw on his back, and doubled his 
 fist, intending to strike Martin on the face ; but 
 a general rush of the boys prevented this. 
 
 " Shame, shame, fair play ! " cried several ; 
 " don't hit him when he's down ! " 
 
 " Then let him rise up and come on ! " cried 
 Bob, fiercely, as he sprang up and released 
 Martin. 
 
 " Ay, that's fair. Now then, Martin, remember 
 the kitten ! " 
 
 " Strike men of your own size ! " cried several 
 of the bigger boys, as they interposed to 
 prevent Martin from rushing into the unequal 
 contest. 
 
 " So I will," cried Bob Croaker, glaring round 
 with passion. " Come on any of you that 
 likes. I don't care a button for the biggest of 
 you." 
 
 No one accepted this challenge, for Bob was 
 the oldest and the strongest boy in the school, 
 although, as is usually the case with bullies, by 
 no means the bravest. 
 
 Seeing that no one intended to fight with him, 
 and that a crowd of boys strove to hold Martin 
 
 c
 
 14 Martin Rattler 
 
 Rattler back, while they assured him that he 
 had not the smallest chance in the world, Bob 
 turned towards the kitten, which was quietly and 
 busily employed in licking itself dry, and said, 
 " Now, Martin, you coward, I'll give it another 
 swim for your impudence." 
 
 " Stop, stop ! " cried Martin earnestly. " Bob 
 Croaker, I would rather do anything than fight. 
 I would give you everything I have to save my 
 kitten ; but if you won't spare it unless I fight, 
 I'll do it. If you throw it in before you fight 
 me, you're the greatest coward that ever walked. 
 Just give me five minutes to breathe and a 
 drink of water, and I'll fight you as long as I 
 can stand." 
 
 Bob looked at his little foe in surprise. 
 "Well, that's fair. I'm your man ; but if you 
 don't lick me I'll drown the kitten, that's all." 
 Having said this, he quietly divested himself of 
 his jacket and neckcloth, while several boys 
 assisted Martin to do the same, and brought 
 him a draught of water in the crown of one 
 of their caps. In five minutes all was ready, 
 and the two boys stood face to face and foot to 
 foot, with their fists doubled and revolving, and 
 a ring of boys around them. 
 
 Just at this moment the kitten, having found 
 the process of licking itself dry more fatiguing 
 than it had expected, gave vent to a faint mew 
 of distress. It was all that was wanting to set
 
 Martin Rattler 15 
 
 Martin's indignant heart into a blaze of inex- 
 pressible fury. Bob Croaker's visage instantly- 
 received a shower of sharp, stinging blows, that 
 had the double effect of taking that youth by 
 surprise and throwing him down upon the green 
 sward. But Martin could not hope to do this a 
 second time. Bob now knew the vigour of his 
 assailant, and braced himself warily to the 
 combat, commencing operations by giving 
 Martin a tremendous blow on the point of his 
 nose, and another on the chest. These had the 
 effect of tempering Martin's rage with a salutary 
 degree of caution, and of eliciting from the 
 spectators sundry cries of warning on the one 
 hand, and admiration on the other, while the 
 young champions revolved warily round each 
 other, and panted vehemently. 
 
 The battle that was fought that day was one 
 of a thousand. It created as great a sensation 
 in the village school as did the battle of Waterloo 
 in England. It was a notable fight ; such as 
 had not taken place within the memory of the 
 oldest boy in the village, and from which, in 
 after years, events of juvenile history were 
 dated, — especially pugilistic events, of which, 
 when a good one came off, it used to be said 
 that " such a battle had not taken place since 
 the year of the Great Fight? Bob Croaker was 
 a noted fighter. Martin Rattler was, up to this 
 date, an untried hero. Although fond of rough
 
 1 6 Martin Rattler 
 
 play and boisterous mischief, he had an 
 unconquerable aversion to earnest fighting, and 
 very rarely indeed returned home with a black 
 eye, — much to the satisfaction of Aunt Dorothy 
 Grumbit, who objected to all fighting from 
 principle, and frequently asserted, in gentle 
 tones, that there should be no soldiers or sailors 
 (fighting sailors, she meant) at all, but that 
 people ought all to settle everything the best 
 way they could without fighting, and live 
 peaceably with one another, as the Bible told 
 them to do. They would be far happier and 
 better off, she was sure of that ; and if every- 
 body was of her way of thinking, there would 
 be neither swords, nor guns, nor pistols, nor 
 squibs, nor anything else at all ! Dear old lady. 
 It would indeed be a blessing if her principles 
 could be carried out in this warring and jarring 
 world. But as this is rather difficult, what we 
 ought to be careful about is, that we never fight 
 except in a good cause and with a clear 
 conscience. 
 
 It was well for Martin Rattler, on that great 
 day, that the formation of the ground favoured 
 him. The spot on which the fight took place 
 was uneven, and covered with little hillocks and 
 hollows, over which Bob Croaker stumbled, and 
 into which he fell,— being a clumsy boy on his 
 l e g S) — an d did himself considerable damage ; 
 while Martin, who was firmly knit and active as
 
 Martin Rattler 17 
 
 a kitten, scarcely ever fell, or, if he did, sprang 
 up again like an India-rubber ball. Fair-play 
 was embedded deep in the centre of Martin's 
 heart, so that he scorned to hit his adversary 
 when he was down or in the act of rising ; but 
 the thought of the fate that awaited the white 
 kitten if he were conquered, acted like lightning 
 in his veins, and scarcely had Bob time to double 
 his fists after a fall, when he was knocked back 
 again into the hollow out of which he had risen. 
 There were no rounds in this fight, — no pausing 
 to recover breath. Martin's anger rose with 
 every blow, whether given or received ; and 
 although he was knocked down flat four or five 
 times, he rose again, and, without a second's 
 delay, rushed headlong at his enemy. Feeling 
 that he was too little and light to make much 
 impression on Bob Croaker by means of mere 
 blows, he endeavoured as much as possible to 
 throw his weight against him at each assault ; 
 but Bob stood his ground well, and after a time 
 seemed even to be recovering strength a little. 
 
 Suddenly he made a rush at Martin, and, 
 dealing him a successful blow on the forehead, 
 knocked him down ; at the same time he himself 
 tripped over a molehill and fell upon his face. 
 Both were on their legs in an instant. Martin 
 grew desperate. The white kitten swimming 
 for its life seemed to rise before him, and new 
 energy was infused into his frame. He retreated
 
 18 Martin Rattler 
 
 a step or two, and then darted forward like an 
 arrow from a bow. Uttering a loud cry, he 
 sprang completely in the air and plunged — head 
 and fists together, as if he were taking a dive — 
 into Bob Croaker's bosom ! The effect was 
 tremendous. Bob went down like a shock of 
 grain before the sickle ; and having, in their 
 prolonged movements, approached close to the 
 brink of the stream, both he and Martin went 
 with a sounding splash into the deep pool and 
 disappeared. It was but for a moment, however. 
 Martin's head emerged first, with eyes and 
 mouth distended to the utmost. Instantly, on 
 finding bottom, he turned to deal his opponent 
 another blow ; but it was not needed. When 
 Bob Croaker's head rose to the surface there was 
 no motion in the features, and the eyes were 
 closed. The intended blow was changed into a 
 friendly grasp ; and, exerting himself to the 
 utmost, Martin dragged his insensible school- 
 fellow to the bank, where, in a few minutes, he 
 recovered sufficiently to declare in a sulky tone 
 that he would fight no more ! 
 
 " Bob Croaker," said Martin, holding out his 
 hand, " I'm sorry we've had to fight. I wouldn't 
 have done it, but to save my kitten. You 
 compelled me to do it, you know that. Come, 
 let's be friends again." 
 
 Bob made no reply, but slowly and with some 
 difficulty put on his vest and jacket.
 
 Martin Rattler 19 
 
 " I'm sure," continued Martin, " there's no reason 
 in bearing me ill-will. I've done nothing unfair, 
 and I'm very sorry we've had to fight. Won't 
 you shake hands ? " 
 
 Bob was silent. 
 
 " Come, come, Bob ! " cried several of the 
 bigger boys, " don't be sulky, man ; shake hands 
 and be friends. Martin has licked you this 
 time, and you'll lick him next time, no doubt, 
 and that's all about it." 
 
 " Arrah, then, ye're out there, intirely. Bob 
 Croaker'll niver lick Martin Rattler though he 
 wos to live to the age of the great M'Thuselah!" 
 said a deep-toned voice close to the spot where 
 the fight had taken place. 
 
 All eyes were instantly turned in the direction 
 whence it proceeded, and the boys now became 
 aware, for the first time, that the combat had 
 been witnessed by a sailor, who, with a smile of 
 approval beaming on his good-humoured 
 countenance, sat under the shade of a neighbour- 
 ing tree smoking a pipe of that excessive 
 shortness and blackness that seems to be 
 peculiarly beloved by Irishmen in the humbler 
 ranks of life. The man was very tall and broad- 
 shouldered, and carried himself with a free-and- 
 easy swagger, as he rose and approached the 
 group of boys. 
 
 " He'll nivcr bate yc, Martin, avic, as long as 
 there's two timbers of ye houldin' togither."
 
 20 Martin Rattler 
 
 The seaman patted Martin on the head as he 
 spoke ; and, turning to Bob Croaker, continued : 
 " Ye ought to be proud, ye spalpeen, o' bein' 
 wopped by sich a young hero as this. Come 
 here and shake hands with him : d'ye hear ? 
 Troth an' it's besmearin' ye with too much 
 honour that same. There, that'll do. Don't say 
 ye're sorry now, for it's lies ye'd be tellin' if ye 
 did. Come along, Martin, an' I'll convarse with 
 ye as ye go home. Ye'll be a man yet, as sure 
 as my name is Barney O'Flannagan." 
 
 Martin took the white kitten in his arms and 
 thrust its wet little body into his equally wet 
 bosom, where the warmth began soon to exercise 
 a soothing influence on the kitten's depressed 
 spirits, so that, ere long, it began to purr. He 
 then walked with the sailor towards the village, 
 with his face black and blue, and swelled and 
 covered with blood, while Bob Croaker and his 
 companions returned to the school. 
 
 The distance to Martin's residence was not 
 great, but it was sufficient to enable the voluble 
 Irishman to recount a series of the most 
 wonderful adventures and stories of foreign 
 lands, that set Martin's heart on fire with desire 
 to go to sea, — a desire which was by no means 
 new to him, and which recurred violently every 
 time he paid a visit to the small seaport of 
 Bilton, which lay about five miles to the south- 
 ward of his native village. Moreover, Barney
 
 Martin Rattler 21 
 
 sueeested that it was time Martin should be 
 doing for himself (he was now ten years old), 
 and said that if he would join his ship, he could 
 get him a berth, for he was much in want of an 
 active lad to help him with the coppers. But 
 Martin Rattler sighed deeply, and said that, 
 although his heart was set upon going to sea, he 
 did not see how it was to be managed, for his 
 aunt would not let him go. 
 
 Before they separated, however, it was arranged 
 that Martin should pay the sailor's ship a visit, 
 when he would hear a good deal more about 
 foreign lands ; and that, in the meantime, he 
 should make another attempt to induce Aunt 
 Dorothy Grumbit to give her consent to his going 
 to sea. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 A LESSON TO ALL STOCKING-KNITTERS — MAR- 
 TIN'S PROSPECTS BEGIN TO OPEN UP 
 
 In the small seaport of Bilton, before men- 
 tioned, there dwelt an old and wealthy merchant 
 and ship-owner, who devoted a small portion of 
 his time to business, and a very large portion 
 of it to what is usually termed " doing good." 
 This old gentleman was short, and stout, and
 
 22 Martin Rattler 
 
 rosy, and bald, and active, and sharp as a 
 needle. 
 
 In the short time that Mr. Arthur Jollyboy 
 devoted to business, he accomplished as much 
 as most men do in the course of a long day. 
 There was not a benevolent society in the town, 
 of which Arthur Jollyboy, Esquire, of the Old 
 Hulk (as he styled his cottage), was not a 
 member, director, secretary, and treasurer, all in 
 one, and all at once ! If it had been possible 
 for man to be ubiquitous, Mr. Jollyboy would 
 have been so naturally ; or, if not naturally, he 
 would have made himself so by force of will. 
 Yet he made no talk about it. His step was 
 quiet, though quick ; and his voice was gentle, 
 though rapid ; and he was chiefly famous for 
 talking little and doing much. 
 
 Some time after the opening of our tale, Mr. 
 Jollyboy had received information of Mrs. 
 Grumbit's stocking movement. That same 
 afternoon he put on his broad-brimmed white 
 hat, and, walking out to the village in which she 
 lived, called upon the vicar, who was a particular 
 and intimate friend of his. Having ascertained 
 from the vicar that Mrs. Grumbit would not 
 accept of charity, he said abruptly, — 
 
 " And why not, — is she too proud ? " 
 
 " By no means," replied the vicar. " She 
 says that she would think shame to take money 
 from friends as long as she can work, because
 
 Martin Rattler 23 
 
 every penny that she would thus get would be 
 so much less to go to the helpless poor ; of 
 whom, she says, with much truth, there are 
 enough and to spare. And I quite agree with 
 her as regards her principle ; but it does not 
 apply fully to her, for she cannot work so as to 
 procure a sufficient livelihood without injury to 
 her health." 
 
 " Is she clever ? " inquired Mr. Jollyboy. 
 
 " Why, no, not particularly. In fact, she 
 does not often exert her reasoning faculties, 
 except in the common-place matters of ordinary 
 and every-day routine." 
 
 " Then she's cleverer than most people," said 
 Mr. Jollyboy, shortly. " Is she obstinate ? " 
 
 " No, not in the least," returned the vicar with 
 a puzzled smile. 
 
 " Ah, well, good-bye, good-bye ; that's all I 
 want to know." 
 
 Mr. Jollyboy rose, and hurrying through the 
 village, tapped at the cottage door, and was soon 
 closeted with Mrs. Dorothy Grumbit. In the 
 course of half an hour, Mr. Jollyboy drew from 
 Mrs. Grumbit as much about her private affairs 
 as he could, without appearing rude. But he 
 found the old lady very close and sensitive on 
 that point. Not so, however, when he got her 
 upon the subject of her nephew. She had 
 enough, and more than enough, to say about 
 him. It is true she began by remarking, sadly,
 
 24 Martin Rattler 
 
 that he was a very bad boy ; but, as she con- 
 tinued to talk about him, she somehow or other 
 gave her visitor the impression that he was a 
 very good boy ! They had a wonderfully long 
 and confidential talk about Martin, during which 
 Mr. Jollyboy struck Mrs. Grumbit nearly dumb 
 with horror by stating positively what he would 
 do for the boy, — he would send him to sea ! 
 Then, seeing that he had hit the wrongest 
 possible nail on the head, he said that he would 
 make the lad a clerk in his office, where he would 
 be sure to rise to a place of trust ; whereat Mrs. 
 Grumbit danced, if we may so speak, into herself 
 for joy. 
 
 " And now, ma'am, about these stockings. I 
 want two thousand pairs as soon as I can get 
 them ! " 
 
 " Sir ? " said Mrs. Grumbit. 
 
 " Of course, not for my own use, ma'am ; nor 
 for the use of my family, for I have no family ; 
 and if I had, that would be an unnecessarily 
 large supply. The fact is, Mrs. Grumbit, I am a 
 merchant, and I send very large supplies of 
 home-made articles to foreign lands, and two 
 thousand pairs of socks are a mere driblet. Of 
 course I do not expect you to make them all for 
 me, but I wish you to make as many pairs as you 
 
 can." 
 
 " I shall be very happy " began Mrs. 
 
 Grumbit.
 
 Martin Rattler 25 
 
 "But, Mrs. Grumbit, there is a peculiar forma- 
 tion which I require in my socks that will 
 give you extra trouble, I fear ; but I must have 
 it, whatever the additional expense may be. 
 What is your charge for the pair you are now 
 making ? " 
 
 " Three shillings," said Mrs. Grumbit. 
 
 " Ah ! very good. Now, take up the wires if 
 you please, ma'am, and do what 1 tell you. Now, 
 drop that stitch, — good ; and take up this one, — 
 capital ; and pull this one across that way, — so ; 
 and that one across this way, — exactly. Now, 
 what is the result ? " 
 
 The result was a complicated knot ; and Mrs. 
 Grumbit, after staring a few seconds at the old 
 gentleman in surprise, said so, and begged to 
 know what use it was of. 
 
 " Oh, never mind, never mind. We merchants 
 have strange fancies, and foreigners have curious 
 tastes now and then. Please to make all my 
 socks with a hitch like that in them all round, 
 just above the ankle. It will form an ornamental 
 ring. I'm sorry to put you to the trouble, but of 
 course I pay extra for fancy-work. Will six 
 shillings a pair do for these ? " 
 
 " My dear sir," said Mrs. Grumbit, " it is no 
 
 additional " 
 
 " Well, well, never mind," said Mr. Jollyboy. 
 " Two thousand pairs, remember, as soon as 
 possible, — close knitted, plain stitch, rather
 
 26 Martin Rattler 
 
 coarse worsted ; and don't forget the hitch, 
 Mrs. Grumbit, don't forget the hitch." 
 
 Ah ! reader, there are many Mrs. Grumbits in 
 this world, requiring hitdies to be made in their 
 stockings ! 
 
 At this moment the door burst open. Mrs. 
 Dorothy Grumbit uttered a piercing scream, 
 Mr. Jollyboy dropped his spectacles and sat 
 down on his hat, and Martin Rattler stood 
 before them with the white kitten in his 
 arms. 
 
 For a few seconds there was a dead silence, 
 while an expression of puzzled disappointment 
 passed over Mr. Jollyboy's ruddy countenance. 
 At last he said, — 
 
 " Is this, madam, the nephew who, you told 
 me a little ago, is not addicted to fighting ? " 
 
 " Yes," answered the old lady faintly, and 
 covering her eyes with her hands, " that is 
 Martin." 
 
 "If my aunt told you that, sir, she told you 
 the truth," said Martin, setting down the blood- 
 stained white kitten, which forthwith began to 
 stretch its limbs and lick itself dry. " I don't 
 ever fight if I can help it, but I couldn't help it 
 to-day." 
 
 With a great deal of energy, and a revival of 
 much of his former indignation, when he spoke 
 of the kitten's sufferings, Martin recounted all 
 the circumstances of the fight ; during the
 
 Martin Rattler 27 
 
 recital of which Mrs. Dorothy Grumbit took his 
 hand in hers and patted it, gazing the while 
 into his swelled visage, and weeping plentifully, 
 but very silently. When he had finished, Mr. 
 Jollyboy shook hands with him, and said he was 
 a trump, at the same time recommending him to 
 go and wash his face. Then he whispered a few 
 words in Mrs. Grumbit's ear, which seemed to give 
 that excellent lady much pleasure ; after which 
 he endeavoured to straighten his crushed hat ; 
 in which attempt he failed, took his leave, 
 promised to call again very soon, and went 
 back to the Old Hulk — chuckling. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 MARTIN, BEING WILLING TO GO TO SEA, 
 GOES TO SEA AGAINST HIS WILL 
 
 FOUR years rolled away, casting chequered 
 light and shadow over the little village of Ash- 
 ford in their silent passage, — whitening the 
 forelocks of the aged, and strengthening the 
 muscles of the young. Death, too, touched a 
 hearth here and there, and carried desolation to 
 a home ; for four years cannot wing their flight 
 without enforcing on us the lesson — which we
 
 28 Martin Rattler 
 
 are so often taught, and yet take so long to 
 learn — that this is not our rest, — that here we 
 have no abiding city. Did we but ponder this 
 lesson more frequently and earnestly, instead of 
 making us sad, it would nerve our hearts and 
 hands to fight and work more diligently, — to 
 work in the cause of our Redeemer, — the only 
 cause that is worth the life-long energy of 
 immortal beings, — the great cause that includes 
 all others ; and it would teach us to remember 
 that our little day of opportunity will soon be 
 spent, and that the night is at hand in which no 
 man can work. 
 
 Four years rolled away, and during this time 
 Martin, having failed to obtain his aunt's con- 
 sent to his going to sea, continued at school, 
 doing his best to curb the roving spirit that 
 strove within him. Martin was not particularly 
 bright at the dead languages ; to the rules of 
 grammar he entertained a rooted aversion ; and 
 at history he was inclined to yawn, except when 
 it happened to touch upon the names and deeds 
 of such men as Vasco di Gama and Columbus. 
 But in geography he was perfect ; and in arith- 
 metic and book-keeping he was quite a proficient, 
 to the delight of Mrs. Dorothy Grumbit, whose 
 household books he summed up ; and to the 
 satisfaction of his fast friend, Mr. Arthur Jolly- 
 boy, whose ledgers he was — in that old gentle- 
 man's secret resolves — destined to keep.
 
 Martin Rattler 29 
 
 Martin was now fourteen, broad and strong, 
 and tall for his age. He was the idol of the 
 school, — dashing, daring, reckless, and good- 
 natured. There was almost nothing that he 
 would not attempt, and there were very few 
 things that he could not do. He never fought, 
 however — from principle ; and his strength 
 and size often saved him from the necessity. 
 But he often prevented other boys from fight- 
 ing, except when he thought there was good 
 reason for it; then he stood by and saw fair 
 play. There was a strange mixture of philo- 
 sophical gravity, too, in Martin. As he grew 
 older he became more enthusiastic and less 
 boisterous. 
 
 Bob Croaker was still at the school, and was, 
 from prudential motives, a fast friend of Martin. 
 But he bore him a secret grudge, for he could 
 not forget the great fight. 
 
 One day Bob took Martin by the arm, and 
 said, " I say, Rattler, come with me to Bilton, 
 and have some fun among the shipping." 
 
 "Well, I don't mind if I do," said Martin. 
 " I'm just in the mood for a ramble, and I'm 
 not expected home till bed-time." 
 
 In little more than an hour the two boys were 
 wandering about the dock-yards of the sea-port 
 town, and deeply engaged in examining the 
 complicated rigging of the ships. While thus 
 occupied, the clanking of a windlass and the
 
 30 Martin Rattler 
 
 merry " Yo heave O ! and away she goes," of 
 the sailors, attracted their attention. 
 
 " Hallo ! there goes the Firefly, bound for the 
 South Seas," cried Bob Croaker ; " come, let's 
 see her start. I say, Martin, isn't your friend, 
 Barney O'Flannagan, on board ? " 
 
 " Yes, he is. He tries to get me to go out 
 every voyage, and I wish I could. Come 
 quickly ; I want to say good-bye to him before 
 he starts." 
 
 " Why don't you run away, Rattler ? " in- 
 quired Bob, as they hurried round the docks to 
 where the vessel was warping out. 
 
 " Because I don't need to. My aunt has 
 given me leave to go if I like ; but she says it 
 would break her heart if I do ; and I would 
 rather be screwed down to a desk for ever than 
 do that, Bob Croaker." 
 
 The vessel, upon the deck of which the two 
 boys now leaped, was a large, heavy-built barque. 
 Her sails were hanging loose, and the captain 
 was giving orders to the men, who had their 
 attention divided between their duties on board 
 and their mothers, wives, and sisters, who still 
 lingered to take a last farewell. 
 
 " Now, then, those who don't want to go to 
 sea had better go ashore," roared the captain. 
 
 There was an immediate rush to the side. 
 
 " I say, Martin," whispered Barney, as he 
 hurried past, " jump down below for'ard ; you
 
 Martin Rattler 31 
 
 can so out o' the harbour mouth with us and 
 get ashore in one o' the shore-boats alongside. 
 They'll not cast off till we're well out. I want 
 
 to speak to you " 
 
 " Man the fore top-sail halyards," shouted the 
 first mate. 
 
 " Ay ay, sir-r-r," and the men sprang to obey. 
 Just then the ship touched on the bar at the 
 mouth of the harbour, and in another moment 
 she was aground. 
 
 " There, now, she's hard and fast ! " roared 
 the captain, as he stormed about the deck in a 
 paroxysm of rage. But man's rage could avail 
 nothing. They had missed the passage by a few 
 feet, and now they had to wait the fall and rise 
 again of the tide ere they could hope to get off. 
 
 In the confusion that followed, Bob Croaker 
 suggested that Martin and he should take one 
 of the punts, or small boats which hovered 
 round the vessel, and put out to sea, where they 
 might spend the day pleasantly in rowing and 
 fishing. 
 
 " Capital ! " exclaimed Martin. " Let's go at 
 once. Yonder's a little fellow who will let us 
 have his punt for a few pence. I know him. 
 Hallo, Tom ! " 
 
 " Ay, ay," squeaked a boy who was so small 
 that he could scarcely lift the oar, light though 
 it was, with which he sculled his punt cleverly 
 along.
 
 32 Martin Rattler 
 
 " Shove alongside, like a good fellow ; we want 
 your boat for a little to row out a bit." 
 
 " It's a-blowin' too hard," squeaked the small 
 boy, as he ranged alongside. " I'm afeared you'll 
 be blowed out." 
 
 " Nonsense ! " cried Bob Croaker, grasping the 
 rope which the boy threw to him. " Jump on 
 board, younker ; we don't want you to help us, 
 and you're too heavy for ballast. Slip down the 
 side, Martin, and get in while I hold on to the 
 rope. All right ? now I'll follow. Here, shrimp, 
 hold the rope till I'm in, and then cast off. Look 
 alive ! " 
 
 As Bob spoke, he handed the rope to the little 
 boy ; but, in doing so, let it accidentally slip out 
 of his hand. 
 
 "Catch hold o' the main chains, Martin, — 
 quick ! " 
 
 But Martin was too late. The current that 
 swept out of the harbour whirled the light punt 
 away from the ship's side, and carried it out sea- 
 ward. Martin instantly sprang to the oar, and 
 turned the boat's head round. He was a stout 
 and expert rower, and would soon have regained 
 the ship ; but the wind increased at the 
 moment, and blew in a squall off shore, which 
 carried him further out despite his utmost 
 efforts. Seeing that all further attempts were 
 useless, Martin stood up and waved his hand to 
 Bob Croaker, shouting as he did so, " Never
 
 Martin Rattler 33 
 
 mind, Bob, I'll make for the South Point. Run 
 round and meet me, and we'll row back together." 
 
 The South Point was a low cape of land which 
 stretched a considerable distance out to sea, 
 about three miles to the southward of Bilton 
 harbour. It formed a large bay, across which, 
 in ordinary weather, a small boat might be 
 rowed in safety. Martin Rattler was well known 
 at the sea-port as a strong and fearless boy, so 
 that no apprehension was entertained for his 
 safety by those who saw him blown away. Bob 
 Croaker immediately started for the Point on 
 foot, a distance of about four miles by land ; and 
 the crew of the Firefly were so busied with their 
 stranded vessel that they took no notice of the 
 doings of the boys. 
 
 But the weather now became more and more 
 stormy. Thick clouds gathered on the horizon. 
 The wind began to blow with steady violence, 
 and shifted a couple of points to the southward ; 
 so that Martin found it impossible to keep 
 straight for the Point. Still he worked perse- 
 veringly at his single oar, and sculled rapidly 
 over the sea ; but, as he approached the Point, 
 he soon perceived that no effort of which he 
 was capable could enable him to gain it. But 
 Martin's heart was stout. He strove with all 
 the energy of hope, until the Point was passed ; 
 and then, turning the head of his little boat 
 towards it, he strove with all the energy of 
 
 D
 
 34 Martin Rattler 
 
 despair, until he fell down exhausted. The 
 wind and tide swept him rapidly out to sea ; 
 and when his terrified comrade reached the 
 Point, the little boat was but a speck on the 
 seaward horizon. 
 
 Well was it then for Martin Rattler that a 
 friendly heart beat for him on board the Firefly. 
 Bob Croaker carried the news to the town ; but 
 no one was found daring enough to risk his life 
 out in a boat on that stormy evening. The 
 little punt had been long out of sight ere the 
 news reached them, and the wind had increased 
 to a gale. But Barney O'Flannagan questioned 
 Bob Croaker closely, and took particular note 
 of the point of the compass at which Martin 
 had disappeared ; and when the Firefly at 
 length got under weigh, he climbed to the fore- 
 top cross-trees, and stood there scanning the 
 horizon with an anxious eye. 
 
 It was getting dark, and a feeling of despair 
 began to creep over the seaman's heart as he 
 gazed round the wide expanse of water, on 
 which nothing was to be seen except the white 
 foam that crested the rising billows. 
 
 " Starboard, hard ! " he shouted suddenly. 
 
 " Starboard it is ! " replied the man at the 
 wheel, with prompt obedience. 
 
 In another moment Barney slid down the 
 back-stay and stood on the deck, while the 
 ship rounded to and narrowly missed striking
 
 Martin Rattler 35 
 
 a small boat that floated keel up on the water. 
 There was no cry from the boat ; and it might 
 have been passed as a mere wreck, had not 
 the lynx eye of Barney noticed a dark object 
 clinging to it. 
 
 " Lower away a boat, lads," cried the Irish- 
 man, springing overboard ; and the words had 
 scarcely passed his lips when the water closed 
 over his head. 
 
 The Firefly was hove to, a boat was lowered 
 and rowed towards Barney, whose strong voice 
 guided his shipmates towards him. In less than 
 a quarter of an hour the bold sailor and his 
 young friend Martin Rattler were safe on board, 
 and the ship's head was again turned out to 
 sea. 
 
 It was full half an hour before Martin was 
 restored to consciousness in the forecastle, to 
 which his deliverer had conveyed him. 
 
 "Musha, lad, but ye're booked for the blue 
 wather now, an' no mistake ! " said Barney, 
 looking with an expression of deep sympathy 
 at the poor boy, who sat staring before him 
 quite speechless. " The capting '11 not let ye 
 out o' this ship till ye git to the gould coast, 
 or some sich place. He couldn't turn back av 
 he wanted iver so much ; but he doesn't want 
 to, for he needs a smart lad like you, an' he'll 
 keep you now, for sartin." 
 
 Barney sat down by Martin's side and stroked
 
 36 Martin Rattler 
 
 his fair curls, as he sought in his own quaint 
 fashion to console him. But in vain. Martin 
 grew quite desperate as he thought of the misery 
 into which poor Aunt Dorothy Grumbit would 
 be plunged, on learning that he had been swept 
 out to sea in a little boat, and drowned, as 
 she would naturally suppose. In his frenzy he 
 entreated and implored the captain to send him 
 back in the boat, and even threatened to knock 
 out his brains with a handspike if he did not ; 
 but the captain smiled and told him that it was 
 his own fault. He had no business to be putting 
 to sea in a small boat in rough weather, and he 
 might be thankful he wasn't drowned. He 
 wouldn't turn back now for fifty pounds twice 
 told. 
 
 At length Martin became convinced that all 
 hope of returning home was gone. He went 
 quietly below, threw himself into one of the 
 sailor's berths, turned his face to the wall, and 
 wept long and bitterly.
 
 Martin Rattler 37 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE VOYAGE, A TIRATE, CHASE, WRECK, AND 
 
 ESCAPE 
 
 Time reconciles a man to almost anything. In 
 the course of time Martin Rattler became 
 reconciled to his fate, and went about the 
 ordinary duties cf a cabin-boy on board the 
 Firefly just as if he had been appointed to that 
 office in the ordinary way, — with the consent of 
 the owners and by the advice of his friends. 
 The captain, Skinflint by name, and as surly 
 an old fellow as ever walked a quarter-deck, 
 agreed to pay him wages " if he behaved well." 
 The steward, under whose immediate authority 
 he was placed, turned out to be a hearty, good- 
 natured young fellow, and was very kind to 
 him. But Martin's great friend was Barney 
 O'Flannagan, the cook, with whom he spent 
 many an hour in the night watches, talking 
 over plans, and prospects, and retrospects, and 
 foreign lands. 
 
 As Martin had no clothes except those on 
 his back, which fortunately happened to be new 
 and good, Barney gave him a couple of blue 
 striped shirts, and made him a jacket, pant- 
 aloons, and slippers of canvas ; and, what was
 
 38 Martin Rattler 
 
 of much greater importance, taught him how to 
 make and mend the same for himself. 
 
 "Ye see, Martin, lad," he said, while thus 
 employed one day, many weeks after leaving 
 port, " it's a great thing, intirely, to be able to 
 help yerself. For my part, 1 niver travel with- 
 out my work-box in my pocket." 
 
 " Your work-box ! " said Martin, laughing. 
 
 " Jist so. An' it consists of wan sail-maker's 
 needle, a ball o' twine, and a clasp-knife. Set 
 me down with these before a roll o' canvas and 
 I'll make you a'most anything." 
 
 "You seem to have a turn for everything, 
 Barney," said Martin. " How came you to be 
 a cook ? " 
 
 " That's more nor I can tell ye, lad. As far 
 as I remimber, I began with murphies, when I 
 was two feet high, in my father's cabin in ould 
 Ireland. But that was on my own account 
 intirely, and not as a purfession ; and a sorrow- 
 ful time I had of it, too, for I was for ivcr 
 burnin' my fingers promiskiously, and fallin' 
 into the fire ivery day more or less " 
 
 " Stand by to hoist top-gallant-sails," shouted 
 the captain. " How's her head ? " 
 
 "South and by east, sir," answered the man 
 at the wheel. 
 
 "Keep her away two points. Look alive 
 lads. Hand me the glass, Martin." 
 
 The ship was close hauled when these abrupt
 
 Martin Rattler 39 
 
 orders were given, battling in the teeth of a stiff 
 breeze, off the coast of South America. About 
 this time, several piratical vessels had succeeded 
 in cutting off a number of merchantmen near 
 the coast of Brazil. They had not only taken 
 the valuable parts of their cargoes, but had 
 murdered the crews under circumstances of 
 great cruelty ; and ships trading to these regions 
 were, consequently, exceedingly careful to avoid 
 all suspicious craft as much as possible. It was, 
 therefore, with some anxiety that the men 
 watched the captain's face as he examined the 
 strange sail through the telescope. 
 
 " A Spanish schooner," muttered the captain, 
 as he shut up the glass with a bang. " I won't 
 trust her. Up with the royals and rig out 
 stun'-sails, Mr. Wilson, (to the mate). Let her 
 fall away, keep her head nor'-west, d'ye hear ? " 
 " Ay, ay, sir." 
 
 " Let go the lee braces and square the yards. 
 Look sharp, now, lads. If that blackguard gets 
 hold of us ye'll have to walk the plank, every 
 man of ye." 
 
 In a few minutes the ship's course was com- 
 pletely altered ; a cloud of canvas spread out 
 from the yards, and the Firefly bounded on her 
 course like a fresh race-horse. But it soon 
 became evident that the heavy barque was no 
 match for the schooner, which crowded sail and 
 bore down at a rate that bade fair to overhaul
 
 4o Martin Rattler 
 
 them in a few hours. The chase continued till 
 evening, when suddenly the look-out at the 
 mast-head shouted, " Land, ho ! " 
 
 " Where away ? " cried the captain. 
 
 " Right ahead," sang out the man. 
 
 " I'll run her ashore sooner than be taken," 
 muttered the captain, with an angry scowl at 
 the schooner, which was now almost within 
 range on the weather quarter, with the dreaded 
 black flag flying at her peak. In a few minutes 
 breakers were descried ahead. 
 
 " D'ye see anything like a passage ? " shouted 
 the captain. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; two points on the weather bow." 
 
 At this moment a white cloud burst from the 
 schooner's bow, and a shot, evidently from a 
 heavy gun, came ricochetting over the sea. It 
 was well aimed, for it cut right through the 
 barque's main-mast, just below the yard, and 
 brought the main-top-mast, with all the yards, 
 sails, and gearing above it, down upon the deck. 
 The weight of the wreck, also, carried away the 
 fore-top-mast, and, in a single instant, the Firefly 
 was completely disabled. 
 
 " Lower away the boats," cried the captain ; 
 " look alive, now ; we'll give them the slip yet. 
 It'll be dark in two minutes." 
 
 The captain was right. In tropical regions 
 there is little or no twilight. Night succeeds 
 day almost instantaneously. Before the boats
 
 Martin Rattler 41 
 
 were lowered and the men embarked it was 
 becoming quite dark. The schooner observed 
 the movement, however, and, as she did not 
 dare to venture through the reef in the dark, 
 her boats were also lowered and the chase was 
 recommenced. 
 
 The reef was passed in safety, and now a 
 hard struggle took place, for the shore was 
 still far distant. As it chanced to be cloudy 
 weather the darkness became intense, and pro- 
 gress could only be guessed at by the sound 
 of the oars ; but these soon told too plainly 
 that the boats of the schooner were overtaking 
 those of the barque. 
 
 " Pull with a will, lads," cried the captain ; 
 "we can't be more than half a mile from shore ; 
 give way, my hearties." 
 
 " Surely, captain, we can fight them, we've 
 most of us got pistols and cutlasses," said one 
 of the men in a sulky tone. 
 
 " Fight them ! " cried the captain, " they're 
 four times our number, and every man armed 
 to the teeth. If ye don't fancy walking the 
 plank or dancing on nothing at the yard- 
 arm, ye'd better pull away and hold your 
 jaw." 
 
 By this time they could just see the schooner's 
 boats in the dim light, about half-musket range 
 astern. 
 
 " Back you' oars," shouted a stern voice in
 
 42 Martin Rattler 
 
 broken English, " or I blow you out dc watter 
 in one oder moment, — black-yards ! " 
 
 This order was enforced by a musket shot, 
 which whizzed over the boat within an inch of 
 the captain's head. The men ceased rowing 
 and the boats of the pirate ranged close up. 
 
 "Now then, Martin," whispered Barney 
 O'Flannagan, who sat at the bow oar, " I'm 
 goin' to swim ashore ; jist you slip arter me as 
 quiet as ye can." 
 
 " But the sharks ! " suggested Martin. 
 
 " Bad luck to them," said Barney as he 
 slipped over the side, " they're welcome to me. 
 I'll take my chance. They'll find me mortial 
 tough, anyhow. Come along, lad, look sharp ! " 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation Martin slid 
 over the gunwale into the sea, and, just as the 
 pirate boats grappled with those of the barque, 
 he and Barney found themselves gliding as 
 silently as otters towards the shore. So quietly 
 had the manoeuvre been accomplished, that the 
 men in their own boat were ignorant of their 
 absence. In a few minutes they were beyond 
 the chance of detection. 
 
 " Keep close to me, lad," whispered the Irish- 
 man. "If we separate in the darkness we'll 
 niver forgather again. Catch hould o' my 
 shoulder if ye get blowed, and splutter as much 
 as ye like. They can't hear us now, and it'll 
 help to frighten the sharks."
 
 Martin Rattler 43 
 
 " All right," replied Martin ; " I can swim 
 like a cork in such warm water as this. Just 
 go a little slower and I'll do famously." 
 
 Thus encouraging each other, and keeping 
 close together, lest they should get separated in 
 the thick darkness of the night, the two friends 
 struck out bravely for the shore. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 MARTIN AND CARNEY GET LOST IN A GREAT 
 FOREST, WHERE THEY SEE STRANGE AND 
 TERRIBLE THINGS 
 
 On gaining the beach, the first thing that 
 Barney did, after shaking himself like a huge 
 Newfoundland dog, was to ascertain that his 
 pistol and cutlass were safe ; for, although the 
 former could be of no use in its present con- 
 dition, still, as he sagaciously remarked, " it was 
 a good thing to have, for they might chance to 
 git powder wan day or other, and the flint would 
 make fire, anyhow." Fortunately the weather 
 was extremely warm ; so they were enabled to 
 take off and wring their clothes without much 
 inconvenience, except that in a short time a few 
 adventurous mosquitoes — probably sea-faring
 
 44 Martin Rattler 
 
 ones — came down out of the woods and attacked 
 their bare bodies so vigorously that they were 
 fain to hurry on their clothes again before they 
 were quite dry. 
 
 The clouds began to clear away soon after 
 they landed, and the brilliant light of the 
 southern constellations revealed to them dimly 
 the appearance of the coast. It was a low sandy 
 beach skirting the sea and extending back for 
 about a quarter of a mile in the form of a grassy 
 plain, dotted here and there with scrubby under- 
 wood. Beyond this was a dark line of forest. 
 The light was not sufficient to enable them to 
 ascertain the appearance of the interior. Barney 
 and Martin now cast about in their minds how 
 they were to spend the night. 
 
 " Ye see," said the Irishman, " it's of no use 
 goin' to look for houses, because there's maybe 
 none at all on this coast ; an' there's no sayin' 
 but we may fall in with savages — for them parts 
 swarms with them ; so we'd better go into the 
 woods an' " 
 
 Barney was interrupted here by a low howl, 
 which proceeded from the woods referred to, 
 and was most unlike any cry they had ever 
 heard before. 
 
 " Och, but I'll think better of it. P'raps it'll 
 be as well not to go into the woods, but to camp 
 where we are." 
 
 " I think so too," said Martin, searching about
 
 Martin Rattler 45 
 
 for small twigs and drift-wood with which to 
 make a fire. " There is no saying what sort of 
 wild beasts may be in the forest, so we had 
 better wait till daylight." 
 
 A fire was quickly lighted by means of the 
 pistol-flint and a little dry grass, which, when 
 well bruised and put into the pan, caught a 
 spark after one or two attempts, and was soon 
 blown into a flame. But no wood large enough 
 to keep the fire burning for any length of time 
 could be found ; so Barney said he would go 
 up to the forest and fetch some. " I'll lave my 
 shoes and socks, Martin, to dry at the fire. See 
 ye don't let them burn." 
 
 Traversing the meadow with hasty strides, 
 the bold sailor quickly reached the edge of the 
 forest, where he began to lop off several dead 
 branches from the trees with his cutlass. While 
 thus engaged the howl which had formerly 
 startled him was repeated. " Av I only knowed 
 what ye was," muttered Barney in a serious 
 tone, " it would be some sort o' comfort." 
 
 A loud cry of a different kind here inter- 
 rupted his soliloquy, and soon after the first 
 cry was repeated louder than before. 
 
 Clenching his teeth and knitting his brows 
 the perplexed Irishman resumed his work with 
 a desperate resolve not to be again interrupted. 
 But he had miscalculated the strength of his 
 nerves. Albeit as brave a man as ever stepped,
 
 46 Martin Rattler 
 
 when his enemy was before him, Barney was, 
 nevertheless, strongly imbued with superstitious 
 feelings ; and the conflict between his physical 
 courage and his mental cowardice produced a 
 species of wild exasperation, which, he often 
 asserted, was very hard to bear. Scarcely had 
 he resumed his work when a bat of enormous 
 size brushed past his nose so noiselessly that it 
 seemed more like a phantom than a reality. 
 Barney had never seen anything of the sort 
 before, and a cold perspiration broke out upon 
 him, when he fancied it might be a ghost. 
 Again the bat swept past close to his eyes. 
 
 " Musha, but I'll kill ye, ghost or no ghost," 
 he ejaculated, gazing all round into the gloomy 
 depths of the woods with his cutlass uplifted. 
 Instead of flying again in front of him, as he 
 had expected, the bat flew with a whirring noise 
 past his ear. Down came the cutlass with a 
 sudden thwack, cutting deep into the trunk of a 
 small tree, which trembled under the shock and 
 sent a shower of ripe nuts of a large size down 
 upon the sailor's head. Startled as he was, he 
 sprang backward with a wild cry ; then, half 
 ashamed of his groundless fears, he collected the 
 wood he had cut, threw it hastily on his shoulder 
 and went with a quick step out of the woods. 
 In doing so he put his foot upon the head of a 
 small snake, which wriggled up round his ankle 
 and leg. If there was anything on earth that
 
 Martin Rattler 47 
 
 Barney abhorred and dreaded it was a snake. 
 No sooner did he feel its cold form writhing 
 under his foot, than he uttered a tremendous yell 
 of terror, dropped his bundle of sticks, and fled 
 precipitately to the beach, where he did not halt 
 till he found himself knee-deep in the sea. 
 
 " Och, Martin, boy," gasped the affrighted 
 sailor, " it's my belafe that all the evil spirits on 
 arth live in yonder wood ; indeed I do." 
 
 " Nonsense, Barney," said Martin, laughing ; 
 " there are no such things as ghosts ; at any rate 
 I'm resolved to face them, for if we don't get 
 some sticks the fire will go out and leave us very 
 comfortless. Come, I'll go up with you." 
 
 " Put on yer shoes then, avic, for the sarpints 
 are no ghosts, anyhow, and I'm tould they're 
 pisonous sometimes." 
 
 They soon found the bundle of dry sticks that 
 Barney had thrown down, and returning with it 
 to the beach, they speedily kindled a roaring 
 fire, which made them feel quite cheerful. True, 
 they had nothing to eat ; but having had a good 
 dinner on board the barque late that afternoon, 
 they were not much in want of food. While 
 they sat thus on the sand of the sea-shore, 
 spreading their hands before the blaze and 
 talking over their strange position, a low rum- 
 bling of distant thunder was heard. Barney's 
 countenance instantly fell. 
 
 " What's the matter, Barney ? " inquired
 
 48 Martin Rattler 
 
 Martin, as he observed his companion gaze 
 anxiously up at the sky. 
 
 " Och, it's comin', sure enough." 
 
 " And what though it does come ? " returned 
 Martin ; " we can creep under one of these thick 
 bushes till the shower is past." 
 
 " Did ye iver see a thunder-storm in the 
 tropics?" inquired Barney. 
 
 " No, never," replied Martin. 
 
 " Then if ye don't want to feel and see it 
 both at wance, come with me as quick as iver ye 
 can." 
 
 Barney started up as he spoke, stuck his 
 cutlass and pistol into his belt, and set off towards 
 the woods at a sharp run, followed closely by his 
 wondering companion. 
 
 Their haste was by no means unnecessary. 
 Great black clouds rushed up towards the zenith 
 from all points of the compass, and, just as they 
 reached the woods, darkness so thick that it 
 might almost be felt overspread the scene. 
 Then there was a flash of lightning so vivid that 
 it seemed as if a bright day had been created 
 and extinguished in a moment, leaving the 
 darkness ten times more oppressive. It was 
 followed instantaneously by a crash and a pro- 
 longed rattle, that sounded as if a universe of 
 solid worlds were rushing into contact overhead 
 and bursting into atoms. The flash was so far 
 useful to the fugitives, that it enabled them to
 
 Martin Rattler 49 
 
 observe a many-stemmed tree with dense and 
 heavy foliage, under which they darted. They 
 were just in time, and had scarcely seated them- 
 selves among its branches when the rain came 
 down in a way not only that Martin had never 
 seen, but that he had never conceived of before. 
 It fell, as it were, in broad heavy sheets, and its 
 sound was a loud, continuous roar. 
 
 The wind soon after burst upon the forest and 
 added to the hideous shriek of elements. The 
 trees bent before it ; the rain was whirled and 
 dashed about in water-spouts ; and huge limbs 
 were rent from some of the larger trees with a 
 crash like thunder, and swept far away into the 
 forest. The very earth trembled and seemed 
 terrified at the dreadful conflict going on above. 
 It seemed to the two friends as if the end of the 
 world were come ; and they could do nothing 
 but cower among the branches of the tree and 
 watch the storm in silence ; while they felt, in a 
 way they had never before experienced, how 
 utterly helpless they were and unable to foresee 
 or avert the many dangers by which they were 
 surrounded, and how absolutely dependent they 
 were on God for protection. 
 
 For several hours the storm continued. 
 Then it ceased as suddenly as it had begun, and 
 the bright stars again shone down upon a 
 peaceful scene. 
 
 When it was over, Martin and his comrade 
 
 E
 
 50 Martin Rattler 
 
 descended the tree and endeavoured to find their 
 way back to the beach. But this was no easy 
 matter. The haste with which they had run 
 into the woods, and the confusion of the storm, 
 had made them uncertain in which direction it 
 lay ; and the more they tried to get out, the 
 deeper they penetrated into the forest. At 
 length, wearied with fruitless wandering and 
 stumbling about in the dark, they resolved to 
 spend the night where they were. Coming to a 
 place which was more open than usual, and 
 where they could see a portion of the starry sky 
 overhead, they sat down on a dry spot under the 
 shelter of a spreading tree, and, leaning their 
 backs against the trunk, very soon fell sound 
 asleep. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 AN ENCHANTING LAND — AN UNCOMFORTABLE 
 BED AND A QUEER BREAKFAST — MANY 
 SURPRISES AND A FEW FRIGHTS, TOGETHER 
 WITH A NOTABLE DISCOVERY 
 
 " I'VE woked in paradise ! " 
 
 Such was the exclamation that aroused 
 Martin Rattler on the morning after his land- 
 ing on the coast of South America. It was
 
 Martin Rattler 51 
 
 uttered by Barney O'Flannagan, who lay at full 
 length on his back, his head propped up by a 
 root of the tree under which they had slept, 
 and his eyes staring right before him with an 
 expression of concentrated amazement. When 
 Martin opened his eyes, he too was struck dumb 
 with surprise. And well might they gaze with 
 astonishment ; for the last ray of departing day- 
 light on the night before had flickered over the 
 open sea, and now the first gleam of returning 
 sunshine revealed to them the magnificent 
 forests of Brazil. 
 
 Yes, well might they gaze and gaze again 
 in boundless admiration ; for the tropical sun 
 shone down on a scene of dazzling and luxuriant 
 vegetation, so resplendent that it seemed to 
 them the realization of a fairy tale. Plants and 
 shrubs and flowers were there, of the most 
 curious and brilliant description, and of which 
 they neither knew the uses nor the names. 
 Majestic trees were there, with foliage of every 
 shape and size and hue ; some with stems 
 twenty feet in circumference ; others more 
 slender in form, straight and tall ; and some 
 twisted in a bunch together and rising upwards 
 like fluted pillars : a few had buttresses, or 
 natural planks, several feet broad, ranged all 
 round their trunks, as if to support them ; while 
 many bent gracefully beneath the load of their 
 clustering fruit and heavy foliage. Orange-trees
 
 52 Martin Rattler 
 
 with their ripe fruit shone in the sunbeams like 
 gold. Stately palms rose above the surround- 
 ing trees and waved their feathery plumes in 
 the air, and bananas with broad enormous 
 leaves rustled in the breeze and cast a cool 
 shadow on the ground. 
 
 Well might they gaze in great surprise; for 
 all these curious and beautiful trees were sur- 
 rounded by and entwined in the embrace of 
 luxuriant and remarkable climbing plants. The 
 parasitic vanilla with its star-like blossoms crept 
 up their trunks and along their branches, where 
 it hung in graceful festoons, or drooped back 
 again almost to the ground. So rich and 
 numerous were these creepers, that in many 
 cases they killed the strong giants whom they 
 embraced so lovingly. Some of them hung 
 from the tree-tops like stays from the masts of 
 a ship, and many of them mingled their brilliant 
 flowers so closely with the leaves, that the 
 climbing-plants and their supporters could not 
 be distinguished from each other, and it seemed 
 as though the trees themselves had become 
 gigantic flowering shrubs. 
 
 Birds, too, were there in myriads, — and such 
 birds ! Their feathers were green and gold and 
 scarlet and yellow and blue — fresh and bright 
 and brilliant as the sky beneath which they 
 were nurtured. The great toucan, with a beak 
 nearly as big as his body, flew clumsily from
 
 Martin Rattler 53 
 
 stem to stem. The tiny, delicate humming- 
 birds, scarce larger than bees, fluttered from 
 flower to flower and spray to spray, like points 
 of brilliant green. But they were irritable, 
 passionate little creatures, these lovely things, 
 and quarrelled with each other and fought like 
 very wasps ! Enormous butterflies, with wings 
 of deep metallic blue, shot past or hovered in 
 the air like gleams of light; and green paroquets 
 swooped from tree to tree and chattered joyfully 
 over their morning meal. 
 
 Well might they gaze with wonder, and 
 smile too with extreme merriment, for monkeys 
 stared at them from between the leaves with 
 expressions of undisguised amazement, and 
 bounded away shrieking and chattering in 
 consternation, swinging from branch to branch 
 with incredible speed, and not scrupling to use 
 each other's tails to swing by when occasion 
 offered. Some were big and red and ugly, — as 
 ugly as you can possibly imagine, with blue 
 faces and fiercely grinning teeth ; others were 
 delicately formed and sad of countenance, as if 
 they were for ever bewailing the loss of near 
 and dear relations, and could by no means 
 come at consolation ; and some were small and 
 pretty, with faces no bigger than a halfpenny. 
 As a general rule, it seemed to Barney, the 
 smaller the monkey the longer the tail. 
 
 Yes, well might they gaze and gaze again
 
 54 Martin Rattler 
 
 in surprise and in excessive admiration ; and 
 well might Barney O'Flannagan — under the 
 circumstances, with such sights and sounds 
 around him, and the delightful odours of myrtle 
 trees and orange blossoms and the Cape jessa- 
 mine stealing up his nostrils — deem himself the 
 tenant of another world, and evince his con- 
 viction of the fact in that memorable expression 
 — " I've woked in paradise ! " 
 
 But Barney began to find " paradise " not 
 quite so comfortable as it ought to be ; for 
 when he tried to get up he found his bones 
 pained and stiff from sleeping in damp clothes ; 
 and moreover, his face was very much swelled, 
 owing to the myriads of mosquitoes which had 
 supped of it during the night. 
 
 "Arrah, then, won't ye be done!" he cried, 
 angrily, giving his face a slap that killed at least 
 two or three hundred of his tormentors. But 
 thousands more attacked him instantly, and he 
 soon found out, — what every one finds out sooner 
 or later in hot climates, — that patience is one 
 of the best remedies for mosquito bites. He 
 also discovered shortly afterwards that smoke is 
 not a bad remedy, in connection with patience. 
 
 " What are we to have for breakfast, Barney?" 
 inquired Martin as he rose and yawned and 
 stretched his limbs. 
 
 " Help yersilf to what ye plase," said Barney, 
 with a polite bow, waving his hand round him,
 
 Martin Rattler 55 
 
 as if the forest were his private property and 
 Martin Rattler his honoured guest. 
 
 "Well, I vote for oranges," said Martin, 
 going towards a tree which was laden with ripe 
 fruit. 
 
 "An' I'll try plums, by way of variety," added 
 his companion. 
 
 In a few minutes several kinds of fruit and 
 nuts were gathered and spread at the foot of 
 the tree under which they had reposed. Then 
 Barney proceeded to kindle a fire, — not that he 
 had anything to cook, but he said it looked 
 sociable-like, and the smoke would keep oft" 
 the flies. The operation, however, was by no 
 means easy. Everything had been soaked by 
 the rain of the previous night, and a bit of dry 
 grass could scarcely be found. At length he 
 procured a little ; and by rubbing it in the damp 
 gunpowder which he had extracted from his 
 pistol, and drying it in the sun, he formed a sort 
 of tinder that caught fire after much persevering 
 effort. 
 
 Some of the fruits they found to be good, — 
 others bad. The good they ate,— the bad they 
 threw away. After their frugal fare they felt 
 much refreshed, and then began to talk of what 
 they should do. 
 
 " We can't live here with parrots and monkeys, 
 you know," said Martin ; " we must try to find 
 a village or town of some sort ; or get to the
 
 56 Martin Rattler 
 
 coast, and then we shall perhaps meet with a 
 ship." 
 
 " True, lad," replied Barney, knitting his 
 brows and looking extremely sagacious ; " the 
 fact is, since neither of us knows nothing about 
 anything, or the way to any place, my advice 
 is to walk straight for'ard till we come to 
 something." 
 
 " So think I," replied Martin ; " therefore the 
 sooner we set off the better." 
 
 Having no luggage to pack and no arrange- 
 ments of any kind to make, the two friends 
 rose from their primitive breakfast-table, and 
 walked away straight before them into the 
 forest. 
 
 All that day they travelled patiently forward, 
 conversing pleasantly about the various and 
 wonderful trees, and flowers, and animals they 
 met with by the way ; but no signs were dis- 
 covered that indicated the presence of man. 
 Towards evening, however, they fell upon a 
 track or foot-path, — which discovery rejoiced 
 them much ; and here, before proceeding further, 
 they sat down to eat a little more fruit, — which, 
 indeed, they had done several times during the 
 day. They walked nearly thirty miles that day 
 without seeing a human being ; but they met 
 with many strange and beautiful birds and 
 beasts, — some of which were of so fierce an 
 aspect that they would have been very glad to
 
 Martin Rattler 57 
 
 have had guns to defend themselves with. 
 Fortunately, however, all the animals seemed 
 to be much more afraid of them than they were 
 of the animals ; so they travelled in safety. 
 Several times during the course of the day they 
 saw snakes and serpents, which glided away 
 into the jungle on their approach, and could 
 not be overtaken, although Barney made re- 
 peated darts at them, intending to attack them 
 with his cutlass ; which assaults always proved 
 fruitless. 
 
 Once they were charged by a herd of peccaries, 
 — a species of pig or wild hog, — from which they 
 escaped by jumping actively to one side; but 
 the peccaries turned and rushed at them again, 
 and it was only by springing up the branches of 
 a neighbouring tree that they escaped their fury. 
 These peccaries are the fiercest and most daunt- 
 less animals in the forests of Brazil. They do 
 not know what fear is, — they will rush in the 
 face of anything ; and, unlike all other animals, 
 are quite indifferent to the report of fire-arms. 
 Their bodies are covered with long bristles, re- 
 sembling very much the quills of the porcupine. 
 
 As the evening drew on, the birds and beasts 
 and the innumerable insects, that had kept up a 
 perpetual noise during the day, retired to rest ; 
 and then the nocturnal animals began to creep 
 out of their holes and go about. Huge vampire- 
 bats, one of which had given Barney such a
 
 58 Martin Rattler 
 
 fright the night before, flew silently past them ; 
 and the wild hovvlings commenced again. They 
 now discovered that one of the most dismal of 
 the howls proceeded from a species of monkey : 
 at which discovery Martin laughed very much, 
 and rallied his companion on being so easily 
 frightened ; but Barney gladly joined in the 
 laugh against himself, for, to say truth, he felt 
 quite relieved and light-hearted at discovering 
 that his ghosts were converted into bats and 
 monkeys ! 
 
 There was one roar, however, which, when they 
 heard it ever and anon, gave them considerable 
 uneasiness. 
 
 " D'ye think there's lions in them parts ? " 
 inquired Barney, glancing with an expression of 
 regret a: his empty pistol, and laying his hand 
 on the hilt of his cutlass. 
 
 " I think not," replied Martin, in a low tone of 
 voice. " I have read in my school geography 
 that there are tigers of some sort, — jaguars, or 
 ounces, I think they are called, — but there are 
 no " 
 
 Martin's speech was cut short by a terrific 
 roar, which rang through the woods, and the 
 next instant a magnificent jaguar, or South 
 American tiger, bounded on to the track a few 
 yards in advance, and, wheeling round, glared 
 fiercely at the travellers. It seemed, in the 
 uncertain light, as if his eyes were two balls of
 
 Martin Rattler 59 
 
 living fire. Though not so large as the royal 
 Bengal tiger of India, this animal was neverthe- 
 less of immense size, and had a very ferocious 
 aspect. His roar was so sudden and awful, and 
 his appearance so unexpected, that the blood 
 was sent thrilling back into the hearts of the 
 travellers, who stood rooted to the spot, abso- 
 lutely unable to move. This was the first large 
 animal of the cat kind that either of them had 
 seen in all the terrible majesty of its wild 
 condition ; and, for the first time, Martin and 
 his friend felt that awful sensation of dread 
 that will assail even the bravest heart when a 
 new species of imminent danger is suddenly 
 presented. It is said that no animal can with- 
 stand the steady gaze of a human eye ; and 
 many travellers in wild countries have proved 
 this to be a fact. On the present occasion our 
 adventurers stared long and steadily at the wild 
 creature before them, from a mingled feeling of 
 surprise and horror. In a few seconds the 
 jaguar showed signs of being disconcerted. It 
 turned its head from side to side slightly, and 
 dropped its eyes, as if to avoid their gaze. 
 Then turning slowly and stealthily round, it 
 sprang with a magnificent bound into the jungle, 
 and disappeared. 
 
 Both Martin and Barney heaved a deep sigh 
 of relief. 
 
 " What a mercy it did not attack us ! " said
 
 60 Martin Rattler 
 
 the former, wiping the cold perspiration from 
 his forehead. " We should have had no chance 
 against such a terrible beast with a cutlass, I 
 fear." 
 
 " True, boy, true," replied his friend, gravely ; 
 "it would have been little better than a penknife 
 in the ribs o' sich a cratur. I niver thought that 
 it was in the power o' man or baste to put me in 
 sich a fright ; but the longer we live we learn, 
 boy." 
 
 Barney's disposition to make light of every- 
 thing was thoroughly subdued by this incident, 
 and he felt none of his usual inclination to regard 
 all that he saw in the Brazilian forests with a 
 comical eye. The danger they had escaped 
 was too real and terrible, and their almost 
 unarmed condition too serious, to be lightly 
 esteemed. For the next hour or two he con- 
 tinued to walk by Martin's side either in total 
 silence, or in earnest, grave conversation ; but 
 by degrees these feelings wore off, and his 
 buoyant spirits gradually returned. 
 
 The country over which they had passed 
 during the day was of a mingled character. At 
 one time they traversed a portion of dark forest, 
 heavy and choked up with the dense and 
 gigantic foliage peculiar to those countries that 
 lie near to the equator ; then they emerged from 
 this upon what to their eyes seemed most 
 beautiful scenery, — mingled plain and woodland,
 
 Martin Rattler 61 
 
 — where the excessive brilliancy and beauty of 
 the tropical vegetation was brought to perfection 
 by exposure to the light of the blue sky and the 
 warm rays of the sun. In such lovely spots they 
 travelled more slowly and rested more frequently, 
 enjoying to the full the sight of the gaily- 
 coloured birds and insects that fluttered busily 
 around them, and the delicious perfume of the 
 flowers that decked the ground and clambered 
 up the trees. At other times they came to plains, 
 or cawpos, as they are termed, where there were 
 no trees at all, and few shrubs, and where the 
 grass was burned brown and dry by the sun. 
 Over such they hurried as quickly as they could ; 
 and fortunately, where they chanced to travel, 
 such places were neither numerous nor extensive, 
 although in some districts of Brazil there are 
 campos hundreds of miles in extent. 
 
 A small stream meandered through the forest, 
 and enabled them to refresh themselves fre- 
 quently ; which was very fortunate, for the 
 heat, especially towards noon, became extremely 
 intense, and they could not have existed without 
 water. So great, indeed, was the heat about 
 mid-day, that, by mutual consent, they resolved 
 to seek the cool shade of a spreading tree, and 
 try to sleep if possible. At this time they 
 learned, to their surprise, that all animated 
 nature did likewise, and sought repose at noon. 
 God had implanted in the breast of every bird
 
 62 Martin Rattler 
 
 and insect in that mighty forest an instinct which 
 taught it to rest and find refreshment during the 
 excessive heat of mid-day ; so that, during the 
 space of two or three hours, not a thing with life 
 was seen, and not a sound was heard. Even the 
 troublesome mosquitoes, so active at all other 
 times, day and night, were silent now. The 
 change was very great and striking, and difficult 
 for those who have not observed it to compre- 
 hend. All the forenoon, screams, and cries, and 
 croaks, and grunts, and whistles, ring out through 
 the woods incessantly ; while, if you listen atten- 
 tively, you hear the low, deep, and never-ending 
 buzz and hum of millions upon millions of insects, 
 that dance in the air and creep on every leaf 
 and blade upon the ground. About noon all 
 this is hushed. The hot rays of the sun beat 
 perpendicularly down upon what seems a vast 
 untenanted solitude, and not a single chirp 
 breaks the death-like stillness of the great forest, 
 with the solitary exception of the metallic note 
 of the uruponga, or bell-bird, which seems to 
 mount guard when all the rest of the world has 
 gone to sleep. As the afternoon approaches 
 they all wake up, refreshed by their siesta, 
 active and lively as fairies, and ready for another 
 spell of work and another deep-toned noisy 
 chorus. 
 
 The country through which our adventurers 
 travelled, as evening approached, became grad-
 
 Martin Rattler 63 
 
 ually more hilly, and their march consequently 
 more toilsome. They were just about to give 
 up all thought of proceeding further that night, 
 when, on reaching the summit of a little hill, 
 they beheld a bright red light shining at a con- 
 siderable distance in the valley beyond. With 
 light steps and hearts full of hope they descended 
 the hill and hastened towards it. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE HERMIT 
 
 It was now quite dark, and the whole country 
 seemed alive with fire-flies. These beautiful 
 little insects sat upon the trees and bushes, 
 spangling them as with living diamonds, and 
 flew about in the air like little wandering stars. 
 Barney had seen them before, in the West 
 Indies, but Martin had only heard of them ; and 
 his delight and amazement at their extreme 
 brilliancy were very great. Although he was 
 naturally anxious to reach the light in the 
 valley, in the hope that it might prove to pro- 
 ceed from some cottage, he could not refrain 
 from stopping once or twice to catch these 
 lovely creatures ; and when he succeeded in 
 doing so, and placed one on the palm of his
 
 64 Martin Rattler 
 
 hand, the light emitted from it was more 
 brilliant than that of a small taper, and much 
 more beautiful, for it was of a bluish colour, 
 and very intense, — more like the light reflected 
 from a jewel than a flame of fire. He could 
 have read a book by means of it quite easily. 
 
 In half an hour they drew near to the light, 
 which they found proceeded from the window 
 of a small cottage or hut. 
 
 " Whist, Martin," whispered Barney, as they 
 approached the hut on tiptoe ; " there may be 
 savages into it, an' there's no sayin' what sort 
 o' craturs they are in them parts." 
 
 When about fifty yards distant, they could 
 see through the open window into the room 
 where the light burned ; and what they beheld 
 there was well calculated to fill them with sur- 
 prise. On a rude wooden chair, at a rough 
 unpainted table, a man was seated, with his 
 head resting on his hand, and his eyes fixed 
 intently on a book. Owing to the distance, and 
 the few leaves and branches that intervened 
 between them and the hut, they could not 
 observe him very distinctly. But it was evident 
 that he was a large and strong man, a little past 
 the prime of life. The hair of his head and 
 beard was black and bushy, and streaked with 
 silver-grey. His face was massive, and of a 
 dark olive complexion, with an expression of 
 sadness on it, strangely mingled with stern
 
 Martin Rattler 65 
 
 gravity. His broad shoulders — and, indeed, his 
 whole person — were enveloped in the coarse 
 folds of a long gown or robe, gathered in at the 
 waist with a broad band of leather. 
 
 The room in which he sat — or rather the 
 hut, for there was but one room in it — was 
 destitute of all furniture, except that already 
 mentioned, besides one or two roughly-formed 
 stools ; but the walls were completely covered 
 with strange-looking implements and trophies 
 of the chase ; and in a corner lay a confused 
 pile of books, some of which were, from their 
 appearance, extremely ancient. All this the 
 benighted wanderers observed as they continued 
 to approach cautiously on tiptoe. So cautious 
 did they become as they drew near, and came 
 within the light of the lamp, that Barney at 
 length attempted to step over his own shadow 
 for fear of making a noise ; and, in doing so, 
 tripped and fell with considerable noise through 
 a hedge of prickly shrubs that encircled the 
 strange man's dwelling. 
 
 The hermit — for such he appeared to be — 
 betrayed no symptom of surprise or fear at 
 the sudden sound ; but, rising quietly though 
 quickly from his seat, took down a musket that 
 hung on the wall, and, stepping to the open 
 door, demanded sternly, in the Portuguese 
 language, " Who goes there ? " 
 
 " Arrah, then, if ye'd help a fellow-cratur to
 
 66 Martin Rattler 
 
 rise, instead o' talkin' gibberish like that, it would 
 be more to your credit ! " exclaimed the Irish- 
 man, as he scrambled to his feet and presented 
 himself, along with Martin, at the hermit's door. 
 
 A peculiar smile lighted up the man's features 
 as he retreated into the hut, and invited the 
 strangers to enter. 
 
 " Come in," said he, in good English, although 
 with a slightly foreign accent. " I am most 
 happy to see you. You are English. I know 
 the voice and the language very well. Lived 
 among them once, but long time past now — 
 very long. Have not seen one of you for many 
 years." 
 
 With many such speeches, and much ex- 
 pression of good-will, the hospitable hermit 
 invited Martin and his companion to sit down 
 at his rude table, on which he quickly spread 
 several plates of ripe and dried fruits, a few 
 cakes, and a jar of excellent honey, with a 
 stone bottle of cool water. When they were 
 busily engaged with these viands, he began 
 to make inquiries as to where his visitors had 
 come from. 
 
 "We've corned from the sae," replied Barney, 
 as he devoted himself to a magnificent pine- 
 apple. " Och but yer victuals is mighty good, 
 Mister — what's yer name? — 'ticklerly to them 
 that's a'most starvin'." 
 
 " The fact is," said Martin, " our ship has
 
 Martin Rattler 67 
 
 been taken by pirates, and we two swam ashore, 
 and lost ourselves in the woods ; and now we 
 have stumbled upon your dwelling, friend, which 
 is a great comfort." 
 
 " Hoigh, an' that's true," sighed Barney, as he 
 finished the last slice of the pine-apple. 
 
 They now explained to their entertainer all 
 the circumstances attending the capture of the 
 Firefly, and their subsequent adventures and 
 vicissitudes in the forest ; all of which Barney 
 detailed in a most graphic manner, and to all 
 of which their new friend listened with grave 
 attention and unbroken silence. When they 
 had concluded he said, — 
 
 "Very good. You have seen much in very 
 short time. Perhaps you shall see more by- 
 and-by. For the present you will go to rest, for 
 you must be fatigued. I will think to-night, — 
 to-morrow I will speak." 
 
 "An', if I may make so bould," said Barney, 
 glancing with a somewhat rueful expression 
 round the hard earthen floor of the hut, " where- 
 abouts may I take the liberty of sleepin' ? " 
 
 The hermit replied by going to a corner, 
 whence, from beneath a heap of rubbish, he 
 dragged two hammocks, curiously wrought in 
 a sort of light net-work. These he slung across 
 the hut, at one end, from wall to wall, and, 
 throwing a sheet or coverlet into each, he turned 
 with a smile to his visitors, —
 
 68 Martin Rattler 
 
 " Behold your beds ! I wish you a very good 
 sleep, — adios ! " 
 
 So saying, this strange individual sat down 
 at the table, and was soon as deeply engaged 
 with his large book as if he had suffered no 
 interruption ; while Martin and Barney, having 
 gazed gravely and abstractedly at him for five 
 minutes, turned and smiled to each other, 
 jumped into their hammocks, and were soon 
 buried in deep slumber. 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 AN ENEMY IN THE NIGHT— THE VAMPIRE BAT 
 — THE HERMIT DISCOURSES ON STRANGE, 
 AND CURIOUS, AND INTERESTING THINGS 
 
 Next morning Martin Rattler awoke with a 
 feeling of lightness in his head, and a sensation 
 of extreme weakness pervading his entire frame. 
 Turning his head round to the right he observed 
 that a third hammock was slung across the 
 further end of the hut ; which was, no doubt, 
 that in which the hermit had passed the night. 
 But it was empty now. Martin did not require 
 to turn his head to the other side to see if 
 Barney O'Flannagan was there, for that worthy 
 individual made his presence known, for a dis-
 
 Martin Rattler 69 
 
 tance of at least sixty yards all round the outside 
 of the hut, by means of his nose, which he was 
 in the habit of using as a trumpet when asleep. 
 It was as well that Martin did not require to 
 look round ; for he found, to his surprise, that 
 he had scarcely strength to do so. While he 
 was wondering in a dreamy sort of manner 
 what could be the matter with him, the hermit 
 entered the hut bearing a small deer upon his 
 shoulders. Resting his gun in a corner of the 
 room, he advanced to Martin's hammock. 
 
 " My boy," he exclaimed, in surprise, " what 
 is wrong with you ? " 
 
 " I'm sure I don't know," said Martin, faintly ; 
 " I think there is something wet about my feet." 
 
 Turning up the sheet, he found that Martin's 
 feet were covered with blood ! For a few 
 seconds the hermit growled forth a number of 
 apparently very pithy sentences in Portuguese, 
 in a deep guttural voice, which awakened Barney 
 with a start. Springing from his hammock with 
 a bound like a tiger, he exclaimed, " Och ! ye 
 blackguard, would ye murther the boy before 
 me very nose?" and seizing the hermit in his 
 powerful grasp, he would infallibly have hurled 
 him, big though he was, through his own door- 
 way, had not Martin cried out, "Stop, stop, 
 Barney. It's all right ; he's done nothing : " on 
 hearing which the Irishman loosened his hold, 
 and turned towards his friend.
 
 70 Martin Rattler 
 
 " What's the matter, honey ? " said Barney, 
 in a soothing tone of voice, as a mother might 
 address her infant son. The hermit, whose com- 
 posure had not been in the slightest degree 
 disturbed, here said — 
 
 " The poor child has been sucked by a 
 vampire bat." 
 
 " Ochone ! " groaned Barney, sitting down on 
 the table, and looking at his host with a face of 
 horror. 
 
 " Yes, these are the worst animals in Brazil 
 for sucking the blood of men and cattle. I find 
 it quite impossible to keep my mules alive, they 
 are so bad." 
 
 Barney groaned. 
 
 " They have killed two cows which I tried to 
 keep here, and one young horse — a foal you call 
 him, I think ; and now I have no cattle remain- 
 ing, they are so bad." 
 
 Barney groaned again, and the hermit went 
 on to enumerate the wicked deeds of the vam- 
 pire bats, while he applied poultices of certain 
 herbs to Martin's toe, in order to check the 
 bleeding, and then bandaged it up ; after which 
 he sat down to relate to his visitors the manner 
 in which the bat carries on its bloody operations. 
 He explained, first of all, that the vampire bats 
 are so large and ferocious that they often kill 
 horses and cattle by sucking their blood out. 
 Of course they cannot do this at one meal, but
 
 Martin Rattler 71 
 
 they attack the poor animals again and again, 
 and the blood continues to flow from the wounds 
 they make long afterwards, so that the creatures 
 attacked soon grow weak and die. They attack 
 men, too, — as Martin knew to his cost ; and 
 they usually fix upon the toes and other ex- 
 tremities. So gentle are they in their opera- 
 tions, that sleepers frequently do not feel the 
 puncture, which they make, it is supposed, with 
 the sharp hooked nail of their thumb ; and 
 the unconscious victim knows nothing of the 
 enemy who has been draining his blood until 
 he awakens, faint and exhausted, in the 
 morning. 
 
 Moreover, the hermit told them that these 
 vampire bats have very sharp, carnivorous teeth, 
 besides a tongue which is furnished with the 
 curious organs by which they suck the life- 
 blood of their fellow-creatures ; that they have 
 a peculiar, leaf-like, overhanging lip ; and that 
 he had a stuffed specimen of a bat that measured 
 no less than two feet across the expanded wings, 
 from tip to tip. 
 
 " Och, the blood-thirsty spalpeen ! " exclaimed 
 Barney, as he rose and crossed the room to 
 examine the bat in question, which was nailed 
 against the wall. " Bad luck to them, they've 
 ruined Martin intirely." 
 
 " O no," remarked the hermit with a smile. 
 " It will do the boy much good the loss of the
 
 72 Martin Rattler 
 
 blood ; much good, and he will not be sick at 
 all to-morrow." 
 
 " I'm glad to hear you say so," said Martin, 
 " for it would be a great bore to be obliged to 
 lie here when I've so many things to see. In 
 fact I feel better already, and if you will be so 
 kind as to give me a little breakfast I shall 
 be quite well." 
 
 While Martin was speaking, the obliging 
 hermit, — who, by the way, was now habited in 
 a loose short hunting-coat of brown cotton, — 
 spread a plentiful repast upon his table ; to 
 which, having assisted Martin to get out of his 
 hammock, they all proceeded to do ample 
 justice : for the travellers were very hungry 
 after the fatigue of the previous day ; and as 
 for the hermit, he looked like a man whose 
 appetite was always sharp set and whose food 
 agreed with him. 
 
 They had cold meat of several kinds, and a 
 hot steak of venison just killed that morning, 
 which the hermit cooked while his guests were 
 engaged with the other viands. There was also 
 excellent coffee, and superb cream, besides 
 cakes made of a species of coarse flour or meal, 
 fruits of various kinds, and very fine honey. 
 
 " Arrah ! ye've the hoith o' livin' here ! " cried 
 Barney, smacking his lips as he held out his 
 plate for another supply of a species of meat 
 which resembled chicken in tenderness and
 
 Martin Rattler 73 
 
 flavour. " What sort o' bird or baste may that 
 be, now, av' I may ask ye, Mister — what's yer 
 name ? " 
 
 " My name is Carlos," replied the hermit, 
 gravely ; " and this is the flesh of the Arma- 
 dillo." 
 
 " Anna — what — o ? " inquired Barney. 
 
 " Armadillo" repeated the hermit. " He is 
 very good to eat, but very difficult to catch. 
 He digs down so fast we cannot catch him, and 
 must smoke him out of his hole." 
 
 " Have you many cows ? " inquired Martin, as 
 he replenished his cup with coffee. 
 
 " Cows ? " echoed the hermit, " I have got no 
 cows." 
 
 " Where do you get such capital cream, 
 then ? " asked Martin in surprise. 
 
 The hermit smiled. " Ah ! my friends, that 
 cream has come from a very curious cow. It 
 is from a cow that grows in the ground." 
 
 " Grows ! " ejaculated his guests. 
 
 " Yes, he grows. I will show him to you one 
 day." 
 
 The hermit's broad shoulders shook with a 
 quiet internal laugh. " I will explain a little 
 of that you behold on my table. 
 
 " The coffee I get from the trees. There are 
 plenty of them here. Much money is made in 
 Brazil by the export of coffee, — very much. 
 The cakes are made from the mandioca-ruot,
 
 74 Martin Rattler 
 
 which I grow near my house. The root is dried 
 and ground into flour, which, under the general 
 name farina, is used all over the country. It is 
 almost the only food used by the Indians and 
 Negroes." 
 
 "Then there are Injins and Niggers here, are 
 there ? " inquired Barney. 
 
 "Yes, a great many. Most of the Negroes 
 are slaves ; some of the Indians too ; and the 
 people who are descended from the Portuguese 
 who came and took the country long ago, they 
 are the masters. — Well, the honey I get in holes 
 in the trees. There are different kinds of honey 
 here ; some of it is sour honey. And the fruits 
 and roots, the plantains, and bananas, and yams, 
 and cocoa-nuts, and oranges, and plums, all 
 grow in the forest, and much more besides, 
 which you will see for yourselves if you stay 
 long here." 
 
 " It's a quare country, intirely," remarked 
 Barney, as he wiped his mouth and heaved a 
 sigh of contentment. Then, drawing his hand 
 over his chin, he looked earnestly in the hermit's 
 face, and, with a peculiar twinkle in his eye, 
 said — 
 
 " I s'pose ye couldn't favour me with the 
 lind of a raazor, could ye?" 
 
 " No, my friend ; I never use that foolish 
 weapon." 
 
 "Ah, well, as there's only monkeys and
 
 Martin Rattler 75 
 
 jaguars, and sich like to see me, it don't much 
 signify ; but my mustaches is gitin' mighty long, 
 for I've been two weeks already without a 
 shave." 
 
 Martin laughed heartily at the grave, anxious 
 expression of his comrade's face. " Never mind, 
 Barney," he said, " a beard and moustache will 
 improve you vastly. Besides, they will be a 
 great protection against mosquitoes ; for you 
 are such a hairy monster, that when they grow 
 nothing of your face will be exposed except 
 your eyes and cheek-bones. And now," con- 
 tinued Martin, climbing into his hammock again 
 and addressing the hermit, " since you won't 
 allow me to go out a-hunting to-day, I would 
 like very much if you would tell me something 
 more about this strange country." 
 
 " An' may be," suggested Barney, modestly, 
 "ye won't object to tell us something about 
 yersilf, — how you came for to live in this quare, 
 solitary kind of a way." 
 
 The hermit looked gravely from one to the 
 other, and stroked his beard. Drawing his 
 rude chair towards the door ol the hut, he 
 folded his arms, and crossed his legs, and gazed 
 dreamily forth upon the rich landscape. Then, 
 glancing again at his guests, he said, slowly : 
 " Yes, I will do what you ask, — I will tell you 
 my story." 
 
 "An", if I might make so bould as to inquire,"
 
 76 Martin Rattler 
 
 said Barney, with a deprecatory smile, while he 
 drew a short black pipe from his pocket, " have 
 ye got such a thing as 'baccy in them parts ? " 
 
 The hermit rose, and going to a small box 
 which stood in a corner, returned with a quan- 
 tity of cut tobacco in one hand, and a cigar not 
 far short of a foot long in the other! In a few 
 seconds the cigar was going in full force, like 
 a factory chimney ; and the short black pipe 
 glowed like a miniature furnace, while its owner 
 seated himself on a low stool, crossed his arms 
 on his breast, leaned his back against the door- 
 post, and smiled, — as only an Irishman can 
 smile under such circumstances. The smoke 
 soon formed a thick cloud, which effectually 
 drove the mosquitoes out of the hut, and 
 through which Martin, lying in his hammock, 
 gazed out upon the sunlit orange and coffee 
 trees, and tall palms with their rich festoons of 
 creeping plants, and sweet-scented flowers, that 
 clambered over and round the hut and peeped 
 in at the open door and windows, while he 
 listened to the hermit, who continued for at 
 least ten minutes to murmur slowly, between 
 the puffs of his cigar, " Yes, I will do it ; I will 
 tell you my story."
 
 Martin Rattler 77 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE HERMIT'S STORY 
 
 " My ancestors," began the hermit, " were 
 among the first to land upon Brazil, after the 
 country was taken possession of in the name of 
 the King of Portugal, in the year 1500. In the 
 first year of the century, Vincent Yanez Pincon, 
 a companion of the famed Columbus, discovered 
 Brazil ; and in the next year, Pedro Alvarez 
 Cabral, a Portuguese commander, took possession 
 of it in the name of the King of Portugal. In 
 1503, Americus Vespucius discovered the Bay of 
 All Saints, and took home a cargo of Brazil- 
 wood, monkeys and parrots ; but no permanent 
 settlement was effected upon the shores of the 
 new continent, and the rich treasures of this 
 great country remained for some years longer 
 buried and unknown to man, — for the wild 
 Indians who lived here knew not their value. 
 " It was on a dark and stormy night in the 
 year 15 10. A group of swarthy and naked 
 savages encircled a small fire on the edge of the 
 forest on the cast coast of Brazil. The spot 
 where their watchfire was kindled is now covered 
 by the flourishing city of Bahia. At that time
 
 78 Martin Rattler 
 
 it was a wilderness. Before them stretched the 
 noble bay which is now termed BaJiia de Todos 
 Santos, — All Saints' Bay. 
 
 " The savages talked earnestly and with 
 excited looks as they stood upon the shore, for 
 the memory of the wondrous ships of the white 
 men that had visited them a few years before 
 was deeply engraven on their minds ; and now, 
 in the midst of the howling storm, another ship 
 was seen approaching their land. It was a small 
 vessel, shattered and tempest-tossed, that drove 
 into the Bahia de Todos Santos on that stormy 
 night. Long had it battled with the waves of 
 the Atlantic, and the brave hearts that manned 
 it had remained stanch to duty and strong in 
 hope, remembering the recent glorious example 
 of Columbus. But the storm was fierce and the 
 bark was frail. The top-masts were broken and 
 the sails rent ; and worst of all, just as land 
 hove in sight and cheered the drooping spirits of 
 the crew, a tremendous wave dashed upon the 
 ship's stern and carried away the rudder. 
 
 " As they drove helplessly before the gale 
 towards the shore, the naked savages crowded 
 down upon the beach and gazed in awe and 
 astonishment at the mysterious ship. A few of 
 them had seen the vessels of Americus Vespucius 
 and Cabral. The rumour of the white men and 
 their floating castle had been wafted far and 
 wide along the coast and into the interior ot
 
 Martin Rattler 79 
 
 Brazil, and with breathless wonder the natives 
 had listened to the strange account. But now 
 the vision was before them in reality. On came 
 the floating castle, the white foam dashing from 
 her bows and the torn sails and ropes flying 
 from her masts as she surged over the billows 
 and loomed through the driving spray. 
 
 " It was a grand sight to see that ship dashing 
 straight towards the shore at fearful speed ; and 
 those who looked on seemed to be impressed 
 with a vague feeling that she had power to spring 
 upon the strand and continue her swift career 
 through the forest, as she had hitherto cleft her 
 passage through the sea. As she approached, 
 the savages shrank back in fear. Suddenly her 
 frame trembled with a mighty shock. A terrible 
 cry was borne to land by the gale, and all her 
 masts went overboard. A huge wave lifted the 
 vessel on its crest and flung her further on the 
 shore, where she remained firmly fixed, while the 
 waves dashed in foam around her and soon 
 began to break her up. Ere this happened, 
 however, a rope was thrown ashore and fastened 
 to a rock by the natives. By means of this the 
 crew were saved. But it would have been well 
 for these bold navigators of Portugal if they had 
 perished in the stormy sea, for they were spared 
 by the ocean only to be murdered by the wild 
 savages on whose shore they had been cast. 
 
 " All were slain save one,— Diego Alvarez
 
 80 Martin Rattler 
 
 Carreo, the captain of the ship. Before grasp- 
 ing the rope by which he reached the shore, he 
 thrust several cartridges into his bosom and 
 caught up a loaded musket. Wrapping the lock 
 in several folds of cloth to keep it dry, he slid 
 along the rope and gained the beach in safety. 
 Here he was seized by the natives, and would 
 no doubt have been barbarously slain with his 
 unfortunate companions ; but, being a very 
 powerful man, he dashed aside the foremost, 
 and, breaking through their ranks, rushed towards 
 the wood. The fleet savages, however, overtook 
 him in an instant, and were about to seize him 
 when a young Indian woman interposed between 
 them and their victim. This girl was the chief's 
 daughter, and respect for her rank induced them 
 to hesitate for a moment ; but in another instant 
 the Portuguese captain was surrounded. In the 
 scuffle that ensued his musket exploded, but 
 fortunately wounded no one. Instantly the 
 horrified savages fled in all directions leaving 
 Carreo alone ! 
 
 " The captain was quick-witted. He knew that 
 among hundreds of savages it was madness to 
 attempt either to fight or fly, and the happy 
 effect of the musket explosion induced him to 
 adopt another course of action. He drew him- 
 self up proudly to his full height, and beckoned 
 the savages to return. This they did, casting 
 many glances of fear at the dreaded musket.
 
 Martin Rattler 81 
 
 Going up to one who, from his bearing and 
 ornaments, seemed to be a chief, Carreo laid his 
 musket on the sand, and, stepping over it so 
 that he left it behind him, held out his hand 
 frankly to the chief. The savage looked at him 
 in surprise, and suffered the captain to take 
 his hand and pat it ; after which he began to 
 examine the stranger's dress with much curiosity. 
 Seeing that their chief was friendly to the white 
 man, the other savages hurried him to the camp- 
 fire, where he soon stripped off his wet clothes 
 and ate the food which they put before him. 
 Thus Diego Carreo was spared. 
 
 " Next day, the Indians lined the beach and 
 collected the stores of the wrecked vessel. 
 While thus employed, Carreo shot a gull with 
 his musket ; which so astonished the natives 
 that they regarded him with fear and respect 
 amounting almost to veneration. A considerable 
 quantity of powder and shot was saved from 
 the wreck, so that the captain was enabled to 
 keep his ascendency over the ignorant natives ; 
 and at length he became a man of great import- 
 ance in the tribe, and married the daughter of 
 the chief. He went by the name of Caramuru, 
 — ' The man of fire.' This man founded the 
 city of Bahia. 
 
 " The coasts of Brazil began soon after this to 
 be settled in various places by the Portuguese ; 
 who, however, were much annoyed by the 
 
 G
 
 82 Martin Rattler 
 
 Spaniards, who claimed a share in the rich prize. 
 The Dutch and English also formed settlements ; 
 but the Portuguese still retained possession of 
 the country, and continued to prosper. Mean- 
 while Diego Caramuru, ' the man of fire,' had a 
 son who in course of time became a prosperous 
 settler ; and as his sons grew up he trained them 
 to become cultivators of the soil and traders in 
 the valuable products of the New World. He 
 took a piece of ground, far removed from the 
 spot where his father had been cast ashore, and 
 a short distance in the interior of the country. 
 Here the eldest sons of the family dwelt, 
 laboured, and died, for many generations. 
 
 "In the year 180S Portugal was invaded by 
 Napoleon Buonaparte, and the sovereign of that 
 kingdom, John VI., fled to Brazil, accompanied 
 by his court and a large body of emigrants. 
 The king was warmly received by the Brazilians, 
 and immediately set about improving the 
 condition of the country. He threw open its 
 ports to all nations ; freed the land from all 
 marks of colonial dependence ; established 
 newspapers; made the press free, and did every- 
 thing to promote education and industry. But 
 although much was done, the good was greatly 
 hindered, especially in the inland districts, by 
 the vice, ignorance, and stupidity of many of the 
 Roman Catholic priests, who totally neglected 
 their duties, — which, indeed, they were incom-
 
 Martin Rattler 83 
 
 petent to perform, — and in many instances, were 
 no better than miscreants in disguise, teaching 
 the people vice instead of virtue. 
 
 " Foremost among the priests who opposed 
 advancement was a descendant of the ' man of 
 fire.' Padre Caramuru dwelt for some years with 
 an English merchant in the capital of Brazil, Rio 
 de Janeiro. The padre was not an immoral 
 man, but he was a fiery bigot, and fiercely 
 opposed everything that tended to advance the 
 education of the people. This he did, firmly 
 believing that education was dangerous to the 
 lower orders. His church taught him, too, that 
 the Bible was a dangerous book ; and whenever 
 a copy fell into his hands he immediately 
 destroyed it. During the disturbances that took 
 place after the time of King John's departure for 
 Portugal, and just before Brazil became an 
 independent state under his son, the Emperor 
 Don Pedro I., Padre Caramuru lost a beloved 
 and only brother. He was quite a youth, and 
 had joined the army only a few months 
 previously, at the desire of his elder brother the 
 padre, who was so overwhelmed by the blow that 
 he ceased to take an active part in church or 
 political affairs and buried himself* in a retired 
 part of his native valley. Here he sought relief 
 and comfort in the study of the beauties of 
 Nature by which he was surrounded, but found 
 none. Then he turned his mind to the doctrines
 
 84 Martin Rattler 
 
 of his church, and took pleasure in verifying 
 them from the Bible. But as he proceeded he 
 found, to his great surprise, that these doctrines 
 were, many of them, not to be found there ; nay, 
 further, that some of them were absolutely 
 contradicted by the word of God. 
 
 "Padre Caramuru had been in the habit of 
 commanding his people not to listen to the 
 Bible when any one offered to read it ; but in 
 the Bible itself he found these words, ' Search 
 the Scriptures.' He had been in the habit of 
 praying to the Virgin Mary, and begging her to 
 intercede with God for him ; but in the Bible 
 he found these words : ' There is one mediator 
 between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.' 
 These things perplexed him much. But while 
 he was thus searching, as it were, for silver, the 
 ignorant padre found gold ! He found that 
 he did not require to work for salvation, but 
 to ask for it. He discovered that the atonement 
 had been made once for all by Jesus Christ, the 
 Lamb of God ; and he read with a thrilling 
 heart these words : ' God so loved the world, 
 that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
 ever believeth in him should not perish, but 
 have everlasting life.' 
 
 " Long and earnestly did the padre ponder 
 these words and pray over them ; and gradually 
 the Holy Spirit enlightened his mind, and he 
 saw how hateful that system was which could
 
 Martin Rattler 85 
 
 forbid or discourage the reading of the blessed 
 word of God. He soon resolved to forsake the 
 priesthood. But when he had done so, he knew 
 not what to turn his hand to. He had no one 
 like-minded to consult with, and he felt that it 
 was wrong to eat the bread of idleness. Being 
 thus uncertain what to do, he resolved in the 
 meantime to carry goods into the interior of the 
 country, and offer them for sale. The land round 
 his dwelling and his own gun would supply him 
 with food ; and for the rest, he would spend his 
 time in the study of the Bible, and seek for 
 more light and direction from God. 
 
 " Such," continued the hermit, " is a slight 
 sketch of the history of my country and of 
 myself." 
 
 "Yourself?" exclaimed Martin. 
 
 " Yes. I am the Padre Caramuru, or rather 
 I was. I am Padre no longer, but Senhor 
 Carlos Caramuru, a merchant. Yet I know 
 not what to do. When I look round upon 
 my country, and see how they know not the 
 precious word of God, my heart burns in me, 
 and I sometimes think that it is my duty to go 
 forth and preach." 
 
 " No doubt ye are right," said Barney. " I've 
 always bin of opinion that when a man feels 
 very strong in his heart on any partic'lar 
 subject, it's a sure sign that the Almighty 
 intends him to have something more to do with
 
 86 Martin Rattler 
 
 that subject than other men who don't feel 
 about it at all." 
 
 The hermit remained silent for a few minutes. 
 " I think you are right, friend," he said ; " but I 
 am very ignorant yet. I have no one to 
 explain difficulties to me ; and I fear to go 
 about preaching, lest I should preach what is 
 not true. I will study yet for a time, and pray. 
 After that, perhaps, I may go forth." 
 
 "But you have told us nothing yet about 
 the trade of the country," said Martin, " or its 
 size, or anything of that sort." 
 
 " I will soon tell you of that when I have 
 lighted another cigar. This one does not draw 
 well. Have you got a full pipe still, my friend ? " 
 
 " All right, Mr. Carrymooroo," replied Barney, 
 knocking out the ashes. " I'll jist load wance 
 more, and then, — fire away." 
 
 In a few minutes the big cigar and short 
 pipe were in full play, and the hermit con- 
 tinued : — 
 
 " This country is very large and very rich, 
 but it is not well worked. The people are 
 lazy, many of them, and have not much enter- 
 prise. Much is done, no doubt ; but very much 
 more might be done. 
 
 " The empire of Brazil occupies nearly one- 
 half of the whole continent of South America. 
 It is 2600 miles long, and 2500 miles broad ; 
 which, as you know perhaps, is a little larger
 
 Martin Rattler 87 
 
 than all Europe. The surface of the country is 
 beautiful and varied. The hilly regions are 
 very wild, although none of the mountains are 
 very high, and the woods are magnificent ; but 
 a great part of the land consists of vast grassy 
 plains, which are called llanos, or campos, or 
 silvas. The campos along the banks of the 
 River Amazon are equal to six times the size of 
 France ; and there is one great plain which lies 
 between the Sierra Ibiapaba and the River 
 Tocantins which is 600 miles long by 400 miles 
 broad. There are very few lakes in Brazil, and 
 only one worth speaking of — the Lagoa dos 
 Platos— which is 150 miles long. But our 
 rivers are the finest in the whole world, being so 
 long, and wide, and deep, and free from falls, 
 that they afford splendid communication with 
 the interior of the land. But, alas ! there are 
 few ships on these rivers yet, very few. The 
 rivers in the north part of Brazil are so 
 numerous and interlaced that they are much 
 like the veins in the human body ; and the 
 great River Amazon and a few of its chief 
 tributaries resemble the arteries. 
 
 " Then as to our produce," continued the 
 hermit, " who can tell it all ? We export 
 sugar, and coffee, and cotton, and gold, silver, 
 lead, zinc, quicksilver, and amethysts, and we 
 have diamond mines " 
 
 " Di'mond mines ! " echoed Barney ; " och but
 
 88 Martin Rattler 
 
 I would like for to see them. Sure they would 
 sparkle most beautiful. Are they far off, Mr. 
 Carrymooroo ? " 
 
 "Yes, very far off. Then we export dye- 
 woods, and cabinet-woods, and drugs, and gums, 
 and hides, — a great many hides, for the campos 
 are full of wild cattle, and men hunt them on 
 horseback, and catch them with a long rope 
 called the lasso" 
 
 " How I should like to have a gallop over 
 these great plains," murmured Martin. 
 
 " Then we have," continued the hermit, " rice, 
 tapioca, cocoa, maize, wheat, mandioca, beans, 
 bananas, pepper, cinnamon, oranges, figs, ginger, 
 pine-apples, yams, lemons, mangoes, and many 
 other fruits and vegetables. The mandioca you 
 have eaten in the shape of farina. It is very 
 good food ; one acre gives as much nutriment 
 as six acres of wheat. 
 
 " Of the trees you have seen something. 
 There are thousands of kinds, and most mag- 
 nificent. Some of them are more than thirty 
 feet round about. There are two hundred 
 different kinds of palms, and so thick stand the 
 giant trees in many places, with creeping plants 
 growing between, that it is not possible for man 
 to cut his way through the forests in some parts. 
 Language cannot describe the grandeur and 
 glory of the Brazilian forests. 
 
 " We have numbers of wild horses, and hogs,
 
 Martin Rattler 89 
 
 and goats ; and in the woods arc tiger-cats, 
 jaguars, tapirs, hyenas, sloths, porcupines, and — 
 but you have seen many things already. If 
 you live you will see more. I need not tell you 
 of these things ; very soon I will show you some. 
 
 " The population of my country consists of 
 the descendants of Portuguese settlers, native 
 Indians, and Negroes. Of the latter, some are 
 free, some slaves. The Indians go about nearly 
 naked. Most of them are in a savage state : 
 they paint their skins, and wear gaudy orna- 
 ments. The religion of the country is Roman 
 Catholic, but all religions are tolerated ; and I 
 have much hope for the future of Brazil, in spite 
 of the priests." 
 
 "And do ye git much out o' the di'mond 
 mines ? " inquired Barney, whose mind was 
 running on this subject. 
 
 " O yes, a great deal. Every year many are 
 got, and Government gets one-fifth of the value 
 of all the gold and diamonds found in the 
 country. One diamond was found a short time 
 ago which was worth ^"40,000." 
 
 " Ye don't say so ! " exclaimed Barney in 
 great surprise, as he blew an immense cloud of 
 smoke from his lips. " Now, that's extror'nary. 
 Why don't everybody go to the mines and dig 
 up their fortin at wancc ? " 
 
 " Because men cannot eat diamonds," replied 
 the hermit gravely.
 
 go Martin Rattler 
 
 " Troth, I niver thought o' that ; ye' re right." 
 
 Martin laughed heartily as he lay in his 
 hammock and watched his friend's expression 
 while pondering this weighty subject. 
 
 " Moreover," resumed the hermit, " you will be 
 surprised to hear that diamond and gold finding 
 is not the most profitable employment in this 
 country. 
 
 " The man who cultivates the ground is better 
 off than anybody. It is a fact, a very great 
 fact, a fact that you should get firmly fixed in 
 your memory — that in less than two years the 
 exports of sugar and coffee amounted to more 
 than the value of all the diamonds found in 
 eighty years. Yes, that is true. But the people 
 of Brazil are not well off. They have every- 
 thing that is necessary to make a great nation ; 
 but we are not a great nation, far from it." The 
 hermit sighed deeply as he ceased speaking, and 
 fell into an abstracted frame of mind. 
 
 " It's a great country intirely," said Barney, 
 knocking the ashes out of his pipe, and placing 
 that much-loved implement carefully in his 
 pocket ; " a great country, but there's a tre- 
 mendous big screw loose somewhere." 
 
 " It seems curious to me," said Martin, in a 
 ruminating tone of voice, that people should not 
 get on better in a country in which there is 
 everything that man can desire to make him 
 rich and happy. I wonder what it wants ;
 
 Martin Rattler 91 
 
 perhaps it's too hot, and the people want energy 
 of character." 
 
 " Want energy ! " shouted the hermit, leaping 
 from his seat, and regarding his guests for a few 
 moments with a stern expression of countenance ; 
 then, stretching forth his hand, he continued, in 
 an excited tone : " Brazil does not want energy ; 
 it has only one want, — it wants the Bible ! 
 When a country is sunk down in superstition 
 and ignorance and moral depravity, so that the 
 people know not right from wrong, there is only 
 one cure for her, — the Bible. Religion here is 
 a mockery and a shame ; such as, if it were 
 better known, would make the heathen laugh in 
 scorn. The priests are a curse to the land, not 
 a blessing. Perhaps they are better in other 
 lands, — I know not ; but well I know they are 
 many of them false and wicked here. No truth 
 is taught to the people, — no Bible is read in 
 their ears ; religion is not taught, — even morality 
 is not taught ; men follow the devices and 
 desires of their own hearts, and there is no voice 
 raised to say, 'You are doing wrong.' My 
 country is sunk very low ; and she cannot hope 
 to rise, for the word of her Maker is not in her 
 hand. True, there are a few, a very few Bibles 
 in the great cities ; but that is all : that cannot 
 save her hundreds of towns and villages. 
 Thousands of her people are slaves in body, — 
 all, all are slaves in soul ; and yet you ask me
 
 92 Martin Rattler 
 
 what she wants. Ha ! she wants truth, — she 
 wants to be purged of falsehood. She has 
 bones and muscles, and arteries and veins, — 
 everything to make a strong and healthy 
 nation ; but she wants blood, — she has no vital 
 stream ; yes, Brazil, my country, wants the 
 Bible ! " 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 A HUNTING EXPEDITION, IN WHICH ARE SEEN 
 STONES THAT CAN RUN, AND COWS THAT 
 REQUIRE NO FOOD — BESIDES A DESPERATE 
 ENCOUNTER WITH A JAGUAR, AND OTHER 
 STRANGE THINGS 
 
 FOR many weeks Martin Rattler and his 
 friend Barney O'Flannagan continued to dwell 
 with the hermit in his forest-home, enjoying his 
 entertaining and instructive discourse, and join- 
 ing with him in the hunting expeditions which 
 he undertook for the purpose of procuring fresh 
 food for his table. In these rambles they made 
 constant discoveries of something new and sur- 
 prising, both in reference to the vegetables and 
 animals of that extraordinary region of the 
 earth. They also had many adventures, — some 
 amusing and some terrible, — which we cannot
 
 Martin Rattler 93 
 
 enlarge on here, tor they would fill ten volumes 
 such as this, were they to be all recorded'' in 
 detail. 
 
 One day the hermit roused them earlier than 
 usual and told them to get ready, as he intended 
 to go a considerable distance that day, and he 
 wished to reach a particular spot before the heat 
 of noon. So Martin and Barney despatched 
 breakfast in as short a time as possible, and the 
 hermit read them a chapter out of his large and 
 well-thumbed Bible, after which they equipped 
 themselves for the chase. 
 
 When Martin and his friend escaped from the 
 pirates and landed on the coast of Brazil, they 
 were clothed in sailor-like costume, namely, 
 white duck trousers, coloured flannel shirts, blue 
 jackets, round straw hats, and strong shoes. 
 This costume was not very suitable for the warm 
 climate in which they now found themselves, so 
 their hospitable friend the hermit gave them two 
 loose light cotton coats or jackets, of a blue 
 colour, and broad brimmed straw hats similar to 
 his own. He also gave them two curious gar- 
 ments called ponchos. The poncho serves the 
 purpose of cloak and blanket. It is simply a 
 square dark-coloured blanket with a hole in the 
 middle of it, through which the head is thrust in 
 rainy weather, and the garment hangs down all 
 round. At night the poncho is useful as a 
 covering. The hermit wore a loose open hunt-
 
 94 Martin Rattler 
 
 ing coat, and underneath it a girdle, in which 
 was a long sharp knife and a brace of pistols. 
 His trousers were of blue-striped cotton. He 
 usually carried a double-barrelled gun over his 
 shoulder, and a powder-horn and bullet-bag were 
 slung round his neck. Barney now procured 
 from this hospitable man a supply of powder 
 and shot for his large brass-mounted cavalry 
 pistol. The hermit also made him a present 
 of a long hunting-knife ; and he gave one of a 
 smaller size to Martin. As Martin had no 
 weapon, the hermit manufactured for him a stout 
 bow and quiver full of arrows ; with which, 
 after some practice, he became reasonably 
 expert. 
 
 Thus armed they sallied forth, and, following 
 the foot-path that conducted from the door of 
 the hut to the brow of the hill opposite, they 
 were soon buried in the shades of the great 
 forest. On this particular morning Barney 
 observed that the hermit carried with him a 
 stout spear, which he was not usually in the 
 habit of doing. Being of an inquisitive dis- 
 position, he inquired the reason of his taking it. 
 
 " I expect to find a jaguar to-day," answered 
 the hermit. " I saw him yesterday go down into 
 the small valley in which my cows grow. I will 
 show you my cows soon, Martin." 
 
 The hermit stopped short suddenly as he 
 spoke, and pointed to a large bird, about fifty
 
 Martin Rattler 95 
 
 yards in advance of them. It seemed to bear a 
 particular ill-will to a round rough stone which it 
 pecked most energetically. After a few minutes 
 the bird ceased its attacks and flew off; where- 
 upon the rough stone opened itself out, and, 
 running quickly away, burrowed into a little 
 hole and disappeared ! 
 
 " That is an armadillo," remarked the hermit, 
 continuing to lead the way through the woods ; 
 " it is covered with a coat of mail, as you see ; 
 and when enemies come it rolls itself up like a 
 ball and lies like a hard stone till they go away. 
 But it has four little legs, and with them it 
 burrows so quickly that we cannot dig it up, and 
 must smoke it out of its hole, — which I do often, 
 because it is very good to eat, as you very well 
 know." 
 
 While they continued thus to walk through 
 the woods conversing, Martin and Barney were 
 again interested and amused by the immense 
 number of brilliant parrots and toucans which 
 swooped about, chattering from tree to tree, in 
 large flocks. Sometimes thirty or forty of the 
 latter would come screaming through the woods 
 and settle upon the dark-green foliage of a 
 coffee-tree ; the effect of which was to give the 
 tree the appearance of having been suddenly 
 loaded with ripe golden fruit. Then the birds 
 would catch sight of the travellers and fly 
 screaming away, leaving the tree dark-green and
 
 96 
 
 Martin Rattler 
 
 fruitless as before. The little green parrots 
 were the most outrageously noisy things that 
 ever lived. Not content with screaming when 
 they flew, they continued to shriek, apparently 
 with delight, while they devoured the seeds of 
 the gorgeous sun-flowers : and more than once 
 Martin was prompted to scatter a handful of 
 stones among them, as a hint to be less noisy ; 
 but this only made them worse, — like a bad 
 baby, which, the more you tell it to be quiet, 
 sets to work the more earnestly to increase and 
 add to the vigour of its roaring. So Martin 
 wisely let the parrots alone. They also startled, 
 in passing through swampy places, several large 
 blue herons, and long-legged cranes ; and on 
 many of the trees they observed the curious 
 hanging nests of a bird, which the hermit told 
 them was the large oriole. These nests hung in 
 long strings from the tops of the palm-trees, 
 and the birds were very actively employed 
 moving about and chattering round their swing- 
 ing villages : on seeing which Martin could not 
 help remarking that it would astonish the colony 
 not a little, if the top house were to give way 
 and let all the mansions below come tumbling to 
 the ground ! 
 
 They were disappointed, however, in not seeing 
 monkeys gambolling among the trees, as they had 
 expected. 
 
 " Ah ! my friends," said the hermit, " travellers
 
 Martin Rattler 97 
 
 in my country are very often disappointed. They 
 come here expecting to see everything all at 
 once ; but although there are jaguars, and ser- 
 pents, and bears, and monkeys, plenty of them, 
 as your ears can tell you, these creatures keep 
 out of the sight of man as much as possible. 
 They won't come out of the woods and show 
 themselves to please travellers ! You have been 
 very lucky since you arrived. Many travellers 
 go about for months together and do not see 
 half so much as you." 
 
 " That's thrue," observed Barney, with his 
 head a little on one side, and his eyes cast up 
 in a sort of meditative frown, as if he were 
 engaged in subjecting the hermit's remarks to 
 a process of severe philosophical contemplation ; 
 ".but I would be very well plazed av the wild 
 bastes would show themselves now and then, 
 for " 
 
 Martin Rattler burst into a loud laugh, for 
 Barney's upward glance of contemplation was 
 suddenly transformed into a gaze of intense 
 astonishment, as he beheld the blue countenance 
 of a large red monkey staring down upon him 
 from amid the branches of an overhanGfincr 
 tree. The monkey's face expressed, if possible, 
 greater surprise than that of the Irishman, 
 and its mouth was partially open and thrust 
 forward in a sort of threatening and inquiring 
 manner. There seemed to be some bond 
 
 ir
 
 98 Martin Rattler 
 
 of sympathy between the monkey and the 
 man, for while its mouth opened his mouth 
 opened too. 
 
 " A-a-a-a-a — ah !" exclaimed the monkey. 
 
 A facetious smile overspread Barney's face— 
 " Och ! be all manes ; the same to you, kindly," 
 said he, taking off his hat and making a low- 
 bow. 
 
 The civility did not seem to be appreciated, 
 however ; for the monkey put on a most in- 
 dignant frown and displayed a terrific double- 
 row of long brilliant teeth and red gums, while 
 it uttered a shriek of passion, twisted its long 
 tail round a branch, and hurled itself, with a 
 motion more like that of a bird than a beast, 
 into the midst of the tree and disappeared, 
 leaving Martin and Barney and the hermit each 
 with a very broad grin on his countenance. 
 
 The hunters now arrived at an open space 
 where there were several large umbrageous 
 trees, and as it was approaching mid-day they 
 resolved to rest here for a couple of hours. 
 Birds and insects were gradually becoming 
 more and more silent, and soon afterwards the 
 only sounds that broke upon their ears were 
 the curious metallic notes of the urupongas, or 
 bell-birds ; which were so like to the rapid 
 beating of a smith's hammer on an anvil, that 
 it was with the greatest difficulty Barney was 
 restrained from going off by himself in search
 
 Martin Rattler 99 
 
 of the " smiddy." Indeed he began to suspect 
 that the worthy hermit was deceiving him, and 
 was only fully convinced at last when he saw 
 one of the birds. It was pure white, about the 
 size of a thrush, and had a curious horn or 
 fleshy tubercle upon its head. 
 
 Having rested and refreshed themselves, they 
 resumed their journey a short time before the 
 noisy inhabitants of the woods recommenced 
 their active afternoon operations. 
 
 "Hallo! what's that?" cried Barney, start- 
 ing back and drawing his pistol, while Martin 
 hastily fitted an arrow to his bow. 
 
 Not ten paces in front of them a frightful 
 monster ran across their path, which seemed 
 so hideous to Martin that his mind instantly 
 reverted to the fable of St. George and the 
 Dragon, and he almost expected to see fire 
 issuing from its mouth. It was a huge lizard, 
 with a body about three feet long, covered with 
 bright scales. It had a long, thick tail. Its 
 head was clumsy and misshapen, and altogether 
 its aspect was very horrible. Before either 
 Martin or Barney could fire, the hermit dropped 
 his gun and spear, sprang quickly forward, 
 caught the animal by the tail, and, putting forth 
 his great strength to the utmost, swung it round 
 his head and dashed its brains out against a tree. 
 
 Barney and Martin could only stare with 
 amazement.
 
 ioo Martin Rattler 
 
 " This we call an iguana," said the hermit, 
 as he piled a number of heavy stones on the 
 carcase to preserve it from other animals. " It 
 is very good to eat, — as good as chicken. This 
 is not a very big one ; they are sometimes 
 five feet long, but almost quite harmless, — not 
 venomous at all ; and the only means he has 
 to defend himself is the tail, which is very 
 powerful, and gives a tremendously hard blow ; 
 but, as you see, if you catch him quick he can 
 do nothing." 
 
 " It's all very well for you, or even Barney 
 here, to talk of catching him by the tail," said 
 Martin, smiling ; " but it would have puzzled 
 me to swing that fellow round my head." 
 
 " Arrah ! ye're right, boy ; I doubt if I could 
 have done it mesilf," said Barney. 
 
 " No fear," said the hermit, patting Martin's 
 broad shoulders as he passed him and led the 
 way ; " you will be strong enough for that very 
 soon, — as strong as me in a year or two." 
 
 They now proceeded down into a somewhat 
 dark and closely wooded valley, through which 
 meandered a small rivulet. Here they had 
 some difficulty in forcing their way through the 
 dense underwood and broad leaves, most of 
 which seemed very strange to Martin and his 
 comrade, being so gigantic. There were also 
 many kinds of ferns, which sometimes arched 
 over their heads and completely shut out the
 
 Martin Rattler 101 
 
 view, while some of them crept up the trees like 
 climbing-plants. Emerging from this, they came 
 upon a more open space, in the midst of which 
 grew a number of majestic trees. 
 
 " There are my cows ! " said the hermit, 
 pausing as he spoke, and pointing towards a 
 group of tall straight-stemmed trees that were 
 the noblest in appearance they had yet seen. 
 " Good cows they are," he continued, going 
 up to one and making a notch in the bark 
 with his axe : " they need no feeding or look- 
 ing after, yet, as you see, they are always 
 ready to give me cream." 
 
 While he spoke, a thick white liquid flowed 
 from the notch in the bark into a cocoa-nut 
 drinking-cup, which the hermit always carried 
 at his girdle. In a few minutes he presented 
 his visitors with a draught of what they declared 
 was most excellent cream. 
 
 The masseranduba, or milk-tree, as it is 
 called, is indeed one of the most wonderful of 
 all the extraordinary trees in the forests of 
 Brazil, and is one among many instances of 
 the bountiful manner in which God provides 
 for the wants of His creatures. No doubt this 
 might with equal truth be said of all the gifts 
 that a beneficent Creator bestows upon man- 
 kind ; but when, as in the case of this milk- 
 tree, the provision for our wants comes in a 
 singular and striking manner, it seems fitting
 
 102 Martin Rattler 
 
 and appropriate that we should specially ac- 
 knowledge the gift as coming from the hand 
 of Him who giveth us all things liberally to 
 enjoy. 
 
 The milk-tree rises with a straight stem to 
 an enormous height, and the fruit, about the 
 size of a small apple, is full of rich and juicy 
 pulp, and is very good. The timber, also, is 
 hard, fine-grained, and durable, — particularly 
 adapted for such works as are exposed to the 
 weather. But its most remarkable peculiarity 
 is the rich vegetable milk which flows in 
 abundance from it when the bark is cut. This 
 milk is so like to that of the cow in taste, that 
 it can scarcely be distinguished from it, having 
 only a very slight peculiarity of flavour, which 
 is rather agreeable than otherwise. In tea and 
 coffee it has the same effect as rich cream, and, 
 indeed, is so thick that it requires to be diluted 
 with water before being used. This milk is also 
 employed as glue. It hardens when exposed to 
 the air, and becomes very tough and slightly 
 elastic, and is said to be quite as good and 
 useful as ordinary glue. 
 
 Having partaken of as much milk as they 
 desired, they continued their journey a little 
 further, when they came to a spur of the sierra, 
 or mountain range, that cuts through that part 
 of the country. Here the ground became more 
 rugged, but still densely covered with wood,
 
 Martin Rattler 10^ 
 
 and rocks lay piled about in many places, form- 
 ing several dark and gloomy caverns. The 
 hermit now unslung his gun and advanced to 
 the foot of a cliff, near the further end of 
 which there were several caves, the mouths of 
 which were partially closed with long ferns and 
 masses of luxuriant vegetation. 
 
 " Now we must be prepared," said the hermit, 
 feeling the point of his spear. " I think there 
 is a jaguar here. I saw him yesterday, and I 
 am quite sure he will not go away till he tries 
 to do some mischief. He little knows that 
 there is nothing here to hurt but me." The 
 hermit chuckled as he said this, and resting 
 his gun against the cliff near the entrance to 
 the first cave, which was a small one, he passed 
 on to the next. Holding the spear in his left 
 hand, he threw a stone violently into the cavern. 
 Barney and Martin listened and gazed in silent 
 expectation ; but they only heard the hollow 
 sound of the falling stone as it dashed against 
 the sides of the cave ; then all was still. 
 
 " Och, then, he's off," cried Barney. 
 
 "Hush," said Martin; "don't speak till he 
 has tried the other cave." 
 
 Without taking notice of their remarks, the 
 hermit repeated the experiment at the mouths 
 of two caverns further on, with the like 
 result. 
 
 " Maybe the spalpeen's hidin' in the little
 
 104 Martin Rattler 
 
 cave where ye laid dowrt yer gun," suggested 
 Barney, going towards the place as he spoke. 
 " Och, then, come here, friend ; sure it must 
 be the mouth of a mine, for there's two o' the 
 beautifulest di'monds I iver " 
 
 Barney's speech was cut short by a low 
 peculiar sound, that seemed like the muttering 
 of far-distant thunder. At the same moment 
 the hermit pulled him violently back, and, 
 placing himself in a firm attitude full in front 
 of the cavern, held the point of the spear 
 advanced before him. 
 
 "Martin," he whispered, "shoot an arrow 
 straight into that hole, — quick ! " 
 
 Martin obeyed, and the arrow whizzed through 
 the aperture. Instantly there issued from it a 
 savage and tremendous roar, so awful that it 
 seemed as if the very mountain were bellowing 
 and that the cavern were its mouth. But not 
 a muscle of the hermit's figure moved. He 
 stood like a bronze statue, — his head thrown 
 back and his chest advanced, with one foot 
 planted firmly before him and the spear point- 
 ing towards the cave. It seemed strange to 
 Martin that a man should face what appeared 
 to him unknown danger so boldly and calmly ; 
 but he did not consider that the hermit knew 
 exactly the amount of danger before him. He 
 knew precisely the manner in which it would 
 assail him, and he knew just what was necessary
 
 Martin Rattler 105 
 
 to be done in order to avert it ; and in the 
 strength of that knowledge he stood unmoved, 
 with a slight smile upon his tightly compressed 
 lips. 
 
 Scarcely had the roar ceased when it was 
 repeated with tenfold fierceness ; the bushes 
 and fern leaves shook violently, and an enormous 
 and beautifully spotted jaguar shot through the 
 air as if it had been discharged from a cannon's 
 mouth. The hermit's eye wavered not; he 
 bent forward a hair's-breadth ; the glittering 
 spear-point touched the animal's breast, pierced 
 through it, and came out at its side below the 
 ribs. But the force of the bound was too great 
 for the strength of the weapon : the handle 
 snapped in twain, and the transfixed jaguar 
 struck down the hermit and fell writhing upon 
 him ! 
 
 In the excitement of the moment Barney 
 drew his pistol from his belt and snapped it 
 at the animal. It was well for the hermit at 
 that moment that Barney had forgotten to 
 prime his weapon; for, although he aimed at 
 the jaguar's skull, there is no doubt whatever 
 that he would have blown out the hermit's 
 brains. Before he could make a second at- 
 tempt, Martin sprang towards the gun which 
 leaned against the cliff, and, running quickly 
 up, he placed the muzzle close to the jaguar's 
 ear and lodged a bullet in its brain. All this
 
 106 Martin Rattler 
 
 was done in a few seconds, and the hermit 
 regained his legs just as the animal fell dead. 
 Fortunately he was not hurt, having adroitly 
 avoided the sharp claws of his enemy. 
 
 " Arrah ! Mister Hermit," said Barney, wiping 
 the perspiration from his forehead, " it's yersilf 
 that was well-nigh done for this time, an' no 
 mistake. Did iver I see sich a spring ! an' ye 
 stud the charge jist like a stone wall, — niver 
 moved a fut ! " 
 
 "Are you not hurt?" inquired Martin, some- 
 what anxiously; "your face is all covered with 
 blood." 
 
 "Yes, boy, but it is the blood of the jaguar ; 
 thanks to you for your quick hand, I am not 
 hurt at all." 
 
 The hermit washed his face in the neighbour- 
 ing brook, and then proceeded to skin the 
 jaguar, the carcase being worthless. After 
 which they retraced their steps through the 
 woods as quickly as possible, for the day was 
 now far spent, and the twilight, as we have 
 before remarked, is so short in tropical latitudes 
 that travellers require to make sure of reaching 
 the end of the day's journey towards evening, 
 unless they choose to risk losing their way, and 
 spending the night in the forest. 
 
 They picked up the iguana in passing ; and, 
 on reaching the spot where the armadillo had 
 burrowed, the hermit paused and kindled a
 
 Martin Rattler 107 
 
 small fire over the hole, by means of his flint, 
 steel, and tinder-box. He thus contrived to 
 render the creature's habitation so uncomfortable 
 that it rushed hurriedly out ; then, observing 
 that its enemies were waiting, it doubled its 
 head and tail together, and became the image 
 of a rough stone. 
 
 "Poor thing," said Martin, as the hermit 
 killed it, "that reminds me of the ostrich of 
 the desert, which, I'm told, when it is chased 
 over the plains by men on horseback, and finds 
 that it cannot escape, thrusts its head into a 
 bush, and fancies, no doubt, that it cannot be 
 seen.although its great body is visible a mile off!" 
 " Martin," said Barney, " this arth is full o' 
 quare craturs intirely." 
 
 " That's true, Barney ; and not the least 
 'quare' among them is an Irishman, a particular 
 friend of mine." 
 
 " Hould yer tongue, ye spalpeen, or I'll put 
 yer head in the wather ! " 
 
 " I wish ye would, Barney, for it is terribly- 
 hot and mosquito-bitten, and you couldn't have 
 suggested anything more delightful. But here 
 we are once more at our forest home ; and now 
 for a magnificent cup of coffee and a mandioca- 
 cake." 
 
 "Not to mintion," added Barney, "a juicy 
 steak of Igu Anny, an' a tender chop o' Army 
 Dillo."
 
 io8 Martin Rattler 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 MARTIN AND BARNEY CONTINUE THEIR 
 TRAVELS, AND SEE STRANGE THINGS — 
 AMONG OTHERS, THEY SEE LIVING JEWELS 
 — THEY GO TO SEE A FESTA— THEY FIGHT 
 AND RUN AWAY 
 
 Martin Rattler and Barney O'Flannagan 
 soon after this began to entertain a desire to 
 travel further into the interior of Brazil, and 
 behold with their own eyes the wonders of 
 which they had heard so much from their kind 
 and hospitable friend the hermit. Martin was 
 especially anxious to see the great river Amazon, 
 about which he entertained the most romantic 
 ideas, — as well he might, for there is not such 
 another river in the world for size, and for the 
 many curious things connected with its waters 
 and its banks. Barney, too, was smitten with 
 an intense desire to visit the diamond mines, 
 which he fancied must be the most brilliant and 
 beautiful sight in the whole world ; and when 
 Martin asked him what sort of place he expected 
 to see, he used to say that he " pictur'd in his mind 
 a great many deep and lofty caverns, windin' in 
 an' out an' round about, with the sides and the 
 floors and the ceilin's all of a blaze with glit-
 
 Martin Rattler 109 
 
 tering di'monds, an' top'zes, an' purls, an' what 
 not ; with Naiggurs be the dozen picking them 
 up in handfuls. An' sure," he would add, "if 
 we was wance there, we could fill our pockets in 
 no time, an' then, hooray for ould Ireland ! an' 
 live like Imperors for ivermore." 
 
 "But you forget, Barney, the account the her- 
 mit has criven us of the mines. He evidently 
 does not think that much is to be made of 
 them." 
 
 " Och ! niver mind the hermit. There's 
 always good luck attends Barney O'Flanngan ; 
 an' sure if nobody wint for fear they would 
 git nothing, all the di'monds that iver came 
 out o' the mines would be lyin' there still ; an' 
 didn't he tell us there was wan got only a short 
 time since, worth I don't know how many thou- 
 sand pounds ? Arrah ! if I don't go to the 
 mines an' git one the size o' me head, I'll let ye 
 rig me out with a long tail an' set me adrift in 
 the woods for a blue-faced monkey." 
 
 It so happened that this was the time when 
 the hermit was in the habit of setting out on 
 one of his trading trips ; and when Martin told 
 him of the desire that he and Barney entertained 
 to visit the interior, he told them that he would 
 be happy to take them along with him, provided 
 they would act the part of muleteers. To this 
 they readily agreed, being only too glad of an 
 opportunity of making some return to their
 
 no Martin Rattler 
 
 friend, who refused to accept any payment for his 
 hospitality, although Barney earnestly begged 
 of him to accept of his watch, which was the 
 only object of value he was possessed of, — and 
 that wasn't worth much, being made of pinch- 
 beck, and utterly incapable of going ! More- 
 over, he relieved their minds, by telling them 
 that they would easily obtain employment as 
 canoe- men on the Amazon, for men were very 
 difficult to be got on that river to man the 
 boats ; and if they could stand the heat, and 
 were willing to work like Indians, they might 
 travel as far as they pleased. To which Martin 
 replied, in his ignorance, that he thought he 
 could stand anything ; and Barney roundly as- 
 serted that, having been burnt to a cinder long 
 ago in the " East Injies," it was impossible to 
 overdo him any more. 
 
 Under these circumstances, therefore, they 
 started three weeks later to visit a populous 
 town about twenty miles off, from which they 
 set out on their travels, with a string of heavily 
 laden mules, crossed the low countries or campos 
 lying near to the sea, and began to ascend the 
 sierras that divide this portion of Brazil from the 
 country which is watered by the innumerable 
 rivers that flow into the mighty Amazon. 
 
 The cavalcade consisted of ten mules, each 
 with two goodly sized bales of merchandise on 
 its back. They were driven and attended to by
 
 Martin Rattler 1 1 1 
 
 Negroes, whose costume consisted of a light 
 cotton shirt with short sleeves, and a pair of 
 loose cotton drawers reaching down to the knee. 
 With the exception of a straw hat this was all 
 they wore. Martin, and Barney, and the her- 
 mit each bestrode a mule, with a small bale 
 slung on either side ; over the front of which 
 their legs dangled comfortably. They had 
 ponchos with them, strapped to the mules' backs, 
 and each carried a clumsy umbrella to shield him 
 from the fierce rays of the sun ; but our two 
 adventurers soon became so hardened and used 
 to the climate, that they dispensed with the 
 umbrellas altogether. 
 
 The sierra, or mountain range, over which 
 they passed was about thirty miles in extent, 
 being in some places quite level and open, but 
 in others somewhat rugged and covered with 
 large but thinly scattered trees, the most com- 
 mon of which had fine dark-green glossy leaves, 
 with spikes of bright yellow flowers terminating 
 the branchlets. There were also many peculiar 
 shrubs and flowering plants, of a sort that the 
 travellers had never seen the like of in their 
 native land. 
 
 " How I wish," said Martin with a sigh, as he 
 rode along beside his friend Barney, " that I 
 knew something of botany." 
 
 Barney opened his eyes in surprise. " Arrah ! 
 it's too much of a philosopher ye are already,
 
 ii2 Martin Rattler 
 
 lad. What good would it do ye to know all 
 the hard names that men have given to the 
 flowers ? Sure I vvance wint after the doctor 
 o' a ship, to carry his box for him when he wint 
 on what he called botanical excursions ; and 
 the poor cratur used to be pokin' his nose for 
 iver down at the ground, an' peerin' through 
 his green spectacles at miserable bits o' plants, 
 an' niver seemin' to enjoy anything ; when all 
 the time I was lookin' far fornint me, an' all 
 around me, an' up at the sky, seein' ivery 
 beautiful thing, and snifterin' up the sweet 
 smells, an' in fact enjoyin' the whole univarse — 
 an my pipe to boot — like an intelligent cratur." 
 Barney looked round as he spoke, with a bland, 
 self-satisfied expression of countenance, as if he 
 felt that he had given a lucid definition of the 
 very highest style of philosophy, and proved 
 that he, Barney O'Flannagan, was possessed of 
 the same in no common degree. 
 
 " Well, Barney," rejoined Martin, " since you 
 give me credit for being a philosopher, I must 
 continue to talk philosophically. Your botanical 
 friend took a microscopic view of nature, while 
 you took a telescopic view of it. Each view is 
 good, but both views are better ; and I can't 
 help wishing that I were more of a philosopher 
 than I am, especially in reference to botany." 
 
 " Humph ! " ejaculated Barney, who seemed 
 not quite to understand his young friend, "yer
 
 Martin Rattler 113 
 
 observations are remarkably thrue, and do ye 
 great credit, for yer years. Ah ! Mr. Hermit, 
 good luck to ye ! I'm glad to see that ye've 
 got some consideration for man and baste. I'm 
 quite ready for my victuals, and so's my mule ; 
 aren't you, avic ? " 
 
 Barney's latter remark was addressed to his 
 patient charger, from whose back he sprang as 
 he spoke, and slackened its girths. 
 
 It was now approaching mid-day, and the 
 hermit had pitched upon a large tree as a fitting 
 spot for rest and refreshment. Water had been 
 brought up the mountain in a huge calabash ; 
 but they did not require to use it, as they found 
 a quantity in the hollow stump of a tree. There 
 were several frogs swimming about in this 
 miniature lake ; but it was found to be fresh 
 and clear and good notwithstanding. 
 
 Towards evening they passed a string of 
 mules going towards the town which they had 
 just left. They were driven by Negroes, most 
 of whom were slaves, and nearly quite naked. 
 A Brazilian merchant, wearing a picturesque 
 broad-brimmed, high-crowned straw-hat, a 
 poncho, and brown leather boots armed at the 
 heels with large sharp spurs, rode at the head, 
 and gave the strangers a surly nod of his head 
 as they passed. Soon after, they descended 
 into the plain, and came to a halt at a sort of 
 roadside public-house, where there was no 
 
 1
 
 U4 Martin Rattler 
 
 sleeping accommodation, but where they found 
 an open shed in which travellers placed their 
 goods, and slung their hammocks, and attended 
 to themselves. At the venda, close beside it, 
 they purchased a large bag of farina, being 
 short of that necessary article of food, and then 
 set to work to prepare supper in the open air ; 
 while the merry Negroes, who seemed to enjoy 
 life most thoroughly, laughed and sang as they 
 removed the bales from the mules' backs and 
 cooked their simple fare. 
 
 Barney's cooking propensities now came into 
 full play ; and, with the variety of fruits and 
 vegetables which the country afforded, he 
 exercised his ingenuity, and produced several 
 dishes of so savoury a nature that the hermit 
 was compelled to open his eyes in amazement, 
 and smack his lips with satisfaction, being 
 quite unable to express his sentiments in words. 
 While thus busily and agreeably employed, 
 they were told by the owner of the venda that 
 a festa was being celebrated at a village about 
 a league distant from where they stood. 
 
 " I should like to see it above all things," 
 said Martin eagerly ; " could we not go ? " 
 
 The hermit frowned. " Yes, we can go, but it 
 will be to behold folly. Perhaps it will be a good 
 lesson, from which much may be learned. We 
 will go." 
 
 " It's not a step that I'll budge till I've finished
 
 Martin Rattler 115 
 
 me pipe," said Barney, pulling away at that 
 bosom friend with unexampled energy. " To 
 smoke," he continued, winking gently with one 
 eye, " is the first law of nature ; jist give me 
 ten minutes more, an' I'm your man for any- 
 thing." 
 
 Being a fine evening, they proceeded on foot. 
 In about an hour after setting out they 
 approached the village, which lay in a beautiful 
 valley below them. Sounds of mirth and music 
 rose like a distant murmur on the air, and 
 mingled with the songs of birds and insects. 
 Then the sun went down, and in a few minutes 
 it grew dark, while the brilliant fire-flies began 
 their nocturnal gambols. Suddenly a bright 
 flame burst over the village, and a flight of 
 magnificent rockets shot up into the sky, and 
 burst in a hundred bright and variously- 
 coloured stars, which paled for a few seconds the 
 lights of nature. But they vanished in a moment, 
 and the clear stars shed abroad their undying- 
 lustre, — seeming, in their quiet, unfading beauty, 
 a gentle satire on the short-lived and gairish 
 productions of man. 
 
 " Mighty purty, no doubt," exclaimed Barney. 
 " Is this the Imperor's birth-day ? " 
 
 " No," replied the hermit, shaking his head ; 
 " that is the way in which the false priests amuse 
 the people. The poor Indian and the Negro, 
 and, indeed, the ignorant Brazilian, thinks it very
 
 n6 Martin Rattler 
 
 grand ; and the priests let them think it is 
 pleasing to the God of heaven. Ah ! here comes 
 an old Negro ; we will ask him." 
 
 Several country people, in varied and pic- 
 turesque costumes, hurried past the travellers 
 towards the village ; and as they came to a 
 foot-path that joined the road, an old Negro 
 approached them. Saluting him in the Portu- 
 guese language, the hermit said, " Friend, why 
 do they let off rockets to-night ? " 
 
 " Por Dios " (for God), answered the old man, 
 looking and pointing upwards with grave 
 solemnity. Without vouchsafing another word, 
 he hurried away. 
 
 " So they think," said the hermit, " and so 
 they are taught by the priests. Music, noise, 
 and fire-works please these ignorant people ; 
 and so the priests, who are mostly as ignorant 
 as the people, tell them it is a good part of 
 religious ceremony." 
 
 Presently a band of young girls came laugh- 
 ing and singing along the road. They were 
 dressed in pure white, their rich black tresses 
 being uncovered and ornamented with flowers, 
 and what appeared to be bright jewels. 
 
 " Hallo ! " exclaimed Martin, gazing after 
 them; "what splendid jewels ! surely these must 
 be the daughters of very rich people." 
 
 " Och, but they've been at the di'mond mines 
 for certain ! Did iver ye sae the like ? "
 
 Martin Rattler 117 
 
 The girls did indeed seem to blaze with jewels, 
 which not only sparkled in their hair, but 
 fringed their white robes, and were worked round 
 the edges of their slippers ; so that a positive 
 light shone around their persons, and fell upon 
 the path like a halo, giving them more the 
 appearance of lovely supernatural beings than 
 the daughters of earth. 
 
 " These jewels," said the hermit, " were never 
 polished by the hands of men. They are fire- 
 flies." 
 
 " Fire-flies ! " exclaimed Martin and Barney 
 simultaneously. 
 
 " Yes, they are living fire-flies. The girls very 
 often catch them and tie them up in little bits of 
 gauze, and put them, as you see, on their dresses 
 and in their hair. To my mind they seem more 
 beautiful far than diamonds. Sometimes the 
 Indians, when they travel at night, fix fire-flies 
 to their feet, and so have good lamps to their 
 path." 
 
 While Barney was expressing his surprise at 
 this information, in very racy language, they 
 entered the village ; and, mingling with the throng 
 of holiday-keepers, followed the stream towards 
 the grand square. 
 
 The church, which seemed to be a centre of 
 attraction, and was brilliantly illuminated, was 
 a neat wooden building with two towers. The 
 streets of the village were broad and straggling ;
 
 u8 Martin Rattler 
 
 and so luxuriant was the vegetation, and so lazy 
 the nature of the inhabitants, that it seemed as 
 if the whole place were overgrown with gigantic 
 weeds. Shrubs and creeping-plants grew in the 
 neglected gardens, climbed over the palings, and 
 straggled about the streets. Plants grew on the 
 tops of the houses, ferns peeped out under the 
 eaves ; and, in short, on looking at it one had 
 the feeling that ere long the whole place, people 
 and all, must be smothered in superabundant 
 vegetation ! 
 
 The houses were all painted white or yellow, 
 with the doors and windows bright green, — just 
 like grown-up toys ; and sounds of revelry, with 
 now and then the noise of disputation, issued 
 from many of them. 
 
 It is impossible to describe minutely the 
 appearance of the motley crowd through which 
 our adventurers elbowed their way, gazing 
 curiously on the strange scene, which seemed to 
 them more like a dream than reality, after 
 their long sojourn in the solitudes of the forest. 
 Processions headed by long-robed priests with 
 flambeaux and crucifixes ; young girls in light 
 costumes and long white cotton shawls, selling 
 sweet cakes of mandioca flour, and bonbons ; 
 swarthy Brazilians, some in white jackets, loose 
 cotton drawers, and straw hats, others in brown 
 leather boots and ponchos ; Negroes in short 
 white drawers and shirts, besides many without
 
 Martin Rattler 119 
 
 any clothing above their waists ; Indians from 
 the interior, copper-coloured, and some of them, 
 fine-looking men, having only a strip of cloth 
 about their loins ; — such were the strange crew 
 whose loud voices added to the whiz of rockets, 
 squibs, crackers, guns, and musical instruments, 
 created a deafening noise. 
 
 In the midst of the village there was a tree 
 of such enormous size that it quite took our 
 travellers by surprise. It was a wild fig-tree, 
 capable of sheltering a thousand persons under 
 its shadow ! Here a spirited fandango was 
 going on, and they stood for some time watching 
 the movements of the performers. Growing- 
 tired of this, they wandered about until they 
 came to a less crowded part of the village, and 
 entered a pleasant grove of trees skirting the 
 road by which they had arrived. While saunter- 
 ing here, enjoying the cool night breeze and 
 delicious perfume of flowers, a woman uttered a 
 piercing shriek near to them. It was instantly 
 followed by loud voices in altercation. Ever 
 ready to fly to the help of womankind, and, 
 generally, to assist in a "row," Barney darted 
 through the bushes, and came upon the scene of 
 action just in time to see the white skirt of a 
 female's dress disappear down an avenue, and 
 to behold two Brazilians savagely writhing in 
 mortal strife. At the moment he came up, one 
 of the combatants had overcome the other, and
 
 120 Martin Rattler 
 
 a fierce smile of triumph crossed his swarthy 
 countenance as he raised his gleaming knife. 
 
 " Och, ye murtherer ! would ye attimpt that 
 same ? " cried Barney, catching the man by the 
 wrist and hurling him on his back. The other 
 sprang up on being thus unexpectedly freed, 
 and darted away, while the thwarted man 
 uttered a yell of disappointment and sprang 
 like a tiger at Barney's throat. A blow, how- 
 ever, from the Irishman's fist, quietly delivered, 
 and straight between the eyes, stretched the 
 Brazilian on the ground. At the same moment 
 a party of men, attracted by the cries, burst 
 through the bushes and surrounded the suc- 
 cessful champion. Seeing their countryman 
 apparently dead upon the ground, they rushed 
 upon Barney in a body ; but the first who came 
 within reach was floored in an instant, and the 
 others were checked in their career by the 
 sudden appearance of the hermit and Martin 
 Rattler. The noise of many voices, as of 
 people hastening towards them, was heard at 
 the same time. 
 
 " We have no time to lose, do as I bid you," 
 whispered the hermit. Whirling a heavy stick 
 round his head the hermit shouted the single 
 word " Charge ! " and dashed forward. 
 
 Barney and Martin obeyed. Three Brazilians 
 went down like ninepins ; the rest turned and 
 fled precipitately.
 
 Martin Rattler 121 
 
 " Now, run for life !" cried the hermit, setting 
 the example. Barney hesitated to follow what 
 he deemed a cowardly flight, but the yells of the 
 natives returning in strong force decided the 
 question. He and Martin took to their heels 
 with right good will, and in a few minutes the 
 three friends were far on the road which led to 
 their night bivouac ; while the villagers, finding 
 pursuit hopeless, returned to the village, and 
 continued the wild orgies of their festa. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 COGITATIONS AND CANOEING ON THE AMAZON 
 — BARNEY'S EXPLOIT WITH AN ALLIGATOR 
 — STUBBORN FACTS— REMARKABLE MODE 
 OF SLEEPING 
 
 IT is pleasant, when the sun is bright, and the 
 trees are green, and when flowering shrubs and 
 sweet-smelling tropical trees scent the balmy 
 atmosphere at eventide, to lie extended at full 
 length in a canoe, and drop easily, silently, yet 
 quickly, down the current of a noble river, under 
 the grateful shadow of overhanging foliage ; and 
 to look lazily up at the bright blue sky which 
 appears in broken patches among the verdant 
 leaves ; or down at the river in which that bright
 
 122 Martin Rattler 
 
 sky and those green leaves are reflected ; or 
 aside at the mud-banks where greedy vultures 
 are searching for prey, and lazy alligators are 
 basking in the sun ; and to listen, the while, to 
 the innumerable cries and notes of monkeys, 
 toucans, parrots, orioles, bemtevi or fly-catchers, 
 white-winged and blue chatterers, and all the 
 myriads of birds and beasts that cause the 
 forests of Brazil, above all other forests in the 
 world probably, to resound with the gleeful songs 
 of animated nature ! 
 
 It is pleasant to be thus situated, especially 
 when a cool breeze blows the mosquitoes and 
 other insects off the water, and relieves you for 
 a time from their incessant attacks. Martin 
 Rattler found it pleasant, as he thus lay on his 
 back with his diminutive pet marmoset monkey 
 seated on his breast quietly picking the kernel 
 out of a nut. And Barney O'Flannagan found 
 it pleasant, as he lay extended in the bow of the 
 canoe with his head leaning over the edge gazing 
 abstractedly at his own reflected visage, while 
 his hands trailed through the cool water, and 
 his young dog — a shaggy indescribable beast 
 with a bluff nose and a bushy tail — watched him 
 intently, as a mother might watch an only child 
 in a dangerous situation. And the old sun-dried, 
 and storm-battered, and time-shrivelled mulatto 
 trader, in those canoe they were embarked and 
 whose servants they had become, found it
 
 Martin Rattler 123 
 
 pleasant, as he sat there perched in his little 
 montaria, like an exceedingly ancient and over- 
 grown monkey, guiding it safely down the waters 
 of the great river of the Tocantins. 
 
 Some months have passed since we last parted 
 from our daring adventurers. During that 
 period they had crossed an immense tract of 
 country, and reached the head waters of one of 
 the many streams that carry the surplus moisture 
 of central Brazil into the Amazon. Here they 
 found an old trader, a free mulatto, whose crew 
 of Indians had deserted him, — a common thing 
 in that country, — and who gladly accepted their 
 services, agreeing to pay them a small wage. 
 And here they sorrowfully, and with many 
 expressions of good-will, parted from their kind 
 friend and entertainer the hermit. His last gift 
 to Martin was the wonderfully small marmoset 
 monkey before mentioned ; and his parting 
 souvenir to Barney was the bluff-nosed dog that 
 watched over him with maternal care, and loved 
 him next to itself; — as well it might; for if 
 everybody had been of the same spirit as Barney 
 O'Flannagan, the Act for the prevention of 
 cruelty to animals would never have been passed 
 in Britain. 
 
 It was a peculiar and remarkable and alto- 
 gether extraordinary monkey, that tiny mar- 
 moset. There was a sort of romance connected 
 with it, too ; for it had been the mother of an
 
 124 Martin Rattler 
 
 indescribably small infant-monkey, which was 
 killed at the time of its mother's capture. It 
 drank coffee, too, like — like a Frenchman ; and 
 would by no means retire to rest at night until 
 it had had its usual allowance. Then it would 
 fold its delicate little hands on its bosom, and 
 close its eyes with an expression of solemn grief, 
 as if, having had its last earthly wish gratified, it 
 now resigned itself to — sleep. Martin loved it 
 deeply, but his love was unrequited ; for, strange 
 to say, that small monkey lavished all its 
 affection on Barney's shaggy dog. And the dog 
 knew it, and was evidently proud of it, and made 
 no objection whatever to the monkey sitting on 
 his back, or his head, or his nose, or doing, in 
 fact, whatever it chose whenever it pleased. 
 When in the canoe, the marmoset played with 
 Grampus, as the dog was named ; and when on 
 shore it invariably travelled on his back. 
 
 Martin used to lie in the canoe half asleep and 
 watch the little face of the marmoset, until, by 
 some unaccountable mental process, he came to 
 think of Aunt Dorothy Grumbit. Often did 
 poor Martin dream of his dear old aunt, while 
 sleeping under the shelter of these strange-leaved 
 tropical trees and surrounded by the wild sounds 
 of that distant land, until he dreamed himself 
 back again in the old village. Then he would 
 rush to the well-known school, and find all the 
 boys there except Bob Croaker, who he felt
 
 Martin Rattler 125 
 
 certain must be away drowning the white kitten ; 
 and off he would go and catch him, sure enough, 
 in the very act, and would give him the old 
 thrashing over again, with all the additional 
 vigour acquired during his rambles abroad 
 thrown into it. Then he would run home in 
 eager haste, and find old Mrs. Grumbit hard at 
 the one thousand nine hundred and ninety-ninth 
 pair of worsted socks ; and fat Mr. Arthur Jolly- 
 boy sitting opposite to her, dressed in the old 
 lady's bed-curtain chintz and high-crowned cap, 
 with the white kitten in his arms and his spectacles 
 on his chin, watching the process with intense 
 interest, and cautioning her not to forget the 
 " hitch " by any means ; whereupon the kitten 
 would fly up in his face, and Mr. Jollyboy would 
 dash through the window with a loud howl, and 
 Mrs. Grumbit's face would turn blue ; and, 
 uncoiling an enormous tail, she would bound 
 shrieking after him in among the trees and 
 disappear ! Martin usually wakened at this 
 point, and found the marmoset gazing in his face 
 with an expression of sorrowful solemnity, and 
 the old sun-dried trader staring vacantly before 
 him as he steered his light craft down the broad 
 stream of the Tocantins. 
 
 The trader could speak little more English 
 than sufficed to enable him to say "yes "and 
 " no " ; Barney could speak about as much Portu- 
 guese as enabled him to say "no" and "yes";
 
 126 Martin Rattler 
 
 while Martin, by means of a slight smattering of 
 that language, which he had picked up by ear 
 during the last few months, mixed now and then 
 with a word or two of Latin, and helped out by 
 a clever use of the language of signs, succeeded 
 unbecoming the link of communication between 
 the two. 
 
 For many weeks they continued to descend 
 the river ; paddling energetically when the stream 
 was sluggish, and resting comfortably when the 
 stream was strong, and sometimes dragging their 
 canoe over rocks and sand-banks to avoid rapids 
 — passing many villages and plantations of the 
 natives by the way — till at last they swept out 
 upon the bosom of the great Amazon River. 
 
 The very first thing they saw upon entering it 
 was an enormous alligator, fully eighteen feet 
 long, sound asleep on a mud-bank. 
 
 " Och ! put ashore, ye Naygur," cried Barney, 
 seizing his pistol and rising up in the bow of the 
 canoe. The old man complied quickly, for his 
 spirit was high and easily roused. 
 
 " Look out now, Martin, an' hould back the 
 dog for fear he wakes him up," said Barney, in a 
 hoarse whisper, as he stepped ashore and has- 
 tened stealthily towards the sleeping monster ; 
 catching up a handful of gravel as he went, and 
 ramming it down the barrel of his pistol. It was 
 a wonderful pistol that — an Irish one by birth, 
 and absolutely incapable of bursting, else
 
 Martin Rattler 127 
 
 assuredly it would have gone, as its owner 
 said, to " smithereens " long ago. 
 
 Barney was not a good stalker. The alligator 
 awoke and made for the water as fast as it could 
 waddle. The Irishman rushed forward close up, 
 as it plunged into the river, and discharged the 
 compound of lead and stones right against the 
 back of its head. He might as well have fired 
 at the boiler of a steam-engine. The entire body 
 of an alligator — back and belly, head and tail — 
 is so completely covered with thick hard scales, 
 that shot has no effect on it ; and even a bullet 
 cannot pierce its coat of mail, except in one or 
 two vulnerable places. Nevertheless the shot 
 had been fired so close to it that the animal was 
 stunned, and rolled over on its back in the 
 water. Seeing this, the old trader rushed in up 
 to his chin, and caught it by the tail ; but at the 
 same moment the monster recovered, and, 
 turning round, displayed its terrific rows of 
 teeth. The old man uttered a dreadful roar, 
 and struggled to the land as fast as he 
 could; while the alligator, equally frightened, 
 no doubt, gave a magnificent flourish and 
 splash with its tail, and dived to the bottom 
 of the river. 
 
 The travellers returned disgusted to their 
 canoe, and resumed their journey up the Amazon 
 in silence. 
 
 The vulnerable places about an alligator arc
 
 128 Martin Rattler 
 
 the soft parts under the throat and the joints of 
 the legs. This is well known to the jaguar, its 
 mortal foe, which attacks it on land, and fastening 
 on these soft parts, soon succeeds in killing it ; 
 but should the alligator get the jaguar into its 
 powerful jaws or catch it in the water, it is certain 
 to come off the conqueror. 
 
 The Amazon, at its mouth, is more like a wide 
 lake or arm of the sea than a river. Mention 
 has been already made of "this noble stream in 
 the Hermit's Story ; but it is worthy of more 
 particular notice, for truly the Amazon is in 
 many respects a wonderful river. It is the 
 largest, though not quite the longest, in the 
 world. Taking its rise among the rocky soli- 
 tudes of the great mountain range of the Andes, 
 it flows through nearly four thousand miles of 
 the continent in an easterly direction, trending 
 northward towards its mouth, and entering the 
 Atlantic Ocean on the northern coast of South 
 America, directly under the Equator. In its 
 course it receives the waters of nearly all the 
 great rivers of central South America, and 
 thousands ot smaller tributaries ; so that when 
 it reaches the ocean its volume of water is 
 enormous. Some idea may be formed of its 
 majestic size, from the fact that one of its 
 tributaries — the Rio Negro — is fifteen hundred 
 miles long, and varying in breadth ; being a mile 
 wide not far from its mouth, while higher up it
 
 Martin Rattler 129 
 
 spreads out in some places into sheets of ten 
 miles in width. The Madeira, another tributary, 
 is also a river of the largest size. The Amazon 
 is divided into two branches at its mouth by the 
 island of Marajo, the larger branch being ninety- 
 six miles in width. About two thousand miles 
 from its mouth it is upwards of a mile wide. So 
 great is the force of this flood of water, that it 
 flows into the sea unmixed for nearly two hun- 
 dred miles. The tide affects the river to a 
 distance of about four hundred miles inland ; 
 and it is navigable from the sea for a distance of 
 three thousand miles inland. 
 
 On the north bank of the Amazon there are 
 ranges of low hills, partly bare and partly covered 
 with thickets. These hills vary from three hun- 
 dred to a thousand feet high, and extend about 
 two hundred miles inland. Beyond them the 
 shores of the river are low and fiat for more than 
 two thousand miles, till the spurs of the Andes 
 are reached. 
 
 During the rainy season the Amazon over- 
 flows all its banks, like the Nile, for many 
 hundreds of miles ; during which season, as 
 Martin Rattler truly remarked, the natives may 
 be appropriately called aquatic animals. Towns 
 and villages, and plantations belonging to Bra- 
 zilians, foreign settlers, and half-civilized Indians, 
 occur at intervals throughout the whole course 
 of the river ; and a little trade in dye-woods, 
 
 K
 
 i-^o Martin Rattler 
 
 India-rubber, medicinal drugs, Brazil nuts, 
 coffee, &c, is done ; but nothing to what 
 might and ought to be, and perhaps would be, 
 were this splendid country in the hands of an 
 enterprising people. But the Amazonians are 
 lazy, and the greater part of the resources of one 
 of the richest countries in the world is totally 
 neglected. 
 
 " Arrah ! " said Barney, scratching his head 
 and wrinkling his forehead intensely, as all that 
 we have just written, and a great deal more, was 
 told to him by a Scotch settler whom he found 
 superintending a cattle estate and a saw-mill on 
 the banks of the Amazon — " Faix, then, I'm jist 
 as wise now as before ye begun to spake. I've 
 no head for fagures whatsumdiver ; an' to tell 
 me that the strame is ninety-six miles long and 
 three thousand miles broad at the mouth, and 
 sich like calcerlations, is o' no manner o' use, 
 and jist goes in at wan ear an' out at the 
 tother." 
 
 Whereupon the Scotch settler smiled and 
 said, "Well, then, if ye can remember that the 
 Amazon is longer than all Europe is broad ; 
 that it opens up to the ocean not less than 
 ten thousand miles of the interior of Brazil ; 
 and that, comparatively speaking, no use is 
 made of it whatever, ye'll remember enough 
 to think about with profit for some time to 
 come."
 
 Martin Rattler 131 
 
 And Barney did think about it, and ponder 
 it, and revolve it in his mind, for many days 
 after, while he worked with Martin and the 
 old trader at the paddles of their montaria. 
 They found the work of canoeing easier than 
 had been anticipated ; for during the summer 
 months the wind blows steadily up the river, 
 and they were enabled to hoist their mat-sail, 
 and bowl along before it against the stream. 
 
 Hotels and inns there were none ; for Brazil 
 does not boast of many such conveniences, 
 except in the chief towns ; so they were obliged, 
 in travelling, to make use of an empty hut or 
 shed, when they chanced to stop at a village, 
 and to cook their own victuals. More frequently, 
 however, they preferred to encamp in the woods 
 — slinging their hammocks between the stems of 
 the trees, and making a fire sometimes, to 
 frighten away the jaguars, which, although 
 seldom seen, were often heard at night. They 
 met large canoes and montarias occasionally 
 coming down the stream, and saw them hauled 
 up on shore, while their owners were cooking 
 their breakfast in the woods ; and once they 
 came upon a solitary old Indian in a very curious 
 position. They had entered a small stream in 
 order to procure a few turtles' eggs, of which 
 there were many in that place buried in the 
 sandbanks. On turning a point where the 
 stream was narrow and overhung with bushes
 
 132 Martin Rattler 
 
 and trees,. they beheld a canoe tied to the stem 
 of a tree, and a hammock slung between two 
 branches overhanging the water. In this an old 
 Indian lay extended, quite naked and fast 
 asleep ! The old fellow had grown weary with 
 paddling his little canoe; and, finding the thicket 
 along the river's banks so impenetrable that he 
 could not land, he slung his hammock over the 
 water, and thus quietly took his siesta. A flock 
 of paroquets were screaming like little green 
 demons just above him, and several alligators 
 gave him a passing glance as they floundered 
 heavily in the water below ; but the red man 
 cared not for such trifles. Almost involuntarily 
 Martin began to hum the popular nursery 
 rhyme — 
 
 " Hushy ba, baby, on the tree top ; 
 When the wind blows the cradle will rock." 
 
 "Arrah, if he was only two foot lower, its 
 thirty pair o' long teeth would be stuck into his 
 flank in wan minute, or I'm no prophet," said 
 Barney, with a broad grin. 
 
 " Suppose we give him a touch with the paddle 
 in passing," suggested Martin. 
 
 At this moment Barney started up, shaded his 
 eyes with his hand, and, after gazing for a few 
 seconds at some object ahead of the canoe, he 
 gave utterance to an exclamation of mingled 
 surprise and consternation.
 
 Martin Rattler 133 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE GREAT ANACONDA'S DINNER — BARNEY 
 GETS A FRIGHT — TURTLES' EGGS, OMELETS 
 AND ALLIGATORS' TAILS — SENHOR AN- 
 TONIO'S PLANTATION— PREPARATIONS FOR 
 A GREAT HUNT 
 
 The object which called forth the cry from 
 our Irish friend, as related in the last chapter, 
 was neither more nor less than a serpent of 
 dimensions more enormous than Barney had 
 ever before conceived of. It was upwards of 
 sixteen feet long, and nearly as thick as a man's 
 body ; but about the neck it was three times 
 that size. This serpent was not, indeed, of the 
 largest size. In South America they grow to 
 nearly forty feet in length. But it was fabulously 
 gigantic in the eyes of our adventurers, who had 
 never seen a serpent of any kind before. 
 
 " Oh ! " cried Martin, eagerly, " that must be 
 an anaconda. Is it not ? " he inquired, turning 
 to the old trader. 
 
 " Yees ; it dead," was the short reply. 
 
 " So it is ! " cried Martin, who, on a nearer 
 approach, observed that the brute's body was 
 cut in two just below the swelling at the neck. 
 
 " Now, did ye iver," cried Barney with
 
 134 Martin Rattler 
 
 increased surprise, "see a sarpint with a cow's 
 horns growin' out at its mouth ? Put ashore, 
 old boy; we must have a 'vestigation o' this 
 re-markable cratur." 
 
 The canoe was soon aground, and in another 
 minute the three travellers busily engaged in 
 turning over the carcass of the huge reptile, 
 which they found, to the amazement of Martin 
 and Barney, had actually swallowed an ox whole, 
 with the exception of the horns, which protruded 
 from its mouth ! 
 
 After much questioning, in bad Portuguese, 
 broken English, and remarkable signs, Martin 
 succeeded in drawing from the old trader the 
 information that anacondas of a large size are 
 often in the habit of thus bolting horses and 
 oxen at a mouthful. 
 
 There is not the slightest exaggeration in this 
 fact. Readers who are inclined to disbelieve it 
 may refer to the works of Wallace and Gardner 
 on Brazil, — authorities which cannot be doubted. 
 
 The reptile commences by patiently watching 
 until an unfortunate animal strays near to where 
 it is lying, when it darts upon it, encircles it in 
 its massive coils, and crushes it to death in an 
 instant. Then it squeezes the body and broken 
 bones into a shapeless mass ; after which it licks 
 the carcass all over, and covers it with a thick 
 coating of saliva. Having thus prepared its 
 mouthful, the andaconda begins at the tail and
 
 Martin Rattler 135 
 
 gradually engulfs its victim, while its elastic jaws, 
 and throat, and stomach are distended sufficiently 
 to let it in ; after which it lies in a torpid state 
 for many weeks, till the morsel is digested, when 
 it is ready for another meal. A horse goes down 
 entire, but a cow sticks at the horns, which the 
 anaconda cannot swallow. They are allowed to 
 protrude from its mouth until they decay and 
 drop off. 
 
 They were at a loss at first to account for the 
 creature being killed ; but the old trader sug- 
 gested that it had been found in a torpid state, 
 and slain by the Indian whom they had seen a 
 short time ago enjoying his siesta among the 
 trees. 
 
 Having cut it open, in order to convince 
 themselves beyond a doubt that it had swallowed 
 an entire ox, Martin and the old trader re- 
 embarked in the canoe, and Barney was on the 
 point of joining them when the bushes close 
 beside him were slightly stirred. Looking 
 quickly round, he beheld the head and the 
 glittering eyes of another anaconda, apparently 
 as large as the dead one, ready to dart upon 
 him, — at least so he fancied ; but he did not 
 wait to give it a chance. He fled instantly, and 
 sprang towards the boat, which he nearly upset 
 as he leaped into it, and pushed out into the 
 stream. On reaching the middle of the river 
 they looked back, but the anaconda was gone.
 
 136 Martin Rattler 
 
 Soon after this they came to a long sandbank, 
 where the old trader said they should find as 
 many turtles' eggs as they wished for, although 
 to Barney and Martin there seemed to be 
 nothing on the bank at all. The fresh-water 
 turtle of the Amazon, of which there are various 
 species, is one of the most useful of reptiles. 
 Its flesh supplies abundance of good food ; and 
 the eggs, besides being eaten, afford an excellent 
 oil. The largest species grow to the length of 
 three feet, and have a fiattish oval shell of a dark 
 colour, and quite smooth. Turtles lay their 
 eggs about the beginning of September, when 
 the sand-banks begin to be uncovered. They 
 scrape deep holes for them, and cover them care- 
 fully over, beating down the sand quite flat, and 
 walking across the place several times, for the 
 purpose of concealment. The eggs are then 
 left to be hatched by the heat of the sun. But, 
 alas for the poor turtles ! men are too clever for 
 them. The eggs are collected by the natives in 
 thousands, and, when oil is to be made of them, 
 they are thrown into a canoe, smashed and 
 mixed up together, and left to stand, when the 
 oil rises to the top, and is skimmed off and 
 boiled. It keeps well, and is used both for lamps 
 and cooking. Very few of the millions of eggs 
 that are annually laid arrive at maturity. 
 
 When the young turtles issue forth and run to 
 the water, there are many enemies watching for
 
 Martin Rattler 137 
 
 them. Great alligators open their jaws and 
 swallow them by hundreds ; jaguars come out of 
 the forests and feed upon them ; eagles and 
 buzzards and wood ibises are there, too, to claim 
 their share of the feast ; and, if they are fortunate 
 enough to escape all these, there are many large 
 and ravenous fishes ready to seize them in the 
 stream. It seems a marvel that any escape at 
 all. 
 
 In a few minutes the old trader scraped up 
 about a hundred eggs, to the immense satis- 
 faction of Martin and Barney. Then he took a 
 bow and arrow from the bottom of the montaria 
 and shot a large turtle in the water, while his 
 companions kindled a fire, intending to dine. 
 Only the nose of the turtle was visible above 
 water ; but the old man was so expert in the 
 use of the bow, that he succeeded in transfixing 
 the soft part of the animal's neck with an arrow, 
 although that part was under water. It was a 
 large turtle, and very fat and heavy, so that it 
 was with difficulty the trader lifted it upon his 
 old shoulders and bore it in triumph to the spot 
 where his companions were busily engaged with 
 their cooking operations. Turtles are frequently 
 shot with the arrow by the natives ; they are 
 also taken in great numbers with the hook and 
 the net. 
 
 Dinner was soon ready. Barney concocted an 
 immense and savoury omelet, and the old trader
 
 138 Martin Rattler 
 
 cooked an excellent turtle-steak, while Martin 
 prepared a junk of jaguar meat, which he roasted, 
 being curious to taste it, as he had been told 
 that the Indians like it very much. It was 
 pretty good, but not equal to the turtle-eggs. 
 The shell of the egg is leathery, and the yolk 
 only is eaten. The Indians sometimes eat them 
 raw, mixed with farina. Cakes of farina, and 
 excellent coffee, concluded their repast ; and 
 Barney declared he had never had such a satis- 
 factory " blow out" in his life ; a sentiment with 
 which Martin entirely agreed, and the old trader 
 — if one might judge from the expression of his 
 black countenance — sympathized. 
 
 For many weeks our adventurers continued 
 to ascend the Amazon, sometimes sailing before 
 the wind ; at other times, when it fell calm, 
 pushing the montaria up the current by means of 
 long poles, or advancing more easily with the 
 paddles. Occasionally they halted for a day at 
 the residence of a wealthy cacao planter, in 
 order to sell him some merchandise ; for which 
 purpose the canoe was unloaded, and the bales 
 were opened out for his inspection. Most of 
 these planters were Brazilians, a few were 
 Yankee adventurers, and one or two were 
 Scotch and English ; but nearly all had married 
 Brazilian ladies, who, with their daughters, 
 proved good customers to the old trader. Some 
 of these ladies were extremely " purty craturs,"as
 
 Martin Rattler 139 
 
 Barney expressed it ; but most of them were 
 totally uneducated and very ignorant, — not 
 knowing half so much as a child of seven or eight 
 years old in more favoured lands. They were 
 very fond of fine dresses and ornaments, of which 
 considerable supplies were sent to them from 
 Europe and the United States, in exchange 
 for the valuable produce of their country. But, 
 although their dresses were fine and themselves 
 elegant, their houses were generally very poor 
 affairs — made of wood and thatched with broad 
 leaves ; and it was no uncommon thing to see a 
 lady, who seemed from her gay dress to be 
 fitted for a drawing-room, seated on an earthen 
 floor. But there were all sorts of extremes in 
 this strange land ; for at the next place they 
 came to, perhaps, they found a population of 
 Negroes and Indians, and most of the grown-up 
 people were half naked, while all the children 
 were entirely so. 
 
 At one plantation, where they resolved to 
 spend a (g\v days, the owner had a pond which 
 was much frequented by alligators. These he 
 was in the habit of hunting periodically, for the 
 sake of their fat, which he converted into oil. 
 At the time of their arrival, he was on the eve 
 of starting on a hunting expedition to the lake, 
 which was about eight miles distant ; so Barney 
 and Martin determined to go and " see the fun," 
 as the latter said.
 
 140 Martin Rattler 
 
 " Martin, lad," remarked Barney, as they 
 followed the Negro slave who had been sent by 
 Senhor Antonio, the planter, to conduct them 
 to the lake, while he remained behind for an 
 hour or two to examine the bales of the old 
 trader ; " this is the quarest country, I believe, 
 that iver was made ; what with bastes, and 
 varmints, and riptiles, and traes, and bushes, 
 and rivers, it bates all creation." 
 
 " Certainly it does, Barney ; and it is a pity 
 there are so few people in it who know how to 
 make use of the things that are scattered all 
 around them. I'm inclined to think the hermit 
 was right when he said that they wanted the 
 Bible. They are too far sunk in laziness and 
 idleness to be raised up by anything else. Just 
 look," continued Martin, glancing round, " what 
 a wonderful place this is ! It seems as if all the 
 birds and curious trees in Brazil had congregated 
 here to meet us." 
 
 " So't does," said Barney, stopping to gaze on 
 the scene through which they were passing, 
 with an expression of perplexity on his face, as 
 if he found the sight rather too much even for 
 his comprehension. Besides the parrots and 
 scarlet and yellow macaws, and other strange- 
 looking birds which we have elsewhere men- 
 tioned, there were long-tailed light-coloured 
 cuckoos flying about from tree to tree, not 
 calling like the cuckoo of Europe at all, but
 
 Martin Rattler 141 
 
 giving forth a sound like the creaking of a 
 rusty hinge ; there were hawks and buzzards of 
 many different kinds, and red-breasted orioles 
 in the bushes, and black vultures flying over- 
 head, and Muscovy ducks sweeping past with 
 whizzing wings, and flocks of the great wood- 
 ibis sailing in the air on noiseless pinions, and 
 hundreds of other birds that it would require an 
 ornithologist to name ; and myriads of insects, — 
 especially ants and spiders, great and small, — 
 that no entomologist could chronicle in a life- 
 time ; all these were heard and seen at once ; 
 while of the animals that were heard, but not 
 so often seen, there were black and spotted 
 jaguars, and pacas, and cotias, and armadillos, 
 and deer, and many others, that would take 
 pages to enumerate and whole books to describe. 
 But the noise was the great point. That was 
 the thing that took Martin and Barney quite 
 aback, although it was by no means new to 
 them ; but they could not get used to it. And 
 no wonder ! Ten thousand paroquets shrieking 
 passionately, like a hundred knife-grinders at 
 work, is no joke ; especially when their melodies 
 are mingled with the discordant cries of herons, 
 and bitterns, and cranes, and the ceaseless buzz 
 and hum of insects, like the bagpipe's drone, 
 and the dismal croaking of boat-bills and 
 frogs, — one kind of which latter, by the way, 
 doesn't croak at all, but whistles, ay, better than
 
 142 Martin Rattler 
 
 many a bird ! The universal hubbub is tre- 
 mendous ! I tell you, reader, that you don't 
 understand it, and you can't understand it ; and 
 if, after I had used the utmost excess of 
 exaggerated language to convey a correct 
 impression of the reality, you were to imagine 
 that you really did understand it, you would be 
 very lamentably mistaken — that's all ! 
 
 Nevertheless, you must not run away with the 
 idea that the whole empire of Brazil is like this. 
 There are dark thick solitudes in these vast 
 forests, which are solemn and silent enough at 
 times ; and there are wide grassy campos, and 
 great sandy plains, where such sounds are 
 absent. Yet there are also thousands of such 
 spots as I have just described, where all nature, 
 in earth, air, and water, is instinct with noisy 
 animal life. 
 
 After two hours' walk, Martin and his com- 
 panion reached the lake, and here active prepara- 
 tions were making for the alligator hunt. 
 
 " Is that the only place ye have to spind the 
 night in, Sambo ? " said Barney to their con- 
 ductor, as he pointed to a wooden shed near 
 which some fifteen or twenty Negro slaves were 
 overhauling the fishing tackle. 
 
 " Yis, massa," answered the black, showing his 
 white teeth ; " dat is de hottle of dis great city." 
 Sambo could speak a little English, having 
 wrought for several years on the coffee plant-
 
 Martin Rattler 143 
 
 ation of a Yankee settler. He was a bit of a wae, 
 too, much to the indignation of his grave master, 
 the Senhor Antonio, who abhorred jesting. 
 
 "Ye're too cliver, avic," said Barney, with a 
 patronizing smile ; " take care ye don't use up 
 yer intellect too fast. It hurts the constitution 
 in the long-run." 
 
 " I say, Barney," cried Martin, who had gone 
 ahead of his companions, " come here, man, and 
 just look at this pond. It's literally crammed 
 full of alligators." 
 
 "Musha, but there's more alligators than 
 wather, I belave ! " exclaimed Barney. 
 
 The pond was indeed swarming with these 
 ferocious reptiles, which were constantly thrust- 
 ing their ugly snouts above the surface and then 
 disappearing with a flourish of their powerful 
 tails. During the rainy season this lake was 
 much larger, and afforded ample room for its 
 inhabitants ; but at the height of the dry season, 
 which it was at this time, there was little water, 
 and it was much overstocked. When alligators 
 are thus put upon short allowance of water, they 
 frequently bury themselves in the wet mud, and 
 lie dormant for a long time, while the water 
 continues to retire and leaves them buried. 
 But when the first shower of the rainy season 
 falls, they burst open their tomb and drag their 
 dry bodies to the lake or river on whose margin 
 they went to sleep.
 
 144 Martin Rattler 
 
 An hour or two later the Scnhor Antonio 
 arrived ; but as it was getting dark, nothing 
 could be done until the following morning ; so 
 they slung their hammocks under the wooden 
 shed on the margin of the lake, and, in order to 
 save themselves as much as possible from the 
 bites of the tormenting mosquitoes, went to 
 sleep with their heads tied up in their handker- 
 chiefs, and their hands thrust into their breeches 
 pockets ! The occasional splash and snort of 
 contending alligators, about twenty yards off, 
 varied the monotony of the hours of darkness, 
 while the frogs and cranes and jaguars sang 
 their lullaby. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 AN ALLIGATOR HUNT — REMARKABLE EX- 
 PLOSIONS — THE RAINY SEASON USHERED 
 IN BY AN AWFUL RESURRECTION 
 
 At sunrise an expressive shout in Portuguese 
 set the black slaves on their feet ; and, after a 
 hasty breakfast of alligator-tail and farina, they 
 commenced operations. Alligator-tail is by no 
 means bad food, and after the first mouthful, — 
 taken with hesitation and swallowed with diffi- 
 culty, — Martin and Barney both pronounced it 
 " capital." Sambo, who had cooked the delicate
 
 Martin Rattler 145 
 
 morsel, and stood watching them, smacked his 
 lips and added, " Fuss rate." 
 
 All being now ready for the hunt, a number of 
 Negroes entered the water, which was nowhere 
 very deep, with long poles in their hands. This 
 appeared to Martin and Barney a very reckless 
 and dangerous thing to do, as no doubt it was. 
 Nevertheless accidents, they were told, very 
 rarely happened. 
 
 Sambo, who was the overseer of the party, was 
 the first to dash up to the middle in the water. 
 " Hi," exclaimed that dingy individual, making 
 a torrent of remarks in Portuguese, while he 
 darted his long pole hither and thither ; then, 
 observing that Martin and Barney were gazing 
 at him open mouthed, he shouted, " Look out, 
 boys ! here 'im comes ! Take care, ole feller, or 
 he jump right down you' throat ! hi-i-i ! " 
 
 As he spoke, a large alligator, having been 
 rudely stirred up from his muddy bed, floundered 
 on the surface of the lake and Sambo instantly 
 gave it a thump over the back and a blow under 
 the ribs ; which had the effect of driving it in 
 the direction of the shore. Here a number of 
 Negroes were ready for him ; and the moment he 
 came within reach, a coil of rope with a noose on 
 the end of it, called a lasso, was adroitly thrown 
 over the reptile's head : ten or twelve men then 
 hauled the lasso and dragged it ashore amid 
 shouts of triumph. This alligator was twenty 
 
 L
 
 146 Martin Rattler 
 
 feet long, with an enormous misshapen head and 
 fearful rows of teeth that were terrible to behold. 
 The monster did not submit to be captured, how- 
 ever, without a struggle ; and the Negroes grew 
 wild with excitement as they yelled and leaped 
 madly about seeking to avoid its dangerous jaws 
 and the blows of its powerful tail. After some 
 trouble, a second lasso was thrown over the tail, 
 which was thus somewhat restrained in its move- 
 ments ; and Sambo, approaching cautiously with 
 an axe, cut a deep gash just at the root of 
 that formidable appendage, which rendered it 
 harmless. " Hi-i," shouted Sambo in triumph, 
 as he sprang towards the animal's head, and 
 inflicted a similar gash in the neck ; " dare, you 
 quite finish, ole feller." 
 
 " Musha but that's thrue ! " ejaculated Barney, 
 who stood staring at the whole proceeding like 
 one in a trance. " Did ye iver git a bite, 
 Sambo?" 
 
 Barney received no answer, for his sable friend 
 was already up to his waist in the water with five 
 or six of his brethren, who were flourishing their 
 long poles and driving the snorting alligators 
 towards the shore, where their comrades, with 
 lassos and harpoons, awaited them. Sometimes 
 they harpooned the alligators, and then, fastening 
 lassos to their heads and tails, or to a hind leg, 
 dragged them ashore ; at other times they threw 
 the lasso over their heads at once, without taking
 
 Martin Rattler 147 
 
 the trouble to harpoon them. It was a terrible 
 and a wonderful sight to witness the Negroes in 
 the very midst of a shoal of these creatures, any- 
 one of which could have taken a man into his 
 jaws quite easily, — whence, once between these 
 long saw-like rows of teeth, no man could have 
 escaped to tell how sharp they were. The 
 creatures were so numerous that it was impossible 
 to thrust a pole into the mud without stirring up 
 one of them ; but they were so terrified at the 
 sudden attack and the shouts of the Negroes, 
 that they thought only of escape. 
 
 Suddenly there arose a great cry. One of the 
 lassos had snapt, and the alligator was flounder- 
 ing back into the water, when Sambo rushed in 
 up to the arm-pits, and caught the end of the 
 rope. At the same moment two alligators made 
 at the Negro with open jaws. It is probable that 
 the animals went in his direction by mere 
 accident, and would have brushed past him in 
 blind haste ; but to Martin and Barney it seemed 
 as if the poor man's fate were sealed, and they 
 uttered a loud shout of horror as they bounded 
 simultaneously into the water, not knowing what 
 to do, but being unable to restrain the impulse 
 to spring to Sambo's aid. Fortunately, however, 
 one of the other Negroes was near Sambo. He 
 sprang forward, and dealt the alligators two 
 tremendous blows with his pole on their snouts, 
 right and left, which turned them off. Then
 
 148 Martin Rattler 
 
 other Negroes came up, laid hold of Sambo, 
 who would not let go his hold and was being 
 dragged into deep water, caught the end of the 
 rope, and in ten minutes hauled their victim to 
 the shore, when it was quickly despatched in the 
 usual manner. 
 
 By this time about a dozen alligators, varying 
 from ten to twenty feet in length, had been 
 captured ; and Barney at length became so bold 
 that he requested to be allowed to try his hand 
 at throwing the lasso, the dexterous use of which 
 by the Negroes had filled him with admiration. 
 A loud burst of laughter greeted this proposal, 
 and Sambo showed a set of teeth that might 
 have made even the alligators envious, as he 
 handed the Irishman a coil of line. 
 
 " Now don't miss, Barney," cried Martin, 
 laughing heartily, as his comrade advanced to 
 the edge of the lake and watched his opportunity. 
 " Mind, your credit as an expert hunter is at 
 stake." 
 
 The Senhor Antonio stood close behind the 
 Irishman, with his arms folded and a sarcastic 
 smile on his countenance. 
 
 " Don't send it down him's throat," yelled 
 Sambo. " Hi-i ; dat's de vay to swing um round. 
 Stir um up, boys ! — poke um up, villains, 
 hi ! " 
 
 The Negroes in the water obeyed with frantic 
 glee, and the terrified monsters surged about in
 
 Martin Rattler 149 
 
 all directions, so that Barney found it almost 
 impossible to fix his attention on any particular 
 individual. At length he made up his mind, 
 whirled the coil round his head, discharged the 
 noose, caught the Senhor Antonio round the 
 neck, and jerked him violently to the ground ! 
 
 There was a simultaneous pause of horror 
 among the slaves ; but it was too much for their 
 risible faculties to withstand ; with one accord 
 they rushed howling into the water to conceal 
 their laughter, and began to stir up and belabour 
 the alligators with their poles, until the surface 
 of the lake was a sheet of foam. 
 
 Meanwhile the Senhor Antonio sprang to his 
 feet and began to bluster considerably in Portu- 
 guese ; but poor Barney seemed awfully crest- 
 fallen, and the deep concern which wrinkled 
 his face, and the genuine regret that sounded 
 in the tones of his voice, at length soothed the 
 indignant Brazilian, who frowned gravely, and 
 waving his hand, as if to signify that Barney 
 had his forgiveness, he stalked up to the shed, 
 lighted a cigarito, and lay down in his hammock . 
 
 " Well ! " said Martin, in an under-tone, 
 " you did it that time, Barney. I verily 
 thought the old fellow was hanged. He be- 
 came quite livid in the face." 
 
 " Och ! bad luck to the lasso, say I. May 
 I nivcr more see the swate groves o' Killarncy 
 if iver I meddle witli wan again."
 
 150 Martin Rattler 
 
 " Hi-i ; you is fuss rate," said Sambo, as he 
 and his comrades returned and busied them- 
 selves in cutting up the dead alligators. "You 
 beat de Niggers all to not'ing. Not any of 
 dis yere chiles eber lasso Sen'or Antonio yet ; 
 no, neber ! " 
 
 It was some time before the Negroes could 
 effectually subdue their merriment, but at 
 length they succeeded, and applied themselves 
 vigorously to the work of cutting out the fat. 
 The alligators were all cut open, — a work of 
 no small difficulty, owing to the hard scales 
 which covered them as with coats of mail ; 
 then the fat, which accumulates in large quan- 
 tities about the intestines, was cut out and 
 made up into packets in the skins of the smaller 
 ones, which were taken off for this purpose. 
 
 These packets were afterwards carried to the 
 Senhor's dwelling, and the fat melted down into 
 oil, which served for burning in lamps quite 
 as well as train oil. The flesh of a smaller 
 species of alligator, some of which were also 
 taken, is considered excellent food ; and, while 
 the Negroes were engaged in their work, Bar- 
 ney made himself useful by kindling a large 
 fire and preparing a savoury dish for "all 
 hands," plentifully seasoned with salt and pep- 
 per, with which condiments the country is 
 well supplied, and of which the people are 
 exceedingly fond.
 
 Martin Rattler 151 
 
 There was also caught in this lake a large 
 species of fish called pirarucu, which, strangely 
 enough, found it possible to exist in spite of 
 alligators. They were splendid creatures, from 
 five to six feet long, and covered with large 
 scales more than an inch in diameter, which 
 were beautifully marked and spotted with red. 
 These fish were most delicately flavoured, and 
 Barney exerted his talents to the utmost in 
 order to do them justice. Martin also did 
 his best to prove himself a willing and efficient 
 assistant, and cleaned and washed the pirarucu 
 steaks and the junks of alligator-tail to 
 admiration. In short, the exertions of the two 
 strangers in this way quite won the hearts of 
 the Negroes, and after dinner the Senhor 
 Antonio had quite recovered his good humour. 
 
 While staying at this place Martin had an 
 opportunity of seeing a great variety of the 
 curious fish with which the Amazon is stocked. 
 These are so numerous that sometimes, when 
 sailing up stream with a fair wind, they were 
 seen leaping all round the canoe in shoals, so 
 that it was only necessary to strike the water 
 with the paddles in order to kill a few. 
 
 The pcixe boi, or cow-fish, is one of the most 
 curious of the inhabitants of the Amazon. 
 It is about six feet long, and no less than five 
 feet in circumference at its thickest part. It 
 is a perfectly smooth, and what we may call
 
 152 Martin Rattler 
 
 dumpy fish, of a leaden colour, with a semi- 
 circular flat tail, and a large mouth with thick 
 fleshy lips resembling those of a cow. There 
 are stiff bristles on the lips, and a few scattered 
 hairs over the body. It has two fins just behind 
 the head ; and below these, in the females, there 
 are two breasts, from which good white milk 
 flows when pressure is applied. The cow-fish 
 feeds on grass at the borders of rivers and 
 lakes ; and when suckling its young it carries 
 it in its fins or flippers, and clasps the little 
 one to its breast, just as a mother clasps her 
 baby ! It is harpooned and taken for the 
 sake of its fat, from which oil is made. The 
 flesh is also very good, resembling beef in 
 quality, and it was much relished by Martin 
 and Barney, who frequently dined on beef- 
 steaks cut from this remarkable cow-fish. 
 
 There was also another fish which surprised 
 our adventurers not a little the first time they 
 met with it. One evening Senhor Antonio 
 had ordered a net to be thrown into the river, 
 being desirous of procuring a few fresh fish 
 for the use of his establishment. The Indians 
 and Negroes soon after commenced dragging, 
 and in a few minutes afterwards the sandy 
 bank of the river was strewn with an immense 
 variety of small fish, among which were a few 
 of a larger kind. Martin and Barney became 
 excited as they saw them leaping and splut-
 
 Martin Rattler 153 
 
 tering about, and ran in amongst them to 
 assist in gathering them into baskets. But 
 scarcely had the latter advanced a few steps 
 when there was a loud report, as if a pistol had 
 gone off under his feet. 
 
 "Hallo!" exclaimed the Irishman, leaping 
 two feet into the air. On his reaching the 
 ground again, a similar explosion occurred, and 
 Barney dashed aside, overturning Martin in his 
 haste. Martin's heel caught on a stone, and he 
 fell flat on the ground, when instantly there was 
 a report as if he had fallen upon and burst an 
 inflated paper bag. The natives laughed loud 
 and long, while the unfortunate couple sprang 
 up the bank, half inclined to think that an 
 earthquake was about to take place. The cause 
 of their fright was then pointed out. It was a 
 species of small fish which has the power of 
 inflating the fore part of its body into a complete 
 ball, and which, when stamped upon, explodes 
 with a loud noise. There were great numbers 
 of these scattered among the other fish, and also 
 large quantities of a little fish armed with long 
 spines, which inflict a serious wound when 
 trodden upon. 
 
 At this place adventures on a small scale 
 crowded upon our travellers so thickly that 
 Martin began to look upon sudden surprises as 
 a necessary of life, and Barney said that "if it 
 wint on any longer he feared his eye-brows
 
 154 Martin Rattler 
 
 would get fixed near the top of his head, and 
 niver more come down." 
 
 One evening, soon after their departure from 
 the residence of Senhor Antonio, the old trader 
 was sitting steering in the stern of his canoe, 
 which was running up before a pretty stiff 
 breeze. Martin was lying on his back, as was 
 his wont in such easy circumstances, amusing 
 himself with Marmoset ; and Barney was re- 
 clining in the bow talking solemnly to Grampus ; 
 when suddenly the wind ceased, and it became 
 a dead calm. The current was so strong that 
 they could scarcely paddle against it, so they 
 resolved to go no further that night, and ran the 
 canoe ashore on a low point of mud, intending to 
 encamp under the trees, no human habitation 
 being near them. The mud bank was hard and 
 dry, and cracked with the heat ; for it was now 
 the end of the dry season, and the river had 
 long since retired from it. 
 
 " Not a very comfortable place, Barney," said 
 Martin, looking round, as he threw down one 
 of the bales which he had just carried up from 
 the canoe. " Hallo ! there's a hut, I declare. 
 Come, that's a comfort anyhow." 
 
 As he spoke Martin pointed to one of the 
 solitary and rudely constructed huts or sheds 
 which the natives of the banks of the Amazon 
 sometimes erect during the dry season, and 
 forsake when the river overflows its banks.
 
 Martin Rattler 155 
 
 The hut was a very old one, and had evidently 
 been inundated, for the floor was a mass of dry, 
 solid mud, and the palm-leaf roof was much 
 damaged. However, it was better than nothing, 
 so they slung their hammocks under it, kindled 
 a fire, and prepared supper. While they were 
 busy discussing this meal, a few dark and 
 ominous clouds gathered in the sky, and the old 
 trader, glancing uneasily about him, gave them 
 to understand that he feared the rainy season 
 was going to begin. 
 
 "Well then," said Barney, lighting his pipe 
 and stretching himself at full length in his 
 hammock, with a leg swinging to and fro over 
 one side and his head leaning over the other, 
 as was his wont when he felt particularly com- 
 fortable in mind and body ; " Well then, avic, 
 let it begin. If we're sure to have it anyhow, 
 the sooner it begins the better, to my thinkin'." 
 " I don't know that," said Martin, who was 
 seated on a large stone beside the fire sipping 
 a can of coffee, which he shared equally with 
 Marmoset. The monkey sat on his shoulder 
 gazing anxiously into his face, with an expres- 
 sion that seemed as if the creature were mentally 
 exclaiming, " Now me, now you ; now me, now 
 you," during the whole process. " It would be 
 better, I think, if we were in a more sheltered 
 position before it begins. Ha ! there it comes 
 though, in earnest."
 
 156 Martin Rattler 
 
 A smart shower began to fall as he spoke, 
 and, percolating through the old roof, descended 
 rather copiously on the mud floor. In a few 
 minutes there was a heaving of the ground 
 under their feet ! 
 
 " Ochone ! " cried Barney, taking his pipe 
 out of his mouth and looking down with a 
 disturbed expression, "there's an arthquake, I 
 do belave." 
 
 For a few seconds there was a dead silence. 
 
 " Nonsense," whispered Martin uneasily. 
 
 " It's dramin' I must have been," sighed 
 Barney, resuming his pipe. 
 
 Again the ground heaved and cracked, and 
 Martin and the old trader had just time to spring 
 to their feet when the mud floor of the hut burst 
 upwards and a huge dried-up-looking alligator 
 crawled forth, as if from the bowels of the earth ! 
 It glanced up at Barney ; opened its tremendous 
 jaws, and made as if it would run at the terrified 
 old trader ; then, observing the doorway, it 
 waddled out, and, trundling down the bank, 
 plunged into the river and disappeared. 
 
 Barney could find no words to express his 
 feelings, but continued to gaze with an unbe- 
 lieving expression down into the hole out of 
 which the monster had come, and in which it 
 had buried itself many weeks before, when the 
 whole country was covered with soft mud. At 
 that time it had probably regarded the shelter
 
 Martin Rattler 157 
 
 of the inundated hut as of some advantage, and 
 had lain down to repose. The water retiring 
 had left it there buried, and — as we have already 
 mentioned in reference to alligators — when the 
 first shower of the rainy season fell it was led by 
 instinct to burst its earthy prison, and seek its 
 native element. 
 
 Before Barney or his companions could re- 
 cover from their surprise, they had other and 
 more urgent matters to think about. The dark 
 clouds burst overhead, and the rain descended 
 like a continued water-spout, — not in drops but 
 in heavy sheets aud masses ; the roof of the hut 
 gave way in several places, driving them into 
 a corner for shelter ; the river began to rise 
 rapidly, soon flooding the hut ; and, when 
 darkness overspread the land, they found them- 
 selves drenched to the skin and suspended in 
 their hammocks over a running stream of 
 water ! 
 
 This event brought about an entire change in 
 the aspect of nature, and was the cause of a sad 
 and momentous era in the adventures of Martin 
 Rattler and his companion.
 
 158 Martin Rattler 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE GAPO — INTERRUPTIONS — GRAMPUS AND 
 MARMOSET — CANOEING IN THE WOODS — A 
 NIGHT ON A FLOATING ISLAND 
 
 There is a peculiar and very striking feature 
 in the character of the great Amazon, which 
 affects the distinctive appearance of that river 
 and materially alters the manners and customs 
 of those who dwell beside it This peculiarity 
 is the periodical overflow of its low banks ; and 
 the part thus overflowed is called the Gapo. It 
 extends from a little above the town of San- 
 tarem up to the confines of Peru, a distance of 
 about seventeen hundred miles ; and varies in 
 width from one to twenty miles : so that the 
 country when inundated assumes in many places 
 the appearance of an extensive lake with forest 
 trees growing out of the water ; and travellers 
 may proceed many hundreds of miles in their 
 canoes without once entering the main stream of 
 the river. At this time the natives become al- 
 most aquatic animals. Several tribes of Indians 
 inhabit the Gapo ; such as the Purupurus, Muras > 
 and others. They build small movable huts on 
 the sandy shores during the dry season, and on 
 rafts in the wet. They subsist on turtle, cow-
 
 Martin Rattler 159 
 
 fish, and the other fish with which the river 
 abounds, and live almost entirely in their 
 canoes ; while at night they frequently sling 
 their hammocks between the branches of trees 
 and sleep suspended over the deep water. 
 
 Some of the animals found in the Gapo are 
 peculiar to it, being attracted by the fruit-trees 
 which are found growing only there. The 
 Indians assert that every tree that grows in 
 the Gapo is distinct from all those that grow 
 in other districts ; and when we consider that 
 these trees are submerged for six months every 
 year, till they are tall enough to rise above the 
 highest water-level, we may well believe their 
 constitution is somewhat different from those 
 that are reared on ordinary ground. The 
 Indians are wonderfully expert in finding their 
 way among the trackless mazes of the Gapo, 
 being guided by the broken twigs and scraped 
 bark that indicate the route followed by previous 
 travellers. 
 
 Owing to this sudden commencement of the 
 rainy season, the old trader resolved to return 
 to a small village and there spend several 
 months. Martin and Barney were much 
 annoyed at this ; for the former was impatient 
 to penetrate further into the interior, and the 
 latter had firmly made up his mind to visit 
 the diamond mines, about which he entertained 
 the most extravagant noiions. He did not,
 
 160 Martin Rattler 
 
 indeed, know in the least how to get to these 
 mines, nor even in which direction they lay ; 
 but he had a strong impression that as long 
 as he continued travelling he was approaching 
 gradually nearer to them, and he had no doubt 
 whatever that he would get to them at last. 
 It was, therefore, with no small degree of impa- 
 tience that they awaited the pleasure of their 
 sable master, who explained to them that 
 when the waters reached their height he would 
 proceed. 
 
 Everything comes to an end, even a long 
 story. After many weeks had passed slowly 
 by, their sojourn in this village came to an 
 end too. It was a dull place, very dull, and 
 they had nothing to do ; and the few poor 
 people who lived there seemed to have very 
 little or nothing to do. We will, therefore, pass 
 it over, and resume our narrative at the point 
 when the old trader announced to Barney that 
 the flood was at its height and they would now 
 continue their journey. They embarked once 
 more in their old canoe with their goods and 
 chattels, not forgetting Marmoset and Grampus, 
 whose friendship during their inactive life had 
 become more close than ever. This friendship 
 was evidenced chiefly by the matter-of-course 
 way in which Grampus permitted the monkey 
 to mount his back and ride about the village 
 and through the woods, where dry places could
 
 Martin Rattler 161 
 
 be found, as long as she pleased. Marmoset was 
 fonder of riding than walking, so that Grampus 
 had enough to do ; but he did not put himself 
 much about. He trotted, walked, galloped, and 
 lay down, when, and where, and as often as 
 he chose, without any reference to the small 
 monkey ; and Marmoset held on through thick 
 and thin, and nibbled nuts or whatever else it 
 picked up, utterly regardless of where it was 
 going to or the pace at which it went. It was 
 sharp, though, that small monkey, sharp as a 
 needle, and had its little black eyes glancing on 
 all sides ; so that when Grampus dashed through 
 underwood, and the branches threatened to 
 sweep it off, it clucked its head ; or, lying flat 
 down, shut its eyes and held on with all its 
 teeth and four hands like a limpet to a rock. 
 Marmoset was not careful as to her attitude on 
 dog-back. She sat with her face to the front or 
 rear, just as her fancy or convenience dictated. 
 
 After leaving the village they travelled for 
 many days and nights through the Gapo. 
 Although afloat on the waters of the Amazon, 
 they never entered the main river after the 
 first few days, but wound their way, in a 
 creeping, serpentine sort of fashion, through 
 small streams and lakes and swamps, from 
 which the light was partially excluded by the 
 thick foliage of the forest. It was a strange 
 scene that illimitable watery waste, and aroused 
 
 M
 
 1 62 Martin Rattler 
 
 new sensations in the breasts of our travellers. 
 As Barney said, it made him " feel quite solemn- 
 like and eerie to travel through the woods by 
 wather." 
 
 The canoe was forced under branches and 
 among dense bushes, till they got into a part 
 where the trees were loftier and a deep gloom 
 prevailed. Here the lowest branches were on 
 a level with the surface of the water, and many 
 qf them were putting forth beautiful flowers. 
 On one occasion they came to a grove of small 
 palms, which were so deep in the water that the 
 leaves were only a few feet above the surface. 
 Indeed they were so low that one of them 
 caught Martin's straw-hat and swept it 
 overboard. 
 
 " Hallo ! stop ! " cried Martin, interrupting the 
 silence so suddenly that Grampus sprang up 
 with a growl, under the impression that game 
 was in view ; and Marmoset scampered off 
 behind a packing-box with an angry shriek. 
 
 "What's wrong, lad ? " inquired Barney. 
 
 " Back water, quick ! my hat's overboard, 
 and there's an alligator going to snap it up. 
 Look alive, man ! " 
 
 In a few seconds the canoe was backed 
 and the straw-hat rescued from its perilous 
 position. 
 
 " It's an ill wind that blows nae guid, as the 
 Scotch say," remarked Barney, rising in the
 
 Martin Rattler 163 
 
 canoe and reaching towards something among 
 the overhanging branches. " Here's wan o' 
 them trees that old black-face calls a maraja, 
 with some splendid bunches o' fruit on it. 
 Hould yer hat, Martin ; there's more nor 
 enough for supper anyhow." 
 
 As he spoke a rustling in the leaves told 
 that monkeys were watching us, and Marmoset 
 kept peeping up as if she half expected they 
 might be relations. But the moment the 
 travellers caught sight of them they bounded 
 away screaming. 
 
 Having gathered as much fruit as they 
 required, they continued their voyage, and 
 presently emerged into the pleasant sunshine 
 in a large grassy lake, which was filled with 
 lilies and beautiful water-plants, little yellow 
 bladder-worts, with several other plants of which 
 they knew not the names ; especially one with 
 a thick swollen stalk, curious leaves, and bright 
 blue flowers. This lake was soon passed, and 
 they again entered into the gloomy forest, and 
 paddled among the lofty trunks of the trees, 
 which rose like massive columns out of the deep 
 water. There was enough of animal life there, 
 however, to -amuse and interest them. The 
 constant plash of falling fruit showed that birds 
 were feeding overhead. Sometimes a flock of 
 parrots or bright blue chatterers swept from tree 
 to tree, or atrogon swooped at a falling bunch of
 
 164 Martin Rattler 
 
 fruit and caught it ere it reached the water ; 
 while ungainly toucans plumped clumsily down 
 upon the branches, and sat, in striking contrast, 
 beside the lovely pompadours, with their claret- 
 coloured plumage and delicate white wings. 
 
 Vieing with these birds in splendour were 
 several large bright-yellow flowers of the creep- 
 ing-plants, which twined round the trees. Some 
 of these plants had white, spotted, and purple 
 blossoms ; and there was one splendid species, 
 called by the natives the flor de Santa Anna — 
 the flower of St. Ann — which emitted a delight- 
 ful odour and was four inches in diameter. 
 
 Having traversed this part of the wood, they 
 once more emerged upon the main stream 01 
 the Amazon. It was covered with water-fowl. 
 Large logs of trees and numerous floating 
 islands of grass were sailing down ; and on 
 these sat hundreds of white gulls, demurely 
 and comfortably voyaging to the ocean ; for 
 the sea would be their final resting-place if 
 they sat on these logs and islands until they 
 descended several hundreds of miles of the 
 great river. 
 
 " I wish," said Martin, after a long silence, 
 during which the travellers had been gazing 
 on the watery waste as they paddled up stream 
 — " I wish that we could fall in with solid land, 
 where we might have something cooked. I'm 
 desperately hungry now; but I don't see a spot
 
 Martin Rattler 165 
 
 of earth large enough for a mosquito to rest his 
 foot on." 
 
 "We'll jist have to take to farhina and 
 wather," remarked Barney, laying down his 
 paddle and proceeding leisurely to light his 
 pipe. " It's a blissin' we've got baccy, any 
 how. 'Tis mesilf that could niver git on 
 without it." 
 
 "I wish you joy of it, Barney. It may fill 
 your mouth, but it can't stop your hunger." 
 
 " Och, boy, it's little ye know ! Sure it 
 stops the cravin's o' hunger, and kapes yer 
 stumick from callin' out for iver, till ye fall 
 in with somethin' to ate." 
 
 "It does not seem to stop the mouth then, 
 Barney, for you call out for grub oftener than 
 I do ; and then you say that you couldn't get 
 on without it ; so you're a slave to it, old boy. 
 I wouldn't be a slave to anything if I could 
 help it." 
 
 " Martin, lad, ye're gittin' deep. Take care 
 now, or ye'll be in mettlefeesics soon. I say, 
 ould black-face," — Barney was not on ceremony 
 with the old trader, — " is there no land in thim 
 parts at all ? " 
 
 " No, not dis night." 
 
 " Och, then, we'll have to git up a tree and 
 try to cook somethin' there; for I'm not goin' 
 to work on flour and wather. Hallo ! hould 
 on ! There's an island, or the portrait o'
 
 1 66 Martin Rattler 
 
 wan ! Port your helm, Naygur ! hard aport ! 
 D'ye hear ? " ' 
 
 The old man heard, but, as usual, paid no 
 attention to the Irishman's remarks ; and the 
 canoe would have passed straight on, had not 
 Barney used his bow-paddle so energetically 
 that he managed to steer her, as he expressed 
 it, by the nose, and ran her against a mass of 
 floating logs which had caught firmly in a 
 thicket, and were so covered with grass and 
 broken twigs as to have very much the ap- 
 pearance of a real island. Here they landed, 
 so to speak, kindled a small fire, made some 
 coffee, roasted a few fish, baked several cakes, 
 and were soon as happy and comfortable as 
 hungry and wearied men usually are when they 
 obtain rest and food. 
 
 " This is what I call jolly," remarked Barney. 
 
 " What's jolly ? " inquired Martin. 
 
 " Why this, to be sure, — grub to begin with, 
 and a smoke and a convanient snooze in pros- 
 pect." 
 
 The hopes which Barney cherished, however, 
 were destined to be blighted, at least in part. 
 To the victuals he did ample justice ; the pipe 
 was delightful, and in good working order ; but 
 when they lay down to repose, they were 
 attacked by swarms of stinging ants, which the 
 heat of the fire had driven out of the old 
 logs. These and mosquitoes effectually banished
 
 Martin Rattler 167 
 
 sleep from their eye-lids, and caused them to 
 reflect very seriously, and to state to each other 
 more than once very impressively, that, with all 
 their beauties and wonders, tropical lands had 
 their disadvantages, and there was no place like 
 the "ould country," after all. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE SAD AND MOMENTOUS ERA REFERRED TO 
 AT THE CLOSE OF THE CHAPTER PRECED- 
 ING THE LAST 
 
 One sultry evening, many weeks after our 
 travellers had passed the uncomfortable night 
 on the floating island in the Gapo, they came 
 to a place where the banks of the river rose 
 boldly up in rugged rocks and hemmed in the 
 waters of the Amazon, which were by this time 
 somewhat abated. Here they put ashore, in- 
 tending to kindle their fire and encamp for the 
 night, having been up and hard at work since 
 day-break. 
 
 The evening was calm and beautiful, and the 
 troublesome insects not so numerous as usual, — 
 probably owing to the nature of the ground. 
 One or two monkeys showed themselves for 
 a moment, as if to enquire who was there, and 
 then ran away screaming ; a porcupine also
 
 1 68 Martin Rattler 
 
 crossed their path, and several small bright 
 snakes, of a harmless species, glided over the 
 rocks, and sought refuge among the small 
 bushes ; but beyond these there were few of 
 the sights and sounds that were wont to greet 
 them in the forest. 
 
 " I think things look well to-night," remarked 
 Martin as he threw down a bundle of sticks 
 which he had gathered for the fire ; " we shall 
 have a comfortable snooze for certain, if the 
 mosquitoes don't wake up." 
 
 " I'm not so sure of that," replied Barney, 
 striking a light with flint and steel and stoop- 
 ing to puff the smouldering spark into a flame. 
 "I've lamed by exparience that ye'niver can be 
 — puff — sure o' nothin' in this — puff — remark- 
 able country. Jist look at Darkey now," con- 
 tinued the Irishman, sitting down on a stone 
 before the fire, which now began to kindle up, 
 and stuffing the tobacco into his pipe with his 
 little finger. " There he is, a livin' Naygur, 
 aliftin' of the provision-bag out o' the canoe. 
 Well, if he was all of a suddent to turn into 
 Marmoset an' swaller himself, an' then jump 
 down the throat of Grampus, and the whole 
 consarn, canoe and all, to disappear, I don't 
 think that I would be much surprised." 
 
 " Would you not, Barney ? I suspect that I 
 should be, a little, under the circumstances ; 
 perhaps the old Nigger would be more so."
 
 Martin Rattler 169 
 
 " Niver a taste," continued Barney. " Ye see, 
 if that was to happen, I would then know that 
 it was all a drame. I've more than wance 
 expected to wake up since I corned into furrin 
 parts ; the only thing that kapcs me in doubt 
 about it is the baccy." 
 " How so, Barney ?" 
 
 " Why, bekase it tastes so rael, good luck to 
 it ! that I can't git myself to think it's only 
 a drame. Jist look, now," he continued, in the 
 same tone of voice ; "if it wasn't a drame, how 
 could I see sich a thing as that standin' on the 
 rock over there ? " 
 
 Martin glanced towards the spot pointed out 
 by his friend, and immediately started up with 
 surprise. 
 
 " Hallo ! Barney, that's no dream, I'll vouch 
 for it. He's an Indian, and a very ugly one 
 too, I declare. I say, old fellow, do you know 
 what sort of savage that is ? " 
 
 "Not know," answered the trader, glancing 
 uneasily at the stranger. 
 
 " He might have the dacency to put on more 
 close, anyhow," muttered Barney, as he gazed 
 inquiringly at the savage. 
 
 The being who had thus appeared so sud- 
 denly before the travellers belonged to one ot 
 the numerous tribes of Indians inhabiting the 
 country near the head-waters of some of the 
 chief tributaries of the Amazon. He was almost
 
 170 Martin Rattler 
 
 entirely naked, having merely a scanty covering 
 on his loins ; and carried a small quiver full of 
 arrows at his back, and what appeared to be a 
 long spear in his hand. His figure was strongly 
 but not well formed ; and his face, which was of 
 a dark copper hue, was disfigured in a most 
 remarkable manner. A mass of coarse black 
 hair formed the only covering to his head. His 
 cheeks were painted with curious marks of jet 
 black. But the most remarkable points about 
 him were the huge pieces of wood which formed 
 ornaments in his ears and under lip. They were 
 round and flat like the wooden wheel of a toy- 
 cart, about half an inch thick, and larger than 
 an old-fashioned watch. These were fitted into 
 enormous slits made in the ears and under lip, 
 and the latter projected more than two inches 
 from his mouth ! Indeed, the cut that had been 
 made to receive this ornament was so large that 
 the lip had been almost cut off altogether, and 
 merely hung by each corner of his mouth ! The 
 aspect of the man was very hideous, and it was 
 by no means improved when, having recovered 
 from his surprise at unexpectedly encountering 
 strangers, he opened his mouth to the full extent 
 and uttered a savage yell. 
 
 The cry was answered immediately. In a few 
 minutes a troop of upwards of thirty savages 
 sprang from the woods, and, ascending the rock 
 on which their comrade stood, gazed down on
 
 Martin Rattler 171 
 
 the travellers in surprise, and, by their move- 
 ments, seemed to be making hasty preparations 
 for an attack. 
 
 By this time Barney had recovered his self- 
 possession, and became thoroughly convinced 
 of the reality of the apparition before him. 
 Drawing his pistol hastily from his belt, he 
 caught up a handful of gravel, wherewith he 
 loaded it to the muzzle, ramming down the 
 charge with a bit of mandioca-cake in lieu of 
 a wad ; then drawing his cutlass he handed it 
 to Martin, exclaiming, " Come, lad, we're in for 
 it now. Take you the cutlass and I'll try their 
 skulls with the butt o' my pistol : it has done 
 good work before now in that way. If there's 
 no more o' the blackguards in the background 
 we'll bate them aisy." 
 
 Martin instinctively grasped the cutlass, and 
 there is no doubt that, under the impulse of 
 that remarkable quality, British valour, which 
 utterly despises odds, they would have hurled 
 themselves recklessly upon the savages, when 
 the horrified old trader threw himself on Barney's 
 neck and implored him not to fight ; for if he 
 did they would all be killed, and if he only 
 kept quiet the savages would perhaps do them 
 no harm. At the same moment about fifty 
 additional Indians arrived upon the scene of 
 action. This, and the old man's earnest en- 
 treaties, induced them to hesitate for an instant,
 
 172 Martin Rattler 
 
 and, before they could determine what to do, 
 they were surprised by some of the savages, 
 who rushed upon them from behind and took 
 them prisoners. Barney struggled long and 
 fiercely, but he was at length overpowered by 
 numbers. The pistol, which missed fire, was 
 wrenched from his grasp, and his hands were 
 speedily bound behind his back. Martin was 
 likewise disarmed and secured ; not, however, 
 before he made a desperate slash at one of the 
 savages, which narrowly missed his skull, and 
 cut away his lip ornament. 
 
 As for the old trader, he made no resistance 
 at all, but submitted quietly to his fate. The 
 savages did not seem to think it worth their 
 while to bind him. Grampus bounced and 
 barked round the party savagely, but did not 
 attack ; and Marmoset slept in the canoe in 
 blissful ignorance of the whole transaction. 
 
 The hands of the two prisoners being firmly 
 bound, they were allowed to do as they pleased ; 
 so they sat down on a rock in gloomy silence, 
 and watched the naked savages as they rifled 
 the canoe and danced joyfully round the trea- 
 sures which their active knives and fingers soon 
 exposed to view. The old trader took things 
 philosophically. Knowing that it was absolutely 
 impossible to escape, he sat quietly down on a 
 stone, rested his chin on his hands, heaved one 
 or two deep sighs, and thereafter seemed to be 
 nothing more than an ebony statue.
 
 Martin Rattler 173 
 
 The ransacking of the canoe and appropri- 
 ating of its contents occupied the savages but 
 a short time, after which they packed every- 
 thing up in small bundles, which they strapped 
 upon their backs. Then, making signs to their 
 prisoners to rise, they all marched away into the 
 forest. Just as they were departing, Marmoset, 
 observing that she was about to be left behind, 
 uttered a frantic cry, which brought Grampus 
 eambolline: to her side. With an active bound 
 the monkey mounted its charger, and away 
 they went into the forest in the track of the 
 band of savages. 
 
 During the first part of their march Martin 
 and Barney were permitted to walk beside each 
 other, and they conversed in low, anxious tones. 
 
 " Surely," said Barney, as they marched along 
 surrounded by Indians, " thim long poles the 
 savages have got are not spears ; I don't see no 
 point to them." 
 
 " And what's more remarkable," added Martin, 
 " is that they all carry quivers full of arrows, but 
 none of them have bows." 
 
 " There's a raison for iverything," said Barney, 
 pointing to one of the Indians in advance ; " that 
 fellow explains the mystery." 
 
 As he spoke, the savage referred to lowered 
 the pole, which seemed to be about thirteen feet 
 long, and pushing an arrow into a hole in the 
 end of it, applied it to his mouth. In another 
 moment the arrow flew through the air and
 
 174 Martin Rattler 
 
 grazed a bird that was sitting on a branch 
 hard by. 
 
 " 'Tis a blow-pipe, and no mistake ! " cried 
 Barney. 
 
 " And a poisoned arrow, I'm quite sure," 
 added Martin ; " for it only ruffled the bird's 
 feathers, and see, it has fallen to the ground." 
 
 " Och, then, but we'd have stood a bad chance 
 in a fight, if thim's the wipons they use. Och, 
 the dirty spalpeens ! Martin, dear, we're done 
 for. There's no chance for us at all." 
 
 This impression seemed to take such deep 
 hold of Barney's mind, that his usually reckless 
 and half jesting disposition was completely 
 subdued, and he walked along in gloomy silence, 
 while a feeling of deep dejection filled the heart 
 of his young companion. 
 
 The blow-pipe which these Indians use is an 
 ingeniously contrived weapon. It is made from 
 a species of palm-tree. When an Indian wants 
 one, he goes into the woods and selects a tree 
 with a long slender stem of less than an inch 
 in diameter ; he extracts the pith out of this, 
 and then cuts another stem, so much larger 
 than the first that he can push the small tube 
 into the bore of the large one, — thus the slight 
 bend in one is counteracted by the other, and 
 a perfectly straight pipe is formed. The mouth- 
 piece is afterwards neatly finished off. The 
 arrows used are very short, having a little ball
 
 Martin Rattler 175 
 
 of cotton at the end to fill the tube of the 
 blow-pipe. The points are dipped in a peculiar 
 poison, which has the effect of producing death 
 when introduced into the blood by a mere 
 scratch of the skin. The Indians can send 
 these arrows an immense distance, and with 
 unerring aim, as Martin and Barney had many 
 an opportunity of witnessing during their long 
 and weary journey on foot to the forest-home 
 of the savages. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 WORSE AND WORSE— EVERYTHING SEEMS TO 
 GO WRONG TOGETHER 
 
 ALTHOUGH the Indians did not maltreat the 
 unfortunate strangers who had thus fallen into 
 their hands, they made them proceed by forced 
 marches through the wilderness ; and as neither 
 Barney nor Martin had been of late much 
 used to long walks, they felt the journey very 
 severely. The old trader had been accustomed 
 to everything wretched and unfortunate and 
 uncomfortable from his childhood, so he plodded 
 onward in silent indifference. 
 
 The country through which they passed 
 became every day more and more rugged, until 
 at length it assumed the character of a wild
 
 176 Martin Rattler 
 
 mountainous district. Sometimes they wound 
 their way in a zigzag manner up the mountain 
 sides, by paths so narrow that they could 
 scarcely find a foot-hold. At other times they 
 descended into narrow valleys where they saw 
 great numbers of wild animals of various kinds, 
 some of which the Indians killed for food. 
 After they reached the mountain district they 
 loosed the hands of their prisoners, in order to 
 enable them to climb more easily. Indeed in 
 many places they had to scramble so carefully 
 that it would have been impossible for any one 
 to climb with his hands tied behind his back. 
 But the Indians knew full well that they ran no 
 risk of losing their prisoners ; for if they had 
 attempted to escape, dozens of their number 
 were on the watch, before, behind, and on either 
 side, ready to dart away in pursuit. Moreover, 
 Barney had a feeling of horror at the bare idea 
 of the poisoned arrows, that effectually prevented 
 him from making the smallest attempt at escape. 
 With a cutlass or a heavy stick he would have 
 attacked the whole tribe single-handed, and 
 have foueht till his brains were knocked out ; 
 but when he thought of the small arrows that 
 would pour upon him in hundreds if he made a 
 dash for the woods, and the certain death that 
 would follow the slightest scratch, he discarded 
 all idea of rebellion. 
 
 One of the animals killed by the Indians at
 
 Martin Rattler 177 
 
 this time was a black jaguar, — a magnificent 
 animal, and very fierce. He was discovered 
 crouching in a thicket backed by a precipice, 
 from which he could only escape by charging 
 through the ranks of his enemies. He did it 
 nobly. With a roar that rebounded from the 
 face of the high cliff and echoed through the 
 valley like a peal of thunder, he sprang out and 
 rushed at the savages in front, who scattered 
 like chaff right and left. But at the same 
 instant fifty blow-pipes sent their poisoned 
 shafts into his body, and, after a few convulsive 
 bounds, the splendid monarch of the American 
 forests fell dead on the ground. The black 
 jaguar is a somewhat rare animal, and is very 
 seldom seen. This one was therefore hailed as 
 a great prize, and the skin and claws were 
 carefully preserved. 
 
 On the afternoon of the same day the party 
 came to a broad stream, over which they, or 
 some other of the numerous tribes in the 
 country, had constructed a very simple and 
 curious bridge. It was a single rope attached 
 to an immense mass of rock on one side and to 
 the stem of a large tree on the other. On this 
 tight-rope was fastened a simple loop of cord, so 
 constructed that it could encircle the waist of 
 a man and at the same time traverse from one 
 end of the tight-rope to the other. Barney put 
 on a comical frown when he came to this and 
 
 N
 
 178 Martin Rattler 
 
 saw the leader of the party rest his weight in 
 the loop, and, in clinging with hands and legs to 
 the long rope, work himself slowly across. 
 
 " Arrah ! it's well for us, Martin, that we're 
 used to goin' aloft," said he, " or that same 
 bridge would try our narves a little." 
 
 "So it would, Barney. I've seldom seen a 
 more uncomfortable-looking contrivance. If we 
 lost our hold we should first be dashed to pieces 
 on the rocks, and then be drowned in the river." 
 
 Difficult though the passage seemed, however> 
 it was soon accomplished by the active savages 
 in safety. The only one of the party likely to 
 be left behind was Grampus ; whom his master, 
 after much entreaty in dumb-show, was per- 
 mitted to carry over by tying him firmly to his 
 shoulders. Marmoset crossed over walking, like 
 a tight-rope dancer, being quite au fait at such 
 work. Soon after they came to another curious 
 bridge over a ravine. It had been constructed 
 by simply felling two tall trees on the edge of it 
 in such a manner that they fell across. They 
 were bound together with the supple vines that 
 grew there in profusion. Nature had soon 
 covered the whole over with climbing plants 
 and luxuriant verdure ; and the bridge had 
 become a broad and solid structure over which 
 the whole party marched with perfect ease. 
 Several such bridges were crossed, and also a 
 few of the rope kind, during the journey.
 
 Martin Rattler 179 
 
 After many weeks' constant travelling, the 
 Indians came to a beautiful valley one evening 
 just about sunset, and began to make the usual 
 preparations for encamping. The spot they 
 selected was a singular one. It was at the foot 
 of a rocky gorge, up which might be seen trees 
 and bushes mingled with jagged rocks and dark 
 caverns, with a lofty sierra or mountain range 
 in the background. In front was the beautiful 
 valley which they had just crossed. On a huge 
 rock there grew a tree of considerable size, the 
 roots of which projected beyond the rock several 
 yards, and then, bending downwards, struck into 
 the ground. Creeping plants had twined thickly 
 among the roots, and thus formed a sort of 
 lattice-work which enclosed a large space of 
 ground. In this natural arbour the chiefs of 
 the Indians took up their quarters and kindled 
 their fire in the centre of it, while the main body 
 of the party pitched their camp outside. The 
 three prisoners were allotted a corner in the 
 arbour ; and, after having supped, they spread 
 their ponchos on a pile of ferns, and found 
 themselves very snug indeed. 
 
 " Martin," said Barney, gravely, as he smoked 
 his pipe and patted the head of his dog, " d'ye 
 know I'm beginning to feel tired o' the 
 company o' thim naked rascals, and I've been 
 revolvin' in my mind what we should do to 
 escape. Moreover, I've corned to a conclusion."
 
 180 Martin Rattler 
 
 "And what's that?" inquired Martin. 
 
 " That it's unposs'ble to escape at all, and I 
 don't know what to do." 
 
 " That's not a satisfactory conclusion, Barney. 
 I, too, have been cogitating a good deal about 
 these Indians, and it is my opinion that they 
 have been on a war expedition, for I've noticed 
 that several of them have been wounded ; and, 
 besides, I cannot fancy what else could take 
 them so far from home." 
 
 " True, Martin, true. I wonder what they 
 intind to do with us. They don't mean to kill 
 us, anyhow ; for if they did they would niver 
 take the trouble to bring us here. Ochone ! me 
 heart's beginnin' to go down altogether ; for 
 we are miles and miles away from anywhere 
 now, and I don't know the direction o' no place 
 whatsumdiver." 
 
 "Never mind, Barney, cheer up," said Martin 
 with a smile ; " if they don't kill us that's all we 
 need care about. I'm sure we shall manage to 
 escape somehow or other in the long-run." 
 
 While they thus conversed the old trader 
 spread his poncho over himself and was soon 
 sound asleep ; while the Indians, after finishing 
 supper, held an animated conversation. At 
 times they seemed to be disputing, and spoke 
 angrily and with violent gesticulations, glancing 
 now and then at the corner where their prisoners 
 lay.
 
 Martin Rattler 181 
 
 " It's my belafe," whispered Barney, " that 
 they're spakin' about us. I'm afeard they don't 
 mean us any good. Och, but if I wance had 
 my pistol and the ould cutlass. Well, well, 
 it's of no manner o' use frettin'. Good-night, 
 Martin, good-night ! " 
 
 The Irishman knocked the ashes out of his 
 pipe, turned his face to the wall, and, heaving 
 a deep sigh, speedily forgot his cares in sleep. 
 The Indians also lay down, the camp-fires died 
 slowly out ; and the deep breathing of the 
 savages alone betokened the presence of man 
 in that lone wilderness. 
 
 Barney's forebodings proved to be only too 
 well founded ; for next morning, instead of 
 pursuing their way together, as usual, the 
 savages divided their forces into two separate 
 bands, placing the Irishman and the old trader 
 in the midst of one, and Martin Rattler with 
 the other. 
 
 "Surely they're niver goin'to part us, Martin," 
 said Barney with a care-worn expression on his 
 honest countenance that indicated the anxious 
 suspicions in his heart. 
 
 " I fear it much," replied Martin with a 
 startled look, as he watched the proceedings of 
 the Indians. " We must fight now, Barney, if 
 we should die for it. We must not be separated." 
 
 Martin spoke with intense fervour and gazed 
 anxiously in the face of his friend. A dark
 
 1 82 Martin Rattler 
 
 frown had gathered there. The sudden pros- 
 pect of being forcibly torn from his young 
 companion, whom he regarded with almost a 
 mother's tenderness, stirred his enthusiastic and 
 fiery temperament to its centre, and he gazed 
 wildly about, as if for some weapon. But the 
 savages anticipated his intention ; ere he could 
 grasp any offensive weapon two of their number 
 leaped upon him, and at the same moment 
 Martin's arms were pinioned in a powerful 
 grasp. 
 
 " Och, ye murderin' blackguards ! " cried 
 Barney, hitting out right and left and knocking 
 down a savage at each blow. " Now or niver ! 
 come on, ye kangaroos ! " 
 
 A general rush was made upon the Irishman, 
 who was fairly overturned by the mass of men. 
 Martin struggled fiercely to free himself, and 
 would have succeeded had not two powerful 
 Indians hastened to the help of the one who 
 had first seized him. Despite his frantic efforts, 
 he was dragged forcibly up the mountain gorge, 
 the echoes of which rang with his cries as he 
 shouted despairingly the name of his friend. 
 Barney fought like a tiger ; but he could make 
 no impression on such numbers. Although at 
 least a dozen Indians lay around him bleeding 
 and stunned by the savage blows of his fists, — 
 a species of warfare which was entirely new to 
 them, — fresh savages crowded round. But they
 
 -Martin Rattler 183 
 
 did not wish to kill him, and numerous though 
 they were, they found it no easy matter to 
 secure so powerful a man ; and when Martin 
 turned a last despairing glance towards the 
 camp, ere a turn in the path shut it out from 
 view, the hammer-like fists of his comrade were 
 still smashing down the naked creatures who 
 danced like monkeys round him, and the war- 
 like shouts of his stentorian voice reverberated 
 among the cliffs and caverns of the mountain 
 pass long after he was hid from view. 
 
 Thus Martin and Barney were separated in 
 the wild regions near the Sierra dos Parecis of 
 Brazil. 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 MARTIN REFLECTS MUCH, AND FORMS A FIRM 
 RESOLVE— THE INDIAN VILLAGE 
 
 When the mind has been overwhelmed by 
 some sudden and terrible calamity, it is long 
 ere it again recovers its wonted elasticity. An 
 aching void seems to exist in the heart, and a 
 dead weight appears to press upon the brain, so 
 that ordinary objects make but little impression, 
 and the soul seems to turn inwards and brood 
 drearily upon itself. The spirit of fun and 
 frolick, that had filled Martin Rattler's heart
 
 1 84 Martin Rattler 
 
 ever since he landed in Brazil, was now so 
 thoroughly and rudely crushed, that he felt as if 
 it were utterly impossible that he should ever 
 smile again. 
 
 He had no conception of the strength of his 
 affection for the rough, hearty sailor, who had 
 until now been the faithful and good-humoured 
 companion of his wanderings. As Barney had 
 himself said on a former occasion, his life up 
 till this period had been a pleasant and exciting 
 dream. But he was now awakened rudely to 
 the terrible reality of his forlorn position ; and 
 the more he thought of it the more hopeless and 
 terrible it appeared to be. 
 
 He knew not in what part of Brazil he was ; 
 he was being hurried apparently deeper into 
 these vast solitudes by savages who were 
 certainly not friendly, and of whose language he 
 knew not a word ; and worst of all, he was 
 separated perhaps for ever from the friend on 
 whom, all unconsciously to himself, he had so 
 long leaned for support in all their difficulties 
 and dangers. Even though he and Barney 
 should succeed in escaping from the Indians, 
 he felt — and his heart was overwhelmed at the 
 thought — that in such a vast country there was 
 not the shadow of a chance that they should 
 find each other. Under the deep depression 
 produced by these thoughts Martin wandered on 
 wearily, as if in a dream — taking no interest in
 
 Martin Rattler 185 
 
 anything that occurred by the way. At length, 
 after several days fatiguing journey over 
 mountains and plains, they arrived at the Indian 
 village. 
 
 Here the warriors were received with the 
 utmost joy by the wives and children whom 
 they had left behind, and for a long time Martin 
 was left almost entirely to do as he pleased. A 
 few days before, his bonds had been removed, 
 and once or twice he thought of attempting to 
 escape ; but whenever he wandered a little 
 further than usual into the woods, he found that 
 he was watched and followed by a tall and 
 powerful savage, whose duty it evidently was to 
 see that the prisoner did not escape. The fear- 
 ful idea now entered Martin's mind that he was 
 reserved for torture, and perhaps a lingering 
 death ; for he had read that many savage nations 
 treated their prisoners in this cruel manner, for 
 the gratification of the women who had lost 
 relations in the war. But as no violence was 
 offered to him in the meantime, and. he had as 
 much farina and fruit to eat as he could use, his 
 mind gradually became relieved, and he en- 
 deavoured as much as possible to dismiss the 
 terrible thought altogether. 
 
 The Indian village occupied a lovely situation 
 at the base of a gentle hill or rising ground, the 
 summit of which was clothed with luxuriant 
 trees and shrubs. The huts were of various
 
 1 86 Martin Rattler 
 
 shapes and sizes, and very simple in construc- 
 tion. They were built upon the bare ground ; 
 some were supported by four corner posts, 
 twelve or fifteen feet high, and from thirty to 
 forty feet long, the walls being made of thin 
 laths connected with wicker-work and plastered 
 with clay. The doors were made of palm-leaves, 
 and the roofs were covered with the same 
 material, or with maize straw. Other huts were 
 made almost entirely of palm-leaves and tent- 
 shaped in form ; and, while a few were enclosed 
 by walls, the most of the square ones had one or 
 more sides entirely open. In the large huts 
 several families dwelt together, and each family 
 had a hearth and a portion of the floor allotted 
 to it. The smoke from their fires was allowed 
 to find its way out by the doors and chinks in 
 the roofs, as no chimneys were constructed for 
 its egress. 
 
 The furniture of each hut was very simple. 
 It consisted of a few earthen pots ; baskets made 
 of palm-leaves, which were filled with Spanish 
 potatoes, maize, mandioca roots, and various 
 kinds of wild fruits ; one or two drinking vessels ; 
 the hollow trunk of a tree, used for pounding 
 maize in ; and several dishes which contained 
 the colours used by the Indians in painting their 
 naked bodies, — a custom which was very 
 prevalent amongst them. Besides these things, 
 there were bows, arrows, spears, and blow-pipes
 
 Martin Rattler 187 
 
 in abundance ; and hammocks hung from various 
 posts, elevated about a foot from the ground. 
 These hammocks were made of cotton cords, 
 and served the purpose of tables, chairs, and 
 beds. 
 
 The ground in the immediate neighbourhood 
 of the village was laid out in patches, in which 
 were cultivated mandioca roots, maize, and other 
 plants useful for domestic purposes. In front of 
 the village there was an extensive valley, through 
 which a small river gurgled with a pleasant 
 sound. It was hemmed in on all sides by 
 wooded mountains, and was so beautifully 
 diversified by scattered clusters of palms, and 
 irregular patches of undulating grassy plains all 
 covered with a rich profusion of tropical flowers 
 and climbing plants, that it seemed to Martin 
 more like a magnificent garden than the unculti- 
 vated forest, — only far more rich and lovely and 
 picturesque than any artificial garden could 
 possibly be. When the sun shone in full 
 splendour on this valley — as it almost always 
 did — it seemed as if the whole landscape were 
 on the point of bursting into flames of red and 
 blue, and green and gold ; and when Martin sat 
 under the shade of a tamarind-tree and gazed 
 long upon the enchanting scene, his memory 
 often reverted to the Eden of which he used to 
 read in the Bible at home, and he used to 
 wonder if it were possible that the sun and
 
 1 88 Martin Rattler 
 
 flowers and trees could be more lovely in the 
 time when Adam walked with God in Paradise. 
 
 Martin was young then, and he did not con- 
 sider, although he afterwards came to know, 
 that it was not the beauty of natural objects, 
 but the presence and favour of God and the 
 absence of sin, that rendered the Garden of 
 Eden a paradise. But these thoughts always 
 carried him back to dear old Aunt Dorothy and 
 the sweet village of Ashford ; and the Brazilian 
 paradise was not unfrequently obliterated in 
 tears while he gazed, and turned into a vale of 
 weeping. Ay, he would have given that mag- 
 nificent valley,— had it been his own, — ten times 
 over, in exchange for one more glance at the 
 loved faces and the green fields of home. 
 
 Soon after his arrival at the Indian village 
 Martin was given to understand, by signs, that 
 he was to reside with a particular family, and 
 work every day in the maize and mandioca 
 fields, besides doing a great deal of the drudgery 
 of the hut ; so that he now knew he was re- 
 garded as a slave by the tribe into whose hands 
 he had fallen. It is impossible to express the 
 bitterness of his feelings at this discovery, and 
 for many weeks he went about his work scarcely 
 knowing what he did, and caring little, when the 
 hot sun beat on him so fiercely that he could 
 hardly stand, whether he lived or died. At 
 length, however, he made up his mind firmly to
 
 Martin Rattler 189 
 
 attempt his escape. He was sitting beneath the 
 shade of his favourite resort, the tamarind-tree, 
 when he made this resolve. Longing thoughts 
 of home had been strong upon him all that day, 
 and desire for the companionship of Barney had 
 filled his heart to bursting ; so that the sweet 
 evening sunshine and the beautiful vale over 
 which his eyes wandered, instead of affording 
 him pleasure, seemed but to mock his misery. 
 It was a lesson that all must learn sooner or 
 later, and one we would do well to think upon 
 before we learn it, that sunshine in the soul is 
 not dependent on the sunshine of this world, 
 and when once the clouds descend, the brightest 
 beams of all that earth contains cannot pierce 
 them, — God alone can touch these dark clouds 
 with the finger ot love and mercy, and say 
 again, as He said of old, " Let there be light." 
 A firm purpose, formed with heart and will, 
 is cheering and invigorating to a depressed 
 mind. No sooner did the firm determination to 
 escape or die enter into Martin's heart, than he 
 sprang from his seat, and, falling on his knees, 
 prayed to God, in the name of our Redeemer, 
 for help and guidance. He had not the least 
 idea of how he was to effect his escape, or of what 
 he intended to do. All he knew was that he 
 had made up his mind to do so, if God would 
 help him. And under the strength of that 
 resolve he soon recovered much of his former
 
 190 Martin Rattler 
 
 cheerfulness of disposition, and did his work 
 among the savages with a degree of energy that 
 filled them with surprise and respect. From 
 that day forth he never ceased to revolve in his 
 mind every imaginable and unimaginable plan 
 of escape, and to watch every event or circum- 
 stance, no matter how trifling, that seemed 
 likely to aid him in his purpose. 
 
 Seeing that he was a very strong and active 
 fellow, and that he had become remarkably 
 expert in the use of the bow and the blow-pipe, 
 the Indians now permitted Martin to accompany 
 them frequently on their short hunting expedi- 
 tions, so that he had many opportunities of 
 seeing more of the wonderful animals and plants 
 of the Brazilian forests, in the studying of which 
 he experienced great delight. Moreover, in the 
 course of a few months he began to acquire a 
 smattering of the Indian language, and was not 
 compelled to live in constant silence, as had 
 been the case at first. But he carefully avoided 
 the formation of any friendships with the youths 
 of the tribe, although many of them seemed to 
 desire it, considering that his doing so might in 
 some way or other interfere with the execution 
 of his great purpose. He was civil and kind to 
 them all, however, though reserved ; and, as 
 time wore away, he enjoyed much more liberty 
 than was the case at first. Still, however, he 
 was watched by the tall savage, who was a surly,
 
 Martin Rattler 191 
 
 silent fellow, and would not be drawn into 
 conversation. Indeed he did not walk with 
 Martin, but followed him wherever he went, 
 during his hours of leisure, at a distance of a few 
 hundred yards, moving when his prisoner moved, 
 and stopping when he halted, so that Martin at 
 last began to regard him more as a shadow than 
 a man. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 SAVAGE FEASTS AND ORNAMENTS — MARTIN 
 GROWS DESPERATE, AND MAKES A BOLD 
 ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE 
 
 HUNTING and feasting were the chief occupa- 
 tions of the men of the tribe with whom Martin 
 sojourned. One day Martin was told that a 
 great feast was to take place, and he was per- 
 mitted to attend. Accordingly, a little before 
 the appointed time he hastened to the large hut 
 in and around which the festivities were to take 
 place, in order to witness the preparations. 
 
 The first thing that struck him was that there 
 seemed to be no preparations making for eating ; 
 and on inquiry he was told that they did not 
 meet to cat, they met to drink and dance, — 
 those who were hungry might cat at home. 
 The preparations for drinking were made on
 
 192 Martin Rattler 
 
 an extensive scale by the women, a number of 
 whom stood round a large caldron, preparing its 
 contents for use. These women wore very little 
 clothing, and their bodies, besides being painted 
 in a fantastic style, were also decorated with 
 flowers and feathers. Martin could not help 
 feeling that, however absurd the idea of painting 
 the body was, it had at least the good effect of 
 doing away to some extent with the idea ot 
 nakedness ; for the curious patterns and devices 
 gave to the Indians the appearance of being 
 clothed in tights, — and, at any rate, he argued 
 mentally, paint was better than nothing. Some 
 of the flowers were artificially constructed out of 
 beetles' wings, shells, fish-scales, and feathers, 
 and were exquisitely beautiful as well as 
 gorgeous. 
 
 One of the younger women struck Martin as 
 being ultra-fashionable in her paint. Her black 
 shining hair hung like a cloak over her reddish- 
 brown shoulders, and various strange drawings 
 and figures ornamented her face and breast. 
 On each cheek she had a circle, and over that 
 two strokes ; under the nose were four red 
 spots ; from the corners of her mouth to the 
 middle of each cheek were two parallel lines, and 
 below these several upright stripes ; on various 
 parts of her back and shoulders were curiously 
 entwined circles, and the form of a snake was 
 depicted in vermilion down each arm. Unlike
 
 Martin Rattler 193 
 
 the others, she wore no ornament except a 
 simple necklace of monkeys' teeth. This beauty 
 was particularly active in manufacturing the 
 intoxicating drink, which is prepared thus : — A 
 quantity of maize was pounded in the hollow 
 trunk of a tree and put into an earthen pot, where 
 it was boiled in a large quantity of water. Then 
 the woman took the coarsely ground and boiled 
 flour out of the water, chewed it in their mouths 
 for a little, and put it into the pot again ! By 
 this means the decoction began to ferment and 
 became intoxicating. It was a very disgusting 
 method, yet it is practised by many Indian 
 tribes in America ; and, strange to say, also by 
 some of the South Sea islanders, who, of course, 
 could not have learned it from these Indians. 
 
 When this beverage was ready, the chief, a 
 tall, broad-shouldered man, whose painted 
 costume and ornaments were most elaborate, 
 stepped up to the pot and began a strange series 
 of incantations, which he accompanied by rattling 
 a small wooden instrument in his hand ; staring 
 all the time at the earthen pot, as if he half 
 expected it to run away ; and dancing slowly 
 round it, as if to prevent such a catastrophe from 
 taking place. The oftener the song was repeated 
 the more solemn and earnest became the ex- 
 pression of his face and the tones of his voice. 
 The rest of the Indians, who were assembled to 
 the number of several hundreds, stood motionless 
 
 O
 
 194 Martin Rattler 
 
 round the pot, staring at him intently without 
 speaking, and only now and then, when the voice 
 and actions of the chief became much excited, 
 they gave vent to a sympathetic howl. 
 
 After this had gone on for some time, the 
 chief seized a drinking-cup, or cuja, which he 
 gravely dipped into the pot and took a sip. 
 Then the shaking of the rattle and the monoton- 
 ous song began again. The chief next took a 
 good pull at the cup and emptied it ; after which 
 he presented it to his companions, who helped 
 themselves at pleasure ; and the dance and 
 monotonous music became more furious and 
 noisy the longer the cup went round. 
 
 When the cup had circulated pretty freely 
 among them, their dances and music became 
 more lively ; but they were by no means at- 
 tractive. After he had watched them a short 
 time, Martin left the festive scene with a feeling 
 of pity for the poor savages ; and as he thought 
 upon their low and debased condition he re- 
 called to mind the remark of his old friend the 
 hermit, — " They want the Bible in Brazil." 
 
 During his frequent rambles in the neighbour- 
 hood of the Indian village, Martin discovered 
 many beautiful and retired spots, to which he 
 was in the habit of going in the evenings after 
 his daily labours were accomplished, accom- 
 panied, as usual, at a respectful distance, by his 
 vigilant friend the tall savage. One of his
 
 Martin Rattler 195 
 
 favourite resting-places was at the foot of a 
 banana-tree which grew on the brow of a stu- 
 pendous cliff about a mile distant from the hut 
 in which he dwelt. From this spot he had a 
 commanding view of the noble valley and the 
 distant mountains. These mountains now 
 seemed to the poor boy to be the ponderous 
 gates of his beautiful prison ; for he had been 
 told by one of his Indian friends that on the 
 other side of them were great campos and forests, 
 beyond which dwelt many Portuguese, while 
 still further on was a great lake without shores, 
 which was the end of the world. This, Martin 
 was convinced, must be the Atlantic Ocean ; 
 for, upon inquiry, he found that many months of 
 travel must be undergone ere it could be reached. 
 Moreover, he knew that it could not be the 
 Pacific, because the sun rose in that direction. 
 
 Sauntering away to his favourite cliff, one 
 fine evening towards sunset, he seated himself 
 beneath the banana-tree and gazed longingly 
 at the distant mountains, whose sharp summits 
 glittered in the ruddy glow. He had long 
 racked his brain in order to devise some method 
 of escape, but hitherto without success. Wher- 
 ever he went the " shadow " followed him, armed 
 with the deadly blow-pipe ; and he knew that 
 even if he did succeed in eluding his vigilance 
 and escaping into the woods, hundreds of 
 savages would turn out and track him, with
 
 196 Martin Rattler 
 
 unerring certainty, to any hiding-place. Still 
 the strength of his stern determination sus- 
 tained him ; and, at each failure in his efforts to 
 devise some means of effecting his purpose, he 
 threw off regret with a deep sigh, and returned 
 to his labour with a firmer step, assured that he 
 should eventually succeed. 
 
 As he sat there on the edge of the precipice, 
 he said, half aloud, " What prevents me from 
 darting suddenly on that fellow and knocking 
 him down ? " 
 
 This was a question that might have been 
 easily answered. No doubt he was physically 
 capable of coping with the man, for he had 
 now been upwards of a year in the wilderness, 
 and was in his sixteenth year, besides being 
 unusually tall and robust for his age. Indeed 
 he looked more like a full-grown man than a 
 stripling ; for hard, incessant toil had developed 
 his muscles and enlarged his frame, and his 
 stirring life, combined latterly with anxiety, had 
 stamped a few of the lines of manhood on his 
 sunburnt countenance. But, although he could 
 have easily overcome the Indian, he knew that 
 he would be instantly missed ; and, from what 
 he had seen of the powers of the savages in 
 tracking wild animals to their dens in the 
 mountains, he felt that he could not possibly 
 elude them except by stratagem. 
 
 Perplexed and wearied with unavailing thought
 
 Martin Rattler 197 
 
 and anxiety, Martin pressed his hands to his 
 forehead and gazed down the perpendicular cliff, 
 which was elevated fully a hundred feet above 
 the plain below. Suddenly he started and 
 clasped his hands upon his eyes, as if to shut 
 out some terrible object from his sight. Then, 
 creeping cautiously towards the edge of the 
 cliff, he gazed down, while an expression of 
 stern resolution settled upon his pale face. 
 
 And well might Martin's cheek blanch, for 
 he had hit upon a plan of escape which, to be 
 successful, required that he should twice turn a 
 bold, unflinching face on death. The precipice, 
 as before mentioned, was fully a hundred feet 
 high, and quite perpendicular. At the foot of 
 it there flowed a deep and pretty wide stream, 
 which, just under the spot where Martin stood, 
 collected in a deep black pool, where it rested 
 for a moment ere it rushed on its rapid course 
 down the valley. Over the cliff and into that 
 pool Martin made up his mind to plunge, and 
 so give the impression that he had fallen over 
 and been drowned. The risk he ran in taking 
 such a tremendous leap was very great indeed, 
 but that was only half the danger he must 
 encounter. 
 
 The river was one of a remarkable kind, of 
 which there are one or two instances in South 
 America. It flowed down the valley between 
 high rocks, and, a few hundred yards below
 
 198 Martin Rattler 
 
 the pool, it ran straight against the face of a 
 precipice and there terminated to all appear- 
 ance ; but a gurgling vortex in the deep water 
 at the base of the cliff, and the disappearance 
 of everything that entered it, showed that the 
 stream found a subterranean passage. There 
 was no sign of its reappearance, however, in all 
 the country round. In short, the river was lost 
 in the bowels of the earth. 
 
 From the pool to the cliff where the river 
 was engulfed the water ran like a mill-race, 
 and there was no spot on either bank where 
 any one could land, or even grasp with his 
 hand, except one. It was a narrow, sharp 
 rock, that jutted out about two feet from the 
 bank, quite close to the vortex of the whirlpool. 
 This rock was Martin's only hope. To miss it 
 would be certain destruction. But if he should 
 gain a footing on it he knew that he could 
 climb by a narrow fissure into a wild, cavernous 
 spot, which it was exceedingly difficult to reach 
 from any other point. A bend in the river 
 concealed this rock and the vortex from the 
 place whereon he stood, so that he hoped to be 
 able to reach the point of escape before the 
 savage could descend the slope and gain the 
 summit of the cliff from whence it could be 
 seen. 
 
 Of all this Martin was well aware, for he had 
 been often at the place before, and knew every
 
 Martin Rattler 199 
 
 inch of the ground. His chief difficulty would 
 be to leap over the precipice in such a manner 
 as to cause the Indian to believe he had fallen 
 over accidentally. If he could accomplish this, 
 then he felt assured the savages would suppose 
 he had been drowned, and so make no search 
 for him at all. Fortunately the ground favoured 
 this. About five feet below the edge of the 
 precipice there was a projecting ledge of rock 
 nearly four feet broad and covered with shrubs. 
 Upon this it was necessary to allow himself to 
 fall. The expedient was a desperate one, and 
 he grew sick at heart as he glanced down the 
 awful cliff, which seemed to him three times 
 higher than it really was, as all heights do when 
 seen from above. 
 
 Glancing round, he observed his savage 
 guardian gazing contemplatively at the distant 
 prospect. Martin's heart beat audibly as he 
 rose and walked with an affectation of careless- 
 ness to the edge of the cliff. As he gazed down, 
 a feeling of horror seized him ; he gasped for 
 breath, and almost fainted. Then the idea of 
 perpetual slavery flashed across his mind, and 
 the thought of freedom and home nerved him. 
 He clenched his hands, staggered convulsively 
 forward and fell, with a loud and genuine shriek 
 of terror, upon the shrubs that covered the 
 rocky ledge. Instantly he arose, ground his 
 teeth together, raised his eyes for one moment
 
 200 Martin Rattler 
 
 to heaven, and sprang into the air. For one 
 instant he swept through empty space ; the 
 next he was deep down in the waters of the 
 dark pool, and when the horrified Indian 
 reached the edge of the precipice, he beheld his 
 prisoner struggling on the surface for a moment, 
 ere he was swept by the rapid stream round the 
 point and out of view. 
 
 Bounding down the slope, the savage sped 
 like a hunted antelope across the intervening 
 space between the two cliffs, and quickly gained 
 the brow of the lower precipice, which he 
 reached just in time to see Martin Rattler's 
 straw hat dance for a moment on the troubled 
 waters of the vortex and disappear in the awful 
 abyss. But Martin saw it, too, from the cleft in 
 the frowning rock. 
 
 On reaching the surface after his leap he 
 dashed the water from his eyes and looked 
 with intense earnestness in the direction of the 
 projecting rock towards which he was hurried. 
 Down he came upon it with such speed that he 
 felt no power of man could resist. But there 
 was a small eddy just below it, into which he 
 was whirled as he stretched forth his hands and 
 clutched the rock with the energy of despair. 
 He was instantly torn away. But another small 
 point projected two feet below it. This he 
 seized. The water swung his feet to and fro 
 as it gushed into the vortex, but the eddy saved
 
 Martin Rattler 201 
 
 him. In a moment his breast was on the rock, 
 then his foot, and he sprang into the sheltering 
 cleft just a moment before the Indian came in 
 view of the scene of his supposed death. 
 
 Martin flung himself with his face to the 
 ground, and thought rather than uttered a 
 heartfelt thanksgiving for his deliverance. The 
 savage carried the news of his death to his 
 friends in the Indian village, and recounted 
 with deep solemnity the particulars of his awful 
 fate to crowds of wondering, — in many cases 
 sorrowing, — listeners ; and for many a day after 
 that, the poor savages were wont to visit the 
 terrible cliff and gaze with awe on the mysterious 
 vortex that had swallowed up, as they believed, 
 the fair-haired boy. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 THE ESCAPE — ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS — 
 FIGHT BETWEEN A JAGUAR AND AN ALLI- 
 GATOR — MARTIN ENCOUNTERS STRANGE 
 AND TERRIBLE CREATURES 
 
 Freedom can be fully appreciated only by those 
 who have been for a long period deprived of 
 liberty. It is impossible to comprehend the 
 feelings of joy that welled up in Martin's bosom 
 as he clambered up the rugged cliffs among
 
 202 Martin Rattler 
 
 which he had found shelter, and looked round 
 upon the beautiful valley, now lying in the 
 shadow of the mountain range behind which the 
 sun had just set. He sat down on a rock, re- 
 gardless of the wet condition of his clothes, and 
 pondered long and earnestly over his position, 
 which was still one of some danger ; but a sen- 
 sation of light-hearted recklessness made the 
 prospect before him seem very bright. He soon 
 made up his mind what to do. The weather 
 was extremely warm, so that after wringing the 
 water out of his linen clothes he experienced 
 little discomfort ; but he felt that there would 
 not only be discomfort but no little danger in 
 travelling in such a country without arms, cover- 
 ing, or provisions. He therefore determined on 
 the bold expedient of revisiting the Indian 
 village during the darkness of the night in 
 order to procure what he required. He ran 
 great risk of being retaken, but his necessity 
 was urgent, and he was aware that several 
 families were absent on a hunting expedition at 
 that time whose huts were pretty certain to be 
 unoccupied. 
 
 Accordingly, when two or three hours of the 
 night had passed, he clambered with much 
 difficulty down the precipitous rock and reached 
 the level plain, over which he quickly ran, and 
 soon reached the outskirts of the village. The 
 Indians were all asleep, and no sound dis-
 
 Martin Rattler 203 
 
 turbed the solemn stillness of the night. Going 
 stealthily towards a hut he peeped in at the 
 open window, but could see and hear nothing. 
 Just as he was about to enter, however, a long- 
 drawn breath proved that it was occupied. He 
 shrank hastily back into the deep shade of the 
 bushes. In a few minutes he recovered from 
 the agitation into which he had been thrown 
 and advanced cautiously towards another hut. 
 This one seemed to be untenanted, so he opened 
 the palm-leaf door gently and entered. No 
 time was to be lost now. He found an empty 
 sack or bag, into which he hastily threw as 
 much farina as he could carry without incon- 
 venience. Besides this, he appropriated a long 
 knife ; a small hatchet ; a flint and steel, to 
 enable him to make a fire ; and a stout bow 
 with a quiver full of arrows. It was so dark 
 that it was with difficulty he found these things. 
 But as he was on the point of leaving he 
 observed a white object in a corner. This 
 turned out to be a light hammock, which he 
 seized eagerly, and, rolling it up into a small 
 bundle, placed it in the sack. He also sought 
 for, and fortunately found, an old straw-hat, 
 which he put on. 
 
 Martin had now obtained all that he required, 
 and was about to quit the hut when he became 
 suddenly rooted to the spot with horror on 
 observing the dark countenance of an Indian
 
 204 Martin Rattler 
 
 gazing at him with distended eyeballs over the 
 edge of a hammock. His eyes, unaccustomed 
 to the darkness of the room, had not at first 
 observed that an Indian was sleeping there. 
 He now felt that he was lost. The savage 
 evidently knew him. Dreadful thoughts flashed 
 through his brain. He thought of the knife in 
 his belt, and how easily he could despatch the 
 Indian in a moment as he lay ; but then the 
 idea of imbruing his hands in human blood 
 seemed so awful that he could not bring himself 
 to do it. 
 
 As he looked steadily at the savage he ob- 
 served that his gaze was one of intense horror, 
 and it suddenly occurred to him that the Indian 
 supposed he was a ghost ! Acting upon this 
 supposition, Martin advanced his face slowly 
 towards that of the Indian, put on a dark frown, 
 and stood for a few seconds without uttering a 
 word. The savage shrank back and shuddered 
 from head to foot. Then, with a noiseless step, 
 Martin retreated slowly backward towards the 
 door and passed out like a spectre — never for a 
 moment taking his eyes off those of the savage 
 until he was lost in darkness. On gaining the 
 forest he fled with a beating heart to his former 
 retreat ; but his fears were groundless, for the 
 Indian firmly believed that Martin's spirit had 
 visited his hut and carried away provisions for 
 his journey to the land of spirits.
 
 Martin Rattler 205 
 
 Without waiting to rest, Martin no sooner 
 reached the scene of his adventurous leap than 
 he fastened his bag- firmly on his shoulders and 
 struck across the valley in the direction of the 
 blue mountains that hemmed it in. Four or 
 five hours' hard walking brought him to their 
 base, and long before the rising sun shone down 
 upon his recent home he was over the hills and 
 far away, trudging onward with a weary foot, 
 but with a light heart, in what he believed to be 
 the direction of the east coast of Brazil. He 
 did not dare to rest until the rugged peaks of 
 the mountain range were between him and the 
 savages ; but, when he had left these far behind 
 him, he halted about mid-day to breakfast and 
 repose by the margin of a delightfully cool 
 mountain stream. 
 
 " I'm safe now ! " said Martin aloud, as he 
 threw down his bundle beneath a spreading tree 
 and commenced to prepare breakfast. " O ! 
 my friend Barney, I wish that you were here to 
 keep me company." The solitary youth looked 
 round as if he half expected to see the rough 
 visage and hear the gladsome voice of his 
 friend ; but no voice replied to his, and the out- 
 living creature he saw was a large monkey, 
 which peered inquisitively down at him from 
 among the branches of a neighbouring bush. 
 This reminded him that he had left his pet 
 Marmoset in the Indian village, and a feeling of
 
 206 Martin Rattler 
 
 deep self-reproach filled his heart. In the haste 
 and anxiety of his flight he had totally forgotten 
 his little friend. But regret was now unavailing. 
 Marmoset was lost to him for ever. 
 
 Having kindled a small fire, Martin kneaded 
 a large quantity of farina in the hollow of a 
 smooth stone, and baked a number of fiat cakes, 
 which were soon fired and spread out upon the 
 ground. While thus engaged, a snake of about 
 six feet long and as thick as a man's arm glided 
 past him. Martin started convulsively, for he 
 had never seen one of the kind before, and he 
 knew that the bite of some of the snakes is 
 deadly. Fortunately his axe was at hand. 
 Grasping it quickly, he killed the reptile with a 
 single blow. Two or three mandioca cakes, a 
 few wild fruits, and a draught of water from 
 the stream, formed the wanderer's simple 
 breakfast. After it was finished, he slung his 
 hammock between two trees, and jumping in, 
 fell into a deep, untroubled slumber, in which 
 he continued all that day and until day-break 
 the following morning. 
 
 After partaking of a hearty breakfast, Martin 
 took up his bundle and resumed his travels. 
 That day he descended into the level and 
 wooded country that succeeded the mountain 
 range ; and that night he was obliged to encamp 
 in a swampy place near a stagnant lake in which 
 several alligators were swimming, and where the
 
 Martin Rattler 207 
 
 mosquitoes were so numerous that he found it 
 absolutely impossible to sleep. At last, in 
 despair, he sprang into the branches of the tree 
 to which his hammock was slung and ascended 
 to the top. Here, to his satisfaction, he found 
 that there were scarcely any mosquitoes, while 
 a cool breeze fanned his fevered brow ; so he 
 determined to spend the night in the tree. 
 
 By binding several branches together he 
 formed a rude sort of couch, on which he lay 
 down comfortably, placing his knife and bow 
 beside him, and using the hammock rolled up 
 as a pillow. As the sun was setting, and while 
 he leaned on his elbow looking down through 
 the leaves with much interest at the alligators 
 that gambolled in the reedy lake, his attention 
 was attracted to a slight rustling in the bushes 
 near the foot of the tree. Looking down, he 
 perceived a large jaguar gliding through the 
 under-wood with cat-like stealth. Martin now 
 observed that a huge alligator had crawled out 
 of the lake, and was lying on the bank asleep 
 a few yards from the margin. When the jaguar 
 reached the edge of the bushes it paused, and 
 then, with one tremendous spring, seized the 
 alligator by the soft part beneath its tail. The 
 huge monster struggled for a few seconds, 
 endeavouring to reach the water, and then lay 
 still, while the jaguar worried and tore at its 
 tough hide with savage fury. Martin was much
 
 208 Martin Rattler 
 
 surprised at the passive conduct of the alligator. 
 That it could not turn its stiff body, so as to 
 catch the jaguar in its jaws, did not, indeed, 
 surprise him ; but he wondered very much to 
 see the great reptile suffer pain so quietly. It 
 seemed to be quite paralyzed. In a few minutes 
 the jaguar retired a short distance. Then the 
 alligator made a rush for the water ; but the 
 jaguar darted back and caught it again ; and 
 Martin now saw that the jaguar was actually 
 playing with the alligator as a cat plays with 
 a mouse before she kills it ! During one of the 
 cessations of the combat, if we may call it by 
 that name, the alligator almost gained the water, 
 and in the short struggle that ensued both 
 animals rolled down the bank and fell into the 
 lake. The tables were now turned. The 
 jaguar made for the shore ; but before it could 
 reach it the alligator wheeled round, opened its 
 tremendous jaws and caught its enemy by the 
 middle. There was one loud splash in the 
 water, as the alligator's powerful tail dashed it 
 into foam ; and one awful roar of agony, which 
 was cut suddenly short and stifled as the 
 monster dived to the bottom with its prey ; then 
 all was silent as the grave, and a few ripples 
 on the surface were all that remained to tell 
 of the battle that had been fought there. 
 
 Martin remained motionless on the tree top, 
 brooding over the fight which he had just
 
 Martin Rattler 209 
 
 witnessed, until the deepening shadows warned 
 him that it was time to seek repose. Turning 
 on his side he laid his head on his pillow, while 
 a soft breeze swayed the tree gently to and fro 
 and rocked him sound asleep. 
 
 Thus, day after day, and week after week, 
 did Martin Rattler wander alone through the 
 great forests, sometimes pleasantly, and at other 
 times with more or less discomfort ; subsisting 
 on game which he shot with his arrows, and on 
 wild fruits. He met with many strange adven- 
 tures by the way, which would fill numerous 
 volumes were they to be written every one ; but 
 we must pass over many of these in silence that 
 we may recount those that were most interesting. 
 
 One evening as he was walking through a 
 very beautiful country, in which were numerous 
 small lakes and streams, he was suddenly 
 arrested by a crashing sound in the underwood, 
 as if some large animal were coming towards 
 him ; and he had barely time to fit an arrow to 
 his bow when the bushes in front of him were 
 thrust aside, and the most hideous monster that 
 he had ever seen appeared before his eyes. It 
 was a tapir ; but Martin had never heard of or 
 seen such creatures before, although there are 
 a good many in some parts of Brazil. 
 
 The tapir is a very large animal, — about five 
 or six feet long and three or four feet high. It 
 is in appearance something between an elephant
 
 210 Martin Rattler 
 
 and a hog. Its nose is very long, and extends 
 into a short proboscis ; but there is no finger at 
 the end of it like that of the elephant. Its 
 colour is a deep brownish black, its tough hide 
 is covered with a thin sprinkling of strong hairs, 
 and its mane is thick and bristly. So thick is 
 its hide that a bullet can scarcely penetrate it ; 
 and it can crush its way through thickets and 
 bushes, however dense, without receiving a 
 scratch. Although a very terrific animal to 
 look at, it is fortunately of a very peaceable and 
 timid disposition, so that it flees from danger 
 and is very quick in discovering the presence of 
 an enemy. Sometimes it is attacked by the 
 jaguar, which springs suddenly upon it and 
 fastens its claws in its back ; but the tapir's 
 tough hide is not easily torn, and he gets rid 
 of his enemy by bouncing into the tangled 
 bushes and bursting through them, so that the 
 jaguar is very soon scraped off his back ! The 
 tapir lives as much in the water as on the land, 
 and delights to wallow like a pig in muddy pools. 
 It is, in fact, very similar in many of its habits 
 to the great hippopotamus of Africa, but is not 
 quite so large. It feeds entirely on vegetables, 
 buds, fruits, and the tender shoots of trees, and 
 always at night. During the day time it sleeps. 
 The Indians of Brazil are fond of its flesh, and 
 they hunt it with spears and poisoned arrows. 
 But Martin knew nothing of all this, and fully
 
 Martin Rattler 211 
 
 expected that the dreadful creature before him 
 would attack and kill him ; for, when he ob- 
 served its coarse, tough-looking hide, and 
 thought of the slender arrows with which he 
 was armed, he felt that he had no chance, and 
 there did not happen to be a tree near him at 
 the time up which he could climb. 
 
 With the energy of despair he let fly an 
 arrow with all his force; but the weak shaft 
 glanced from the tapir's side without doing it 
 the slightest damage. Then Martin turned to 
 fly, but at the same moment the tapir did the 
 same, to his great delight and surprise. It 
 wheeled round with a snort, and went off 
 crashing through the stout underwood as if it 
 had been grass, leaving a broad track behind it. 
 On another occasion he met with a formid- 
 able-looking but comparatively harmless animal, 
 called the crreat ant-eater. This remarkable 
 creature is about six feet in length, with very 
 short legs and very long strong claws ; a short 
 curly tail, and a sharp snout, out of which it 
 thrusts a long narrow tongue. It can roll itself 
 up like a hedgehog, and when in this position 
 might be easily mistaken for a bundle of coarse 
 hay. It lives chiefly if not entirely upon ants. 
 
 When Martin discovered the great ant-eater, 
 it was about to begin its supper ; so he watched 
 it. The plain was covered with ant-hills, some- 
 what pillar-like in shape. At the foot of one of
 
 212 Martin Rattler 
 
 these the animal made an attack, tearing up 
 earth and sticks with its enormously strong 
 claws, until it made a large hole in the hard 
 materials of which the hill was composed. Into 
 this hole it thrust its long tongue, and im- 
 mediately the ants swarmed upon it. The 
 creature let its tongue rest till it was completely 
 covered over with thousands of ants, then it 
 drew it into its mouth and engulfed them all ! 
 
 As Martin had no reason in the world for 
 attempting to shoot the great ant-eater, and as 
 he was, moreover, by no means sure that he 
 could kill it if he were to try, he passed on 
 quietly and left this curious animal to finish its 
 supper in peace. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 MARTIN MEETS WITH FRIENDS AND VISITS 
 THE DIAMOND MINES 
 
 One day, after Martin had spent many weeks 
 in wandering alone through the forest, during 
 the course of which he was sometimes tempted 
 to despair of seeing the face of man again, he 
 discovered a beaten track ; at the sight of which 
 his heart bounded with delight. It was a Satur- 
 day afternoon when he made this discovery, and 
 he spent the Sabbath-day in rest beside it. For
 
 Martin Rattler 213 
 
 Martin had more than once called to remem- 
 brance the words which good Aunt Dorothy 
 used to hear him repeat out of the Bible 
 " Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy." 
 He had many long, earnest, and serious medita- 
 tions in that silent forest, such as a youth would 
 be very unlikely to have in almost any other 
 circumstances, except, perhaps, on a sick-bed ; 
 and among- other things he had been led to con- 
 sider that if he made no difference between 
 Saturday and Sunday, he must certainly be 
 breaking that commandment ; so he resolved 
 thenceforth to rest on the Sabbath-day ; and he 
 found much benefit, both to mind and body, 
 from this arrangement. During this particular 
 Sabbath he rested beside the beaten track, and 
 often did he walk up and down it a short way, 
 wondering where it would lead him to ; and 
 several times he prayed that he might be led by 
 it to the habitations of civilized men. 
 
 Next day after breakfast he prepared to set 
 out ; but now he was much perplexed as to 
 which way he ought to go, for the track did not 
 run in the direction in which he had been 
 travelling, but at right angles to that way. 
 While he still hesitated the sound of voices 
 struck on his car, and he almost fainted with 
 excitement ; for, besides the hope that he 
 might now meet with friends, there was also 
 the fear that those approaching might be
 
 214 Martin Rattler 
 
 enemies; and the sudden sound of the human 
 voice, which he had not heard for so long, 
 tended to create conflicting and almost over- 
 whelming feelings in his breast. Hiding quickly 
 behind a tree, he awaited the passing of the 
 cavalcade ; for the sounds of horses' hoofs were 
 now audible. 
 
 In a few minutes a string of laden mules 
 approached, and then six horsemen appeared, 
 whose bronzed olive complexions, straw-hats 
 and ponchos, betokened them Brazilians. As 
 they passed, Martin hailed them in an unsteady 
 voice. They pulled up suddenly and drew 
 pistols from their holsters ; but on seeing only 
 a fair youth armed with a bow, they replaced 
 their weapons, and with a look of surprise rode 
 up and assailed him with a volley of unintelligible 
 Portuguese. 
 
 " Do any of you speak English ? " inquired 
 Martin, advancing. 
 
 One of the horsemen replied, " Yees, I spok 
 one leet. Ver' smoll. Where you be com ? " 
 
 " I have escaped from the Indians who live in 
 the mountains far away over yonder. I have been 
 wandering now for many weeks in the forest, and 
 I wish to get to the sea-coast or to some town 
 where I may get something to do, that I may be 
 enabled to return home." 
 
 " Ho ! " said the horseman, gravely. " You 
 com vid us. Ve go vid goods to de Diamond
 
 Martin Rattler 215 
 
 Mines. Git vork dere, yees. Put you body on 
 dat hoss." 
 
 As the Brazilian spoke he pointed to a spare 
 horse, which was led, along with several others, 
 by a Negro. Thanking him for his politeness 
 Martin seized the horse by the mane and vaulted 
 into the saddle, if the rude contrivance on its 
 back might be so designated. The string of 
 mules then moved on, and Martin rode with a 
 light heart beside this obliging stranger, convers- 
 ing with much animation. 
 
 In a very short time he learned, through the 
 medium of his own bad Portuguese and the 
 Brazilian's worse English, that he was not more 
 than a day's ride from one of the diamond mines 
 of that province of Brazil which is named Minas 
 Geraes ; that he was still many leagues distant 
 from the sea ; and that he would be sure to get 
 work at the mines if he wished it, for the chief 
 overseer, the Baron Fagoni, was an amiable man 
 and very fond of the English, — but he could not 
 speak their language at all, and required an 
 interpreter. " And," said the Brazilian, with a 
 look of great dignity, " I hab dc honour for be 
 de 'terpreter." 
 
 "Ah!" exclaimed Martin, "then I am in 
 good fortune, for I shall have a friend at court." 
 
 The interpreter smiled slightly and bowed, 
 after which they proceeded for some time in 
 silence.
 
 216 Martin Rattler 
 
 Next evening they arrived at the mines ; and, 
 after seeing to the comfort of his horse, and 
 inquiring rather hastily as to the welfare of 
 his family, the interpreter conducted Martin 
 to the overseer's house in order to introduce 
 him. 
 
 The Baron Fagoni stood smoking in the door- 
 way of his dwelling as they approached ; and the 
 first impression that Martin received of him was 
 anything but agreeable. 
 
 He was a large, powerful man, with an 
 enormous red beard and moustache, and a 
 sombrero-like hat that concealed nearly the 
 whole of his face. He seemed an irritable man, 
 too ; for he jerked his arms about and stamped 
 in a violent manner as they drew near, and 
 instead of waiting to receive them, he entered 
 the house hastily and shut the door in their 
 faces ! 
 
 " The Baron would do well to take lessons in 
 civility," said Martin, colouring, as he turned to 
 the interpreter. 
 
 " Ah, he be a leet pecoolair, sometime ! Nev'r 
 mind. Ve vill go to him." 
 
 So saying, the interpreter opened the door and 
 entered the hall where the overseer was seated 
 at a desk writing as if in violent haste. Seeing 
 that he did not mean to take notice of them, 
 the interpreter spoke to him in Portuguese ; 
 but he was soon interrupted by a sharp reply,
 
 Martin Rattler 217 
 
 uttered in a harsh, grating voice, by the over- 
 seer, who did not look up or cease from his 
 work. 
 
 Again the interpreter spoke as if in some 
 surprise ; but he was cut short by the overseer 
 uttering, in a deep, stern voice, the single word 
 " Obey." 
 
 With a low bow the interpreter turned away, 
 and taking Martin by the arm led him into an 
 inner apartment, where, having securely fastened 
 the window, he said to him, "De Baron say you 
 be von blackguard tief; go bout contrie for 
 steal diamonds. He make pris'ner ov you. 
 Adios." 
 
 So saying, the interpreter made his bow 
 and retired, locking the door behind him 
 and leaving Martin standing in the middle 
 of the room staring before him in speechless 
 amazement. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 THE DIAMOND MINES — MORE AND MORE 
 ASTONISHING ! 
 
 If Martin Rattler was amazed at the treatment 
 he experienced at the hands of his new acquaint- 
 ances on arriving, he had occasion to be very
 
 218 Martin Rattler 
 
 much more surprised at what occurred three 
 hours after his incarceration. 
 
 It was getting dark when he was locked up, 
 and for upwards of two hours he was left in 
 total darkness. Moreover, he began to feel 
 very hungry, having eaten nothing since mid- 
 day. He was deeply engaged in devising plans 
 for his escape when he was interrupted by the 
 door being unlocked and a Negro slave entering 
 with four magnificent candles, made of bees- 
 wax, which he placed upon the table. Then he 
 returned to the door, where another slave 
 handed him a tray containing dishes, knives 
 and forks, and, in short, all the requisites for 
 laying out a supper-table. Having spread a 
 clean linen cloth on the board, he arranged 
 covers for two, and going to the door placed 
 his head to one side and regarded his arrange- 
 ments with much complacency and without 
 paying the slightest attention to Martin, who 
 pinched himself in order to make sure he was 
 not dreaming. 
 
 In a few minutes the second Negro returned 
 with an enormous tray, on which were dishes 
 of all sizes, from under whose covers came the 
 most savoury odours imaginable. Having 
 placed these symmetrically on the board, both 
 slaves retired and relocked the door without 
 saying a word. 
 
 At last it began to dawn on Martin's imagina-
 
 Martin Rattler 219 
 
 tion that the overseer must be an eccentric 
 individual, who found pleasure in taking his 
 visitors by surprise. But although this seemed 
 a possible solution of the difficulty, he did not 
 feel satisfied with it. He could with difficulty 
 resist the temptation to attack the viands, 
 however, and was beginning to think of doing 
 this, regardless of all consequences, when the 
 door again opened and the Baron Fagoni 
 entered, relocked the door, put the key in his 
 pocket, and, standing before his prisoner with 
 folded arms, gazed at him intently from beneath 
 his sombrero. 
 
 Martin could not stand this. " Sir," said he, 
 starting up, " if this is a joke you have carried 
 it far enough ; and if you really detain me here 
 a prisoner, every feeling of honour ought to deter 
 you from adding insult to injury." 
 
 To this sternly delivered speech the Baron 
 made no reply, but, springing suddenly upon 
 Martin, he grasped him in his powerful arms 
 and crushed him to his broad breast till he almost 
 broke every bone in his body. 
 
 " Och ! cushla, bliss yer young face ! sure it's 
 yersilf, an' no mistake ! Kapc still, Martin dear. 
 Let me look at ye, darlint ! Ah ! then, isn't it 
 my heart that's been broken for months an' 
 months past about ye ? " 
 
 Reader, it would be utterly in vain for me 
 to attempt to describe cither the words that
 
 220 Martin Rattler 
 
 flowed from the lips of Martin Rattler and 
 Barney O'Flannagan on this happy occasion, 
 or the feelings that filled their swelling hearts. 
 The speechless amazement of Martin, the ejacu- 
 latory exclamations of the Baron Fagoni, the 
 rapid questions and brief replies, are all totally 
 indescribable. Suffice it to say that for full 
 quarter of an hour they exclaimed, shouted, 
 and danced round each other, without coming 
 to any satisfactory knowledge of how each had 
 got to the same place, except that Barney at 
 last discovered that Martin had travelled there 
 by chance, and he had reached the mines by 
 <: intuition." Having settled this point, they 
 sobered down a little. 
 
 "Now, Martin darlint," cried the Irishman, 
 throwing aside his hat for the first time, and 
 displaying his well-known jolly visage, of which 
 the forehead, eyes, and nose alone survived the 
 general inundation of red hair, "ye'll be hungry, 
 I've small doubt, so sit ye down, lad, to supper, 
 and you'll tell me yer story as ye go along, and 
 afther that I'll tell ye mine, while I smoke my 
 pipe, — the ould cutty, boy, that has corned 
 through fire and wather, sound as a bell and 
 blacker than iver ! " 
 
 The Baron held up the well-known instrument 
 of fumigation, as he spoke, in triumph. 
 
 Supper was superb. There were venison 
 steaks, armadillo cutlets, tapir hash, iguana
 
 Martin Rattler 221 
 
 pie, and an immense variety ot fruits and 
 vegetables, that would have served a dozen 
 men, besides cakes and splendid coffee. 
 
 " You live well here, Barney — I beg pardon — 
 Baron Fagoni," said Martin, during a pause in 
 their meal ; " how in the world did you come by 
 that name ? " 
 
 Barney winked expressively. " Ah, boy, I 
 wish I may niver have a worse. Ye see, when 
 I first corned here, about four months ago, I 
 found that the mine was owned by an Irish 
 gintleman ; an', like all the race, he's a trump- 
 He took to me at wance when he hear'd my 
 voice, and then he took more to me when he 
 corned to know me character ; and says he to 
 me wan day, ' Barney,' says he, ' I'm gittin' 
 tired o' this kind o' life now, and if ye'll agree 
 to stop here as overseer, and sincl me the pro- 
 ceeds o' the mine to Rio Janeiro, a great city 
 on the sea-coast, an' the capital o' Brazil, I'll 
 give ye a good share o' the profits. But,' says 
 he, 'ye'll need to pretind ye're a Roosian, or a 
 Pole, or somethin' o' that kind ; for the fellows 
 in thim parts are great rascals, and there's a few 
 Englishmen among them who would soon find 
 out that ye're only a jack-tar before the mast, 
 and would chate ye at no allowance ; but if ye 
 could spake no language under the sun but the 
 gibberish pccooliar to the unbeknown provinces 
 o' Siberia, ye could escape detection as far as
 
 222 Martin Rattler 
 
 yer voice is consarned ; and by lettin' yer 
 beard grow as long as possible, and dressin' 
 yersilf properly, ye might pass, and be as 
 dignified as the great Mogul.' 
 
 "'Musha!' said I, 'but if I don't spake me 
 own tongue I'll have to be dumb altogither.' 
 
 " ' No fear,' says he ; ' I'll tache ye enough 
 Portuguese in a month or two to begin with, 
 an' ye'll pick it up aisy after that.' And sure 
 enough I began, tooth and nail, and, by hard 
 workin', got on faster than I expected ; for I 
 can sDake as much o' the lingo now as tides me 
 over needcessities, and I understand most o' 
 what's said to me. Anyhow, I ginerally see 
 what they're drivin' at." 
 
 " So, then, you're actually in charge of the 
 mine ? " said Martin, in surprise. 
 
 " Jist so, boy ; but I'm tired of it already ; 
 it's by no means so pleasant as I expected it 
 would be ; so I'm thinkin' o' lavin' it, and takin' 
 to the say again. I'm longin' dreadful to see 
 the salt wather wance more." 
 
 "But what will the owner say, Barney : won't 
 he have cause to complain of your breaking 
 your engagement ? " 
 
 " Niver a bit, boy. He tould me, before we 
 parted, that if I wanted to quit I was to hand 
 over the consarn to the interpreter, who is an 
 honest fellow, I belave ; so I'm jist goin' to 
 pocket a di'mond or two, and ask lave to take
 
 Martin Rattler 223 
 
 them home wid me. I'll be off in a week, if all 
 goes well. An' now, Martin, fill yer glass ; ye'll 
 find the wine is not bad, after wan or two 
 glasses ; an' I'll tell ye about my adventures 
 since I saw ye last." 
 
 "But you have not explained about your 
 name," said Martin. 
 
 " Och ! the fact is, that when I corned here 
 I fortunately fell in with the owner first, and we 
 spoke almost intirely in Irish, so nobody under- 
 stood where I corned from ; and the interpreter 
 hear'd the master call me by my name ; so he 
 wint off and said to the people that a great 
 Barono Flanagoni had come, and was up at the 
 house wid the master. But we corrected him 
 afterward, and gave him to understand that I 
 was the Baron Fagoni. I had some trouble 
 with the people at first, after the owner left ; 
 but I pounded wan or two o' the biggest o' 
 them, to such a extint that their own friends 
 hardly knew them ; an' iver since they've been 
 mighty civil." 
 
 Having carefully filled the black pipe, and 
 involved himself in his own favourite atmo- 
 sphere, the Baron Fagoni then proceeded to 
 relate his adventures, and dilated upon them 
 to such an extent that five or six pipes were 
 filled and finished ere the story came to a close. 
 Martin also related his adventures ; to which 
 his companion listened with such breathless
 
 224 Martin Rattler 
 
 attention and earnestness that his pipe was 
 constantly going out ; and the two friends did 
 not retire to rest till near daybreak. 
 
 The substance of the Baron's narrative was 
 as follows : — 
 
 At the time that he had been so suddenly 
 separated from his friend, Barney had overcome 
 many of his opponents, but at length he was 
 overpowered by numbers, and his arms were 
 firmly bound ; after which he was roughly 
 driven before them through the woods for 
 several days, and was at length taken to their 
 village among the mountains. Here he re- 
 mained a close prisoner for three weeks, shut 
 up in a small hut and bound by a strong rope 
 to a post. Food was taken to him by an old 
 Indian woman, who paid no attention at first to 
 what he said to her, for the good reason that 
 she did not understand a word of English. 
 The persuasive eloquence of her prisoner's 
 tones, however, or perhaps his brogue, seemed 
 in the course of a few days to have made an 
 impression on her; for she condescended to 
 smile at the unintelligible compliments which 
 Barney lavished upon her in the hope of 
 securing her good-will. 
 
 During all this time the Irishman's heart was 
 torn with conflicting feelings, and although, from 
 the mere force of habit, he could jest with the 
 old woman when she paid her daily visits, there
 
 Martin Rattler 225 
 
 was no feeling of fun in his bosom, but, on the 
 contrary, a deep and overwhelming sorrow, which 
 showed itself very evidently on his expressive 
 face. He groaned aloud when he thought of 
 Martin, whom he never expected again to see ; 
 and he dreaded every hour the approach of his 
 savage captors, who, he fully expected, retained 
 him in order to put him to death. 
 
 One day, while he was sitting in a very discon- 
 solate mood, the Indian woman entered with his 
 usual dinner — a plate of thick soup and a coarse 
 cake. Barney smiled upon her as usual, and 
 then letting his eyes fall on the ground, sighed 
 deeply, — for his heart was heavier than usual 
 that day. As the woman was about to go, he 
 looked earnestly and gravely in her face, and 
 putting his large hand gently on her head, patted 
 her grey hairs. This tender action seemed to 
 affect the old woman more than usual. She laid 
 her hand on Barney's arm, and looked as if she 
 wished to speak. Then turning suddenly from 
 him, she drew a small knife from her girdle and 
 dropped it on the ground, as if accidentally, while 
 she left the hut and re-fastened the door. 
 Barney's heart leaped. He seized the knife and 
 concealed it hastily in his bosom, and then ate 
 his dinner with more than ordinary zest ; for 
 now he possessed the means of cutting the strong 
 rope that bound him. 
 
 He waited with much impatience until night 
 
 <_>
 
 226 Martin Rattler 
 
 closed over the Indian village, and then cutting 
 his bonds, he tore down the rude and rather 
 feeble fastenings of the door. In another instant 
 he was dashing along at full speed through the 
 forest, without hat or coat, and with the knife 
 clutched in his right hand ! Presently he heard 
 cries behind him, and redoubled his speed ; for 
 now he knew that the savages had discovered 
 his escape and were in pursuit. But, although a 
 good runner, Barney was no match for the lithe 
 and naked Indians. They rapidly gained on 
 him, and he was about to turn at bay and fight 
 for his life, when he observed water gleaming 
 through the foliage on his left. Dashing down 
 a glade he came to the edge of a broad river 
 with a rapid current. Into this he sprang 
 recklessly, intending to swim with the stream ; 
 but ere he lost his footing he heard the low deep 
 thunder of a cataract a short distance below ! 
 Drawing back in terror, he regained the bank, 
 and waded up a considerable distance in the 
 shallow water, so as to leave no trace of his 
 footsteps. Then he leaped upon a rock, and, 
 catching hold of the lower branches of a large 
 tree, drew himself up among the dense foliage, 
 just as the yelling savages rushed with wild 
 tumult to the water's edge. Here they paused, 
 as if baffled. They spoke in rapid, vehement 
 tones for a few seconds, and then one party 
 hastened down the banks of the stream towards
 
 Martin Rattler 227 
 
 the fall, while another band searched the banks 
 above. 
 
 Barney's heart fell as he sat panting in the 
 tree, for he knew that they would soon discover 
 him. But he soon resolved on a bold expedient. 
 Slipping down from the tree, he ran deliberately 
 back towards the village ; and, as he drew near, 
 he followed the regular beaten track that led to- 
 wards it. On the way he encountered one or 
 two savages hastening after the pursuing party ; 
 but he leaped lightly into the bushes, and lay 
 still till they were past. Then he ran on, skirted 
 round the village, and pushed into the woods in 
 an entirely opposite direction from the one in 
 which he had first set out. Keeping by one 
 of the numerous tracks that radiated from the 
 village into the forest, he held on at top speed, 
 until his progress was suddenly arrested by a 
 stream about twenty yards broad. It was very 
 deep, and he was about to plunge in, in order to 
 swim across, when he observed a small montaria, 
 or canoe, lying on the bank. This he launched 
 quickly, and observing that the river took a bend 
 a little further down, and appeared to proceed in 
 the direction he wished to pursue, — namely, away 
 from the Indian village, — he paddled down the 
 rapid stream as fast as he could. The current 
 was very strong, so that his little bark flew down 
 it like an arrow, and on more than one occasion 
 narrowly missed being dashed to pieces on the
 
 228 Martin Rattler 
 
 rocks which here and there rose above the 
 stream. 
 
 In about two hours Barney came to a place 
 where the stream took another bend to the left, 
 and soon after the canoe swept out upon the 
 broad river into which he had at first so nearly 
 plunged. He was a long way below the fall now, 
 for its sound was inaudible ; but it was no time 
 to abate his exertions. The Indians might be 
 still in pursuit ; so he continued to paddle all that 
 night, and did not take rest until daybreak. 
 Then he slept for two hours, ate a few wild fruits, 
 and continued his journey. 
 
 In the course of the next day, to his great joy, 
 he overtook a trading canoe, which had been up 
 another tributary of this river, and was descend- 
 ing with part of a cargo of India-rubber shoes. 
 None of the men, of whom there were four, 
 could speak English ; but they easily saw from 
 the Irishman's condition that he had escaped 
 from enemies and was in distress; so they took 
 him on board, and were glad to avail themselves 
 of his services : for, as we have before mentioned 
 men are not easily procured for voyaging in those 
 parts of Brazil. Three weeks after this they 
 arrived at a small town, where the natives were 
 busily engaged in the manufacture of shoes, 
 bottles, and other articles of India-rubber ; and 
 here Barney found employment for a short 
 time.
 
 Martin Rattler 229 
 
 The seringa, or India-rubber-tree, grows 
 plentifully in some parts of Brazil, and many 
 hundreds of the inhabitants arc employed in the 
 manufacture of shoes. The India-rubber is the 
 juice of the tree, and flows from it when an 
 incision is made. This juice is poured into 
 moulds and left to harden. It is of a yellowish 
 colour naturally, and is blackened in the course 
 of preparation. Barney did not stay long here. 
 Shoe-making, he declared, was not his calling by 
 any means ; so he seized the first opportunity he 
 had of joining a party of traders going into the 
 interior, in the direction of the diamond districts. 
 The journey was long and varied. Sometimes 
 by canoe and sometimes on the backs of mules 
 and horses, and many extraordinary adventures 
 did he go through ere he reached the diamond 
 mines. And when at length he did so, great 
 was his disappointment. Instead of the glitter- 
 ing caves which his vivid imagination had 
 pictured, he found that there were no caves at 
 all ; that the diamonds were found by washing 
 in the muddy soil ; and worst of all, that when 
 found they were dim and unpolished, so that 
 they seemed no better than any other stone. 
 However, he resolved to continue there for a 
 short time, in order to make a little money ; but 
 now that Martin had arrived he thought that 
 they could not do better than make their way to 
 the coast as fast as possible, and go to sea.
 
 230 Martin Rattler 
 
 "The only thing I have to regret," he said, 
 at the conclusion of his narrative, " is that I 
 left Grampus behind me. But arrah ! I came 
 off from the savages in such a hurry that I had 
 no time at all to tell him I was goin' ! " 
 
 Having sat till daybreak, the two friends 
 went to bed to dream of each other and of 
 home. 
 
 Next morning Barney took Martin to visit 
 the diamond mines. On the way they passed 
 a band of Negro slaves who encircled a large 
 fire, the weather being very cold. It was at 
 that time about the end of July, which is one of 
 the coldest months in the year. In this part of 
 Brazil summer and winter are reversed, — the 
 coldest months being May, June, and July ; the 
 hottest, November, December, January, and 
 February. 
 
 Minas Geraes, the diamond district, is one of 
 the richest provinces of Brazil. The inhabitants 
 are almost entirely occupied in mining or in 
 supplying the miners with the necessaries ot 
 life. Diggers and shopkeepers are the two 
 principal classes, and of these the latter are 
 best off; for their trade is steady and lucrative, 
 while the success of the miners is very uncertain. 
 Frequently a large sum of money and much 
 time are expended in mining without any 
 adequate result ; but the merchants always find 
 a ready sale for their merchandise, and, as they
 
 Martin Rattler 231 
 
 take diamonds and gold-dust in exchange, they 
 generally realize large profits and soon become 
 rich. The poor miner is like the gambler. He 
 digs on in hope ; sometimes finding barely 
 enough to supply his wants, — at other times 
 making a fortune suddenly ; but never giving 
 up in despair, because he knows that at every 
 handful of earth he turns up he may perhaps 
 find a diamond worth hundreds, or, it may be, 
 thousands of pounds. 
 
 Cidade Diamantina, — the City of Diamonds, 
 — is the capital of the province. It is a large 
 city, with many fine churches and buildings ; 
 and the whole population, consisting of more 
 than 6000 souls, are engaged, directly or in- 
 directly, in mining. Every one who owns a few 
 slaves employs them in washing the earth for 
 gold and diamonds. 
 
 The mine of which Barney had so unex- 
 pectedly become overseer, was a small one, in a 
 remote part of the district, situated among the 
 mountains, and far distant from the City of 
 Diamonds. There were only a few huts, rudely 
 built and roofed with palm leaves, besides a 
 larger building, or cottage, in which the Baron 
 Fagoni resided. 
 
 " 'Tis a strange life they lead here," said 
 Barney, as he led Martin down a gorge of the 
 mountains towards a small spot of level ground 
 on which the slaves were at work ; "a strange
 
 232 Martin Rattler 
 
 life, and by no means a pleasant wan ; for the 
 feedin' is none o' the best and the work very 
 sevare." 
 
 "Why, Barney, if I may judge from last 
 night's supper, the feeding seems to be ex- 
 cellent." 
 
 " Thrue, boy, the Baron Fagoni feeds well, 
 bekase he's the cock o' the roost ; but the poor 
 Naygurs are not overly well fed, and the critters 
 are up to their knees in wather all day, washing 
 di'monds ; so they suffer much from rheumatiz 
 and colds. Och, but it's murther entirely ; an' 
 I've more than wance felt inclined to fill their 
 pockets with di'monds and set them all free ! 
 Jist look, now, there they are, hard at it." 
 
 As he spoke they arrived at the mine. The 
 ground in the vicinity was all cut up and dug 
 out to a considerable depth, and a dozen 
 Negroes were standing under a shed washing 
 the earth, while others were engaged in the 
 holes excavating the material. While Martin 
 watched them his friend explained the process. 
 
 The different kinds of soil through which it is 
 necessary to cut before reaching the diamond 
 deposit are, first, about twenty feet of reddish 
 sandy soil ; then about eight feet of a tough 
 yellowish clay ; beneath this lies a layer ot 
 coarse reddish sand, below which is the peculiar 
 soil in which diamonds are found. It is called 
 by the miners the cascalho, and consists of loose
 
 Martin Rattler 233 
 
 gravel, the pebbles of which are rounded and 
 polished, having at some previous era been 
 subject to the action of running water. The 
 bed varies in thickness from one to four feet, 
 and the pebbles are of various kinds ; but when 
 there are many of a species called Esmcvilo preto, 
 the cascalho is considered to be rich in diamonds. 
 
 Taking Martin round to the back of the shed, 
 Barney showed him a row of troughs, about 
 three feet square, close to the edge of a pond 
 of water. These troughs are called bacos. In 
 front of each stood a Negro slave up to his 
 knees in water. Each had a wooden plate, 
 with which he dashed water upon the rough 
 cascalho as it was thrown into the trough by 
 another slave. By this means, and by stirring 
 it with a small hoe, the earth and sand are 
 washed away. Two overseers were closely 
 watching the process ; for it is during this part 
 of the operation that the largest diamonds arc 
 found. These overseers were seated on elevated 
 seats, each being armed with a long leathern 
 whip, to keep a sharp look out, for the slaves 
 are expert thieves. 
 
 After the cascalho had been thus purified it 
 was carefully removed to the shed to be finally 
 washed. 
 
 Here seven slaves were seated on the side of 
 a small canal, about four feet broad, with their 
 legs in the water nearly up to their knees. The
 
 234 Martin Rattler 
 
 canal is called the lavadeira. Each man had a 
 small wooden platter, into which another slave, 
 who stood behind him, put a shovelful of purified 
 cascalho. The baieia, or platter, was then filled 
 with water and washed with the utmost care 
 several times, being closely examined after each 
 washing, and the diamonds picked out. Some- 
 times many platefuls were examined but nothing 
 found ; at other times several diamonds were 
 found in one plate. While Martin was looking 
 on with much curiosity and interest, one of the 
 slaves uttered an exclamation and held up a 
 minute stone between his finger and thumb. 
 
 " Ah ! good luck to ye, lad ! " said Barney, 
 advancing and taking the diamond which had 
 been discovered. " See here, Martin ; there's the 
 thing, lad, that sparkles on the brow o' beauty, 
 and gives the Naygurs rheumatiz " 
 
 " Not to mention their usefulness in providing 
 the great Baron Fagoni with a livelihood," 
 added Martin, with a smile. 
 
 Barney laughed, and going up to the place 
 where the two overseers were seated, dropped 
 the precious gem into a plate of water placed 
 between them for the purpose of receiving the 
 diamonds as they were found. 
 
 " They git fifteen or twinty a day sometimes," 
 said Barney, as they retraced their steps to 
 the cottage; "and I've hear'd o' them getting 
 stones worth many thousands o' pounds ; but
 
 Martin Rattler 235 
 
 the biggest they iver found since I corned here 
 was not worth more than four hundred." 
 
 " And what do you do with them, Barney, 
 when they are found ? " inquired Martin. 
 
 " Sind them to Rio Janeiro, lad, where my 
 employer sells them. I don't know how much 
 he makes a year by it ; but the thing must pay, 
 for he's very liberal with his cash, and niver 
 forgits to pay wages. There's always a lot o' 
 gould-dust found in the bottom o' the batcia 
 after each washing, and that is carefully collected 
 and sold. But, arrah ! I wouldn't give wan 
 snifter o' the say-breezes for all the di'monds in 
 Brazil ! " 
 
 As Barney said this he entered his cottage 
 and flung down his hat with the air of a man 
 who was resolved to stand it no longer. 
 
 " But why don't you wash on your own 
 account ? " cried Martin. " What say you ; 
 shall we begin together ? We may make our 
 fortune the first week, perhaps ! " 
 
 Barney shook his head. " No, no, boy ; I've 
 no faith in my luck with the di'monds or gould. 
 Nevertheless I have hear'd o' men makin' an 
 awful heap o' money that way ; partiklarly wan 
 man that made his fortin with wan stone." 
 " Who was that lucky dog ? " asked Martin. 
 " Well, ye see, it happened this way : There's 
 a custom hereaway that slaves are allowed to 
 work on Sundays and holidays on their own
 
 236 Martin Rattler 
 
 account ; but when the mines was a government 
 consarn this was not allowed, and the slaves 
 were the most awful thieves livin', and often 
 made off with some o' the largest di'monds. 
 Well, there was a man named Juiz de Paz, who 
 owned a small shop, and used to go down now 
 and then to Rio de Janeiro to buy goods. Wan 
 evenin' he returned from wan o' his long 
 journeys, and, being rather tired, wint to bed. 
 He was jist goin' off into a comfortable doze 
 when there came a terrible bumpin' at the door. 
 
 " ' Hallo ! ' cried Juiz, growlin' angrily in the 
 Portugee tongue ; ' what d'ye want ? ' 
 
 " There was no answer but another bumpin' at 
 the door. So up he jumps, and, takin' down a 
 big blunderbuss that hung over his bed, opened 
 the door, an' seized a Naygur be the hair o' the 
 head ! 
 
 " ' Oh, massa ! oh, massa ! let him go ! Got 
 di'mond for to sell ! ' 
 
 " On hearin' this, Juiz let go, and found that 
 the slave had come to offer for sale a large 
 di'mond, which weighed about two penny- 
 weights and a third. 
 
 " ' What d'ye ask for it ? ' said Juiz, with 
 sparklin' eyes. 
 
 " ' Six hundred mil-reis,' answered the Naygur. 
 
 "This was about equal to £180 Stirling. 
 Without more words about it, he paid down the 
 money ; and the slave went away. Juiz lost
 
 Martin Rattler 237 
 
 his sleep that night. He went and tould the 
 neighbours he had forgot a piece of important 
 business in Rio and must go back at wancc. 
 So back he went, and stayed some time in the 
 city, tryin' to git his di'mond safely sold ; for it 
 was such a big wan that he feared the govern- 
 ment fellows might hear o't ; in which case he 
 would have got tin years transportation to 
 Angola on the coast of Africa. At last how- 
 ever, he got rid of it for 20,000 mil-reis, which is 
 about £6000. It was all paid to him in hard 
 dollars ; and he nearly went out o' his wits for 
 joy. But he was brought down a peg nixt day, 
 when he found that the same di'mond was sold 
 for nearly twice as much as he had got for it. 
 Howiver, he had made a pretty considerable 
 fortin ; an' he's now the richest di'mond and 
 gould merchant in the district." 
 
 "A lucky fellow certainly," said Martin. 
 " But I must say I have no taste for such chance 
 work ; so I'm quite ready to start for the sea- 
 coast whenever it suits the Baron Fagoni's 
 convenience." 
 
 While they were speaking they were attracted 
 by voices outside the cottage, which sounded as 
 if in altercation. In another minute the door 
 burst open, and a man entered hurriedly, 
 followed by the interpreter. 
 
 " Your overseer is impertinent ! " exclaimed 
 the man, who was a tall swarthy Brazilian. " I
 
 238 Martin Rattler 
 
 wish to buy a horse or a good mule, and he 
 won't let me have one. I am not a beggar ; I 
 offer to pay." 
 
 The man spoke in Portuguese, and Barney 
 replied in the same language. 
 
 "You can have a horse if you pay for it." 
 
 The Brazilian replied by throwing a heavy 
 bag of dollars on the table. 
 
 " All right," said Barney, turning to his 
 interpreter and conversing with him in an 
 under-tone. " Give him what he requires." So 
 saying he bowed the Brazilian out of the room, 
 and returned to the enjoyment of his black pipe, 
 which had been interrupted by the incident. 
 
 " That man seems in a hurry," said Martin. 
 
 " So he is. My interpreter tells me that he is 
 quite like one o' the blackguards that sometimes 
 go about the mines doin' mischief, and he's in hot 
 haste to be away. I should not wonder if the 
 spalpeen has been stealin' gould or di'monds and 
 wants to escape. But of course I've nothin' to 
 do with that, unless I was sure of it ; and I've a 
 horse or two to sell, and he has money to pay 
 for it ; so he's welcome. He says he is makin' 
 straight for the say-coast ; and with your lave, 
 Martin, my boy, you and I will be doin' that 
 same in a week after this, and say good-bye to 
 the di'mond mines."
 
 Martin Rattler 239 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 NEW SCENES AND PLEASANT TRAVELLING 
 
 A NEW and agreeable sensation is a pleasant 
 thing. It was on as bright an evening as ever 
 shone upon Brazil, and in as fair a scene as one 
 could wish to behold, that Martin Rattler and 
 his friend Barney experienced a new sensation. 
 On the wide campos, on the flower-bedecked 
 and grassy plains, they each bestrode a fiery 
 charger ; and, in the exultation of health, and 
 strength, and liberty, they swept over the green 
 sward of the undulating campos, as light as the 
 soft wind that fanned their bronzed cheeks, as 
 gay in heart as the buzzing insects that hovered 
 above the brilliant flowers. 
 
 "Oh, this is best of all!" shouted Martin, 
 turning his sparkling eyes to Barney, as he 
 reined up his steed after a gallop that caused its 
 nostril to expand and its eye to dilate. " There's 
 nothing like it ! A fiery charger that can't and 
 won't tire, and a glorious sweep of plain like 
 that ! Huzza ! whoop ! " And loosening the 
 rein of his willing horse, away he went again in 
 a wild headlong career. 
 
 " Och, boy, pull up, or yc'll kill the baste ! " 
 cried Barney, who thundered along at Martin's
 
 240 Martin Rattler 
 
 side enjoying to the full the spring of his power- 
 . ful horse ; for Barney had spent the last farthing 
 of his salary on the two best steeds the country 
 could produce, being determined, as he said, to 
 make the last overland voyage on clipper-built 
 animals, which, he wisely concluded, would fetch 
 a good price at the end of the journey. " Pull 
 up! d'ye hear? They can't stand goin' at that 
 pace. Back yer topsails, ye young rascal, or I'll 
 board ye in a jiffy." 
 
 " How can I pull up with that before me ? " 
 cried Martin, pointing to a wide ditch or gully 
 that lay in front of them. " I must go over that 
 first." ' 
 
 " Go over that ! " cried Barney, endeavouring 
 to rein in his horse, and looking with an anxious 
 expression at the chasm. " It's all very well for 
 you to talk o' goin' over, ye feather ; but fifteen 
 stun — Ah, then, won't ye stop? Bad luck to 
 him, he's got the bit in his teeth ! Oh then, ye 
 ugly baste, go, and my blissin' go with ye ! " 
 
 The leap was inevitable. Martin went over 
 like a deer. Barney shut his eyes, seized the 
 pommel of the saddle, and went at it like a 
 thunder-bolt. In the excitement of the moment 
 he shouted, in a stentorian voice, " Clap on all 
 sail ! d'ye hear ? Stu'n-sails and sky-scrapers ! 
 Kape her steady ! Hooray ! " 
 
 It was well for Barney that he had seized the 
 saddle. Even as it was he received a tremendous
 
 Martin Rattler 241 
 
 blow from the horse's head as it took the leap, 
 and was thrown back on its haunches when it 
 cleared the ditch, which it did nobly. 
 
 '•' Hallo ! old boy, not hurt, I hope," said Mar- 
 tin, suppressing his laughter as his comrade 
 scrambled on to the saddle. " You travel about 
 on the back of your horse at full gallop like a 
 circus rider." 
 
 '• Whist, darlint, I do belave he has damaged 
 my faygur-head. What a nose I've got ! Sure 
 I can see it mesilf without squintin'." 
 
 " So you have, Barney. It's a little swelled, 
 but never mind. We must all learn by expe- 
 rience, you know. So come along." 
 
 " Hould on, ye spalpeen, till I git my wind ! " 
 
 But Martin was off again at full speed ; and 
 Barney's horse, scorning to be left behind, took 
 the bit a^ain in its teeth and went — as he 
 himself expressed it, — "screamin' before the 
 wind." 
 
 A new sensation is not always and necessarily 
 an agreeable thing. Martin and Barney found 
 it so on the evening of that same day, as they 
 reclined (they could not sit) by the side of their 
 fire on the campo under the shelter of one of the 
 small trees which grew here and there at wide 
 intervals on the plain. They had left the dia- 
 mond mine early that morning, and their first 
 day on horseback proved to them that there arc 
 shadows as well as lights in equestrian life. 
 
 R
 
 242 Martin Rattler 
 
 Their only baggage was a single change of 
 apparel and a small bag of diamonds, — -the latter 
 being the product of the mine during the Baron 
 Fagoni's reign, and which that worthy was con- 
 veying faithfully to his employer. During the 
 first part of the day they had ridden through a 
 hilly and woody country, and towards evening 
 they emerged upon one of the smaller campos, 
 which occur here and there in the district. 
 
 " Martin," said Barney, as he lay smoking 
 his pipe, " 'tis a pity that there's no plea- 
 sure in this world without something cross- 
 grained into it. My own feelin's is as if 
 I had been lately passed through a stamping 
 machine." 
 
 " Wrong, Barney, as usual," said Martin, who 
 was busily engaged concluding supper with 
 an orange. "If we had pleasures without 
 discomforts we wouldn't half enjoy them. We 
 need lights and shadows in life — what are 
 you grinning at, Barney ? " 
 
 " Oh ! nothin', only ye're a re-markable 
 philosopher, when ye're in the vein." 
 
 " 'Tis always in vain to talk philosophy to 
 you, Barney, so good-night t' ye. Oh, dear 
 me, I wish I could sit down ! but there's no 
 alternative, — either bolt upright or quite flat." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour they both forgot 
 pleasures and sorrows alike in sleep. Next day 
 the sun rose on the edge of the campo as it
 
 Martin Rattler 243 
 
 does out of the ocean, streaming across its 
 grassy billows, and tipping the ridges as with 
 ruddy gold. At first Martin and Barney did 
 not enjoy the lovely scene, for they felt stiff 
 and sore ; but after half an hour's ride they 
 began to recover ; and when the sun rose in 
 all its glory on the wide plain, the feelings of 
 joyous bounding freedom that such scenes 
 always engender obtained the mastery, and 
 they coursed along in silent delight. 
 
 The campo was hard, composed chiefly of a 
 stiff red clay soil and covered with short grass 
 in most places; but here and there were rank 
 bushes of long hairy grasses, around and 
 amongst which grew a multitude of the most 
 exquisitely beautiful flowerets and plants of 
 elegant forms. Wherever these flowers flour- 
 ished very luxuriantly there were single trees of 
 stunted growth and thick bark, which seldom 
 rose above fifteen or twenty feet. Besides 
 these there were rich flowering myrtles, and 
 here and there a grotesque cactus or two. 
 
 Under one of these trees they reined up 
 after a ride of two hours, and piqueting their 
 horses, prepared breakfast. It was soon de- 
 spatched, and then remounting, away they 
 went once more over the beautiful plains. 
 
 About mid-day, as they were hasting towards 
 the shelter of a grove which appeared oppor- 
 tunely on the horizon, Barney said suddenly, —
 
 244 Martin Rattler 
 
 " Martin, lad, we're lost ! We're out of our 
 course, for sartin." 
 
 " I've been thinking that for some time, 
 Barney," replied Martin ; " but you have your 
 compass, and we can surely make the coast by 
 dead reckoning — eh ? " 
 
 " True, lad, we can ; but it'll cost us a dale 
 o' tackin' to make up for lee-way. Ah, good 
 luck to ye ! here's a friend '11 help us." 
 
 As he spoke a herd of wild cattle dashed 
 out of the grove and scampered over the plain, 
 followed by a herdsman on horseback. Seeing 
 that he was in eager pursuit of an animal 
 which he wished to lasso, they followed him 
 quietly and watched his movements. Whirling 
 the noose round his head, he threw it adroitly 
 in such a manner that the bull put one of 
 its legs within the coil. Then he reined up 
 suddenly, and the animal was thrown on its 
 back. At the same moment the lasso broke, 
 and the bull recovered its feet and continued 
 its wild flight. 
 
 " Good-day, friend," said Barney, galloping 
 towards the disappointed herdsman and ad- 
 dressing him in Portuguese, " could you show 
 us the road to Rio ? We've lost it intirely." 
 
 The man pointed sulkily in the direction in 
 which they were going, and, having mended 
 his lasso, he wheeled about and galloped after 
 the herd of cattle.
 
 Martin Rattler 245 
 
 " Bad luck to yer manners ! " said Barney, as 
 he gazed after him. " But what can ye expect 
 from the poor critter ? He niver larned better 
 Come along, Martin, we'll rest here a while." 
 
 They were soon under the shelter of the 
 trees, and having fastened their horses to one 
 of them, they proceeded to search for water. 
 While thus employed, Barney shouted to his 
 companion, " Come here, lad ; look here." 
 
 There was something in the tone of the 
 Irishman's voice that startled Martin, and he 
 sprang hastily towards him. Barney was stand- 
 ing with his arms crossed upon his chest and 
 his head bowed forward, as he gazed with a 
 solemn expression on the figure of a man at 
 his feet. 
 
 " Is he ill ? " inquired Martin, stooping and 
 lifting his hand. Starting back as he dropped 
 it, he exclaimed, " Dead ! " 
 
 " Ah, boy, he has gone to his last account. 
 Look at him again, Martin. It was he who 
 came to the mine a week ago to buy a horse, 
 
 and now " Barney sighed as he stooped 
 
 and turned the body over in order to ascertain 
 whether he had been murdered ; but there were 
 no marks of violence to be seen. There was 
 bread too in his wallet ; so they could come to 
 no other conclusion than that the unhappy 
 man had been seized with fatal illness in the 
 lonesome wood and died there.
 
 246 Martin Rattler 
 
 As they searched his clothes they found a 
 small leathern bag, which, to their amazement, 
 was filled with gold-dust ; and in the midst of 
 the gold was another smaller bag containing 
 several small diamonds. 
 
 "Ha!" exclaimed Martin, "that explains 
 his hurry. No doubt he had made off with 
 these, and was anxious to avoid pursuit." 
 
 " No doubt of it," said Barney. " Well, thief 
 or no thief, we must give the poor cratur' 
 dacent burial. There's not a scrap o' paper 
 to tell who he is or where he came from, — a. 
 sure sign that he wasn't what he should ha' 
 been. Ah ! Martin, what, will we not do for 
 the sake o' money ! and, after all, we can't 
 keep it long. May the Almighty niver let 
 you or me set our hearts on it." 
 
 They dug a shallow grave with their hands 
 in a sandy spot where the soil was loose, in 
 which they deposited the body of the unfortu- 
 nate man ; and then remounting their horses, 
 rode away and left him in his lonely resting- 
 place. 
 
 For many days did Martin and Barney 
 travel through the land on horseback, now 
 galloping over open campos, anon threading 
 their way through the forest, and sometimes 
 toiling slowly up the mountain sides. The 
 aspect of the country varied continually as 
 they advanced, and the feelings of excessive
 
 Martin Rattler 247 
 
 hilarity with which they commenced the 
 journey began to subside as they became 
 accustomed to it 
 
 One evening they were toiling slowly up a 
 steep range of hills which had been the pro- 
 spect in front of them the whole of that day. 
 As they neared the summit of the range 
 Martin halted at a stream to drink, and Bar- 
 ney advanced alone. Suddenly Martin was 
 startled by a loud cry, and looking up he saw 
 Barney on his knees with his hands clasped 
 before him ! Rushing up the hill, Martin 
 found his comrade with his face flushed and 
 the tears coursing down his cheeks as he stared 
 before him ! 
 
 " Look at it, Martin, dear ! " he cried, starting 
 up and flinging his cap in the air, and shouting 
 like a madman. " The say ! my own native 
 illiment ! the beautiful ocean ! Och, darlint, my 
 blessing on ye ! Little did I think to see you 
 more, — hooray ! " 
 
 Barney sang and danced till he sank down on 
 the grass exhausted ; and, to say truth, Martin 
 felt much difficulty in restraining himself from 
 doing likewise, for before him was spread out 
 the bright ocean, gleaming in the light of the 
 sinking sun, and cairn and placid as a mirror. 
 It was indeed a glorious sight to these two 
 sailors, who had not seen the sea for nearly two 
 years. It was like coming suddenly face to
 
 248 Martin Rattler 
 
 face — after a long absence — with an old and 
 much loved friend. 
 
 Although visible, the sea, however, was still 
 a long way off from the Serra dos Orgos on 
 which they stood. But their steeds were good, 
 and it was not long ere they were both rolling 
 like dolphins in the beautiful bay of Rio de 
 Janeiro. 
 
 Here Barney delivered up the gold and 
 diamonds to his employer, who paid him liberally 
 for his services and entertained them both 
 hospitably while they remained in the city. 
 The bag of gold and diamonds which had been 
 found on the body of the dead man they 
 appropriated, as it was absolutely impossible to 
 discover the rightful owner. Barney's friend 
 bought it of them at full price ; and when they 
 embarked, soon after, on board a homeward 
 bound ship, each had four hundred pounds in 
 his pocket ! 
 
 As they sailed out of the noble harbour 
 Martin sat on the poop gazing at the receding 
 shore while thick-coming memories crowded on 
 his brain. 
 
 His imagination flew back to the day when he 
 first landed on the coast and escaped with his 
 friend Barney from the pirates, — to the hermit's 
 cottage in the lonely valley, where he first made 
 acquaintance with monkeys, iguanas, jaguars, 
 armadillos, and all the wonderful, beautiful, and
 
 Martin Rattler 249 
 
 curious birds, beasts, and reptiles, plants, trees, 
 and flowers, that live and flourish in that 
 romantic country. Once more, in fancy, he was 
 sailing up the mighty Amazon, shooting 
 alligators on its banks, spearing fish in its waters, 
 paddling through its curious gapo, and swinging 
 in his hammock under its luxuriant forests. 
 Once again he was a prisoner among the wild 
 Indians, and he started convulsively as he 
 thought of the terrible leap over the precipice 
 into the stream that flowed into the heart of the 
 earth. Then he wandered in the lonely forest. 
 Suddenly the diamond mines were before him, 
 and Barney's jovial voice rang in his ears ; and 
 he replied to it with energy, for now he was 
 bounding on a fiery steed over the grassy 
 campos. With a deep sigh he awoke from his 
 reverie to find himself surrounded by the great 
 wide sea. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 THE RETURN 
 
 ARTHUR Jollyboy, Esquire, of the Old Hulk, 
 sat on the top of a tall three-legged stool in his 
 own snug little office in the sea-port town of 
 Bilton, with his legs swinging to and fro ; his 
 socks displayed a considerable way above the
 
 250 Martin Rattler 
 
 tops of his gaiters ; his hands thrust deep into 
 his breeches pockets ; his spectacles high on his 
 bald forehead, and his eyes looking through the 
 open letter that lay before him ; through the 
 desk underneath it ; through the plank floor, 
 cellars and foundations of the edifice ; and 
 through the entire world into the distant future 
 beyond. 
 
 " Four thousand pair of socks," he murmured, 
 pulling down his spectacles and consulting the 
 open letter for the tenth time ; " four thousand 
 pair of socks, with the hitch, same as last bale, 
 but a very little coarser in material." 
 
 " Four thousand pair ! and who's to make 
 them, I wonder. If poor Mrs. Dorothy Grum- 
 bit were here — ah ! well, she's gone, so it can't 
 be helped. Four thousand ! — dear me who will 
 make them. Do you know ? " 
 
 This question was addressed to his youngest 
 clerk, who sat on the opposite side of the desk 
 staring at Mr. Jollyboy with that open impu- 
 dence of expression peculiar to young puppy- 
 dogs whose masters are unusually indulgent. 
 
 " No, sir, I don't," said the clerk with a broad 
 grin. 
 
 Before the perplexed merchant could come 
 at any conclusion on this knotty subject the 
 door opened and Martin Rattler entered the 
 room, followed by his friend Barney O'Flan- 
 nagan.
 
 Martin Rattler 251 
 
 "You've come to the wrong room, friends," 
 said Mr. Jollyboy with a benignant smile. 
 " My principal clerk engages men and pays 
 wages. His office is just opposite ; first door 
 in the passage." 
 
 "We don't want to engage," said Martin; 
 " we wish to speak with you, sir." 
 
 " Oh, beg pardon ! " cried Mr. Jollyboy, 
 leaping off the stool with surprising agility for 
 a man of his years. " Come in this way. Pray 
 be seated — Eh ! ah, surely I've seen you be- 
 fore, my good fellow ? " 
 
 "Yis, sir, that ye have. I've sailed aboard 
 your ships many a time. My name's Barney 
 O'Flannagan, at yer sarvice." 
 
 " Ah ! I recollect ; and a good man you are, 
 I've been told, Barney ; but I have lost sight of 
 you for some years. Been on a long voyage, I 
 suppose ? " 
 
 " Well, not 'xactly ; but I've been on a long 
 cruise, an' no mistake, in the woods o' Brazil. 
 I wos wrecked on the coast there, in the 
 Firefly !' 
 
 " Ah ! to be sure. I remember. And your 
 young messmate here, was he with you ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, I was," said Martin, answering for 
 himself; "and I had once the pleasure of your 
 acquaintance. Perhaps if you look steadily in 
 my face you may " 
 
 " Ah, then ! don't try to bamboozle him. He
 
 252 Martin Rattler 
 
 might as well look at a bit o' mahogany as at 
 your faygurhead. Tell him at wance, Martin 
 clear." 
 
 " Martin ? " exclaimed the puzzled old 
 gentleman, seizing the young sailor by the 
 shoulders and gazing intently into his face. 
 " Martin ! Martin ! Surely not — yes ! eh ? 
 Martin Rattler?" 
 
 " Ay that am I, dear Mr. Jollyboy, safe and 
 sound, and " 
 
 Martin's speech was cut short in consequence 
 of his being violently throttled by Mr. Jollyboy, 
 who flung his arms round his neck and staggered 
 recklessly about the office with him ! This was 
 the great point which Barney had expected ; it 
 was the climax to which he had been looking 
 forward all the morning : and it did not come 
 short of his anticipations ; for Mr. Jollyboy 
 danced round Martin and embraced him for at 
 least ten minutes, asking him at the same time 
 a shower of questions which he gave him no 
 time to answer. In the excess of his delight 
 Barney smote his thigh with his broad hand so 
 forcibly that it burst upon the startled clerk like 
 a pistol-shot, and caused him to spring off his 
 stool ! 
 
 " Don't be afeared, young un," said Barney, 
 winking and poking the small clerk jocosely in 
 the ribs with his thumb. " Isn't it beautiful to 
 see them. Arrah, now ! isn't it purty ? "
 
 Martin Rattler 253 
 
 " Keep your thumbs to yourself, you sea 
 monster," said the small clerk, angrily, and 
 laying his hand on the ruler. But Barney 
 minded him not, and continued to smite his 
 thigh and rub his hands, while he performed 
 a sort of gigantic war-dance round Mr. Jollyboy 
 and Martin. 
 
 In a few minutes the old gentleman subsided 
 sufficiently to understand questions. 
 
 " But, my aunt," said Martin, anxiously ; 
 "you have said nothing about Aunt Dorothy. 
 How is she ? where is she ? is she well ?" 
 
 To these questions Mr. Jollyboy returned no 
 answer, but sitting suddenly down on a chair, 
 he covered his face with his hands. 
 
 " She is not ill ? " inquired Martin in a husky 
 voice, while his heart beat violently. " Speak, 
 Mr. Jollyboy, is she — is she " 
 
 " No, she's not ill," returned the old gentle- 
 man ; " but she's " 
 
 " She is dead ! " said Martin, in a tone so 
 deep and sorrowful that the old gentleman 
 started up. 
 
 " No, no, not dead, my dear boy ; I did not 
 mean that. Forgive my stupidity, Martin. 
 Aunt Dorothy is gone, — left the village a year 
 ago ; and 1 have never seen or heard of her 
 since." 
 
 Terrible though this news was, Martin felt a 
 slight degree of relief to know that she was not
 
 254 Martin Rattler 
 
 dead ; — at least there was reason to hope that 
 she might be still alive. 
 
 " But when did she go ? and why ? and 
 where ? " 
 
 " She went about twelve months ago," replied 
 Mr. Jollyboy. " You see, Martin, after she lost 
 you she seemed to lose all hope and all spirit ; 
 and at last she gave up making socks for me, 
 and did little but moan in her seat in the 
 window and look out towards the sea. So I 
 got a pleasant young girl to take care of her ; 
 and she did not want for any of the comforts of 
 life. One day the little girl came to me here, 
 having run all the way from the village, to say 
 that Mrs. Grumbit had packed up a bundle of 
 clothes and gone off to Liverpool by the coach. 
 She took the opportunity of the girl's absence on 
 some errand to escape ; and we should never 
 have known it, had not some boys of the village 
 seen her get into the coach and tell the guard 
 that she was going to make inquiries after 
 Martin. I instantly set out for Liverpool ; but 
 long before I arrived the coach had discharged 
 its passengers, and the coachman, not suspecting 
 that anything was wrong, had taken no notice of 
 her after arriving. From that day to this I have 
 not ceased to advertise and make all possible 
 inquiries, but without success." 
 
 Martin heard the narrative in silence, and 
 when it was finished he sat a few minutes
 
 Martin Rattler 255 
 
 gazing vacantly before him, like one in a 
 dream. Then starting up suddenly, he wrung 
 Mr. Jollyboy's hand, " Good-bye, my dear friend ; 
 good-bye. I shall go to Liverpool. We shall 
 meet again." 
 
 " Stay, Martin, stay " 
 
 But Martin had rushed from the room, 
 followed by his faithful friend, and in less 
 than half an hour they were in the village of 
 Ashford. The coach was to pass in twenty 
 minutes, so, bidding Barney engage two outside 
 seats, he hastened round by the road towards 
 the cottage. There it stood, quaint, time- 
 worn, and old-fashioned, as when he had last 
 seen it, — the little garden in which he had so 
 often played, — the bower in which, on fine 
 weather, Aunt Dorothy used to sit, and the 
 door-step on which the white kitten used to 
 gambol. But the shutters were closed, and 
 the door was locked, and there was an air of 
 desolation and a deep silence brooding over the 
 place, that sank more poignantly into Martin's 
 heart than if he had come and found every 
 vestige of the home of his childhood swept 
 away. It was like the body without the soul. 
 The flowers, and stones, and well-known forms 
 were there; but she who had given animation 
 to the whole was gone. Sitting down on the 
 door-step, Martin buried his face in his hands 
 and wept.
 
 256 Martin Rattler 
 
 He was quickly aroused by the bugle of the 
 approaching coach. Springing up, he dashed 
 the tears away and hurried towards the high- 
 road. In a few minutes Barney and he were 
 seated on the top of the coach, and dashing, at 
 the rate of ten miles an hour, along the road to 
 Liverpool. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 THE OLD GARRET 
 
 Days, and weeks, and months, passed away, 
 and Martin had searched every nook and corner 
 of the great sea-port without discovering his 
 old aunt, or obtaining the slightest information 
 regarding her. At first he and Barney went 
 about the search together, but after a time he 
 sent his old companion forcibly away to visit 
 his own relatives, who dwelt not far from 
 Bilton, at the same time promising that if he 
 had any good news to tell he would immediately 
 write and let him know. 
 
 One morning, as Martin was sitting beside 
 the little fire in his lodging, a tap came to the 
 door, and the servant girl told him that a 
 policeman wished to see him. 
 
 " Show him in," said Martin, who was not in
 
 Martin Rattler 257 
 
 the least surprised, for he had had much inter- 
 course with these guardians of the public peace 
 during the course of his unavailing search. 
 
 " I think, sir," said the man on entering, 
 " that we've got scent of an old woman w'ich is 
 as like the one that you're arter as hanythink." 
 
 Martin rose in haste. " Have you, my man ? 
 Are you sure ? " 
 
 '"Bout as sure as a man can be who never 
 seed her. But it won't take you long to walk. 
 You'd better come and see for yourself." 
 
 Without uttering another word, Martin put 
 on his hat and followed the policeman. They 
 passed through several streets and lanes, and 
 at length came to one of the poorest districts 
 of the city, not far distant from the shipping. 
 Turning down a narrow alley, and crossing a 
 low dirty-looking court, Martin's guide stopped 
 before a door, which he pushed open and 
 mounted by a flight of rickety wooden stairs 
 to a garret. He opened the door and entered. 
 
 " There she is," said the man in a tone of 
 pity, as he pointed to a corner of the apartment, 
 " an' I'm afecr'd she's goin' fast." 
 
 Martin stepped towards a low truckle-bed 
 on which lay the emaciated form of a woman 
 covered with a scanty and ragged quilt. The 
 corner of it was drawn across her face, and so 
 gentle was her breathing that it seemed as if 
 she were already dead. Martin removed the
 
 258 Martin Rattler 
 
 covering, and one glance at that gentle, care- 
 worn countenance sufficed to convince him that 
 his old aunt lay before him ! His first impulse 
 was to seize her in his strong arms, but another 
 look at the frail and attenuated form caused 
 him to shrink back in fear. 
 
 " Leave me," he said, rising hastily and 
 slipping half a sovereign into the policeman's 
 hand ; " this is she. I wish to be alone with 
 her." 
 
 The man touched his hat and retired, closing 
 the door behind him ; while Martin, sitting 
 down on the bed, took one of his aunt's thin 
 hands in his. The action was tenderly per- 
 formed, but it awoke her. For the first time it 
 flashed across Martin's mind that the sudden 
 joy at seeing him might be too much for one 
 so feeble as Aunt Dorothy seemed to be. He 
 turned his back hastily to the light, and with a 
 violent effort suppressed his feelings while he 
 asked how she did. 
 
 " Well, very well," said Aunt Dorothy, in a 
 faint voice. " Are you the missionary that was 
 here long ago ? Oh ! I've been longing for you. 
 Why did you not come to read to me oftener 
 about Jesus ? But I have had Him here al- 
 though you did not come. He has been saying 
 ' Come unto me, ye that labour and are heavy 
 laden, and I will give you rest.' Yes, I have 
 found rest in Him." She ceased and seemed to
 
 Martin Rattler 259 
 
 fall asleep again ; but in a few seconds she 
 opened her eyes and said, " Martin, too, has 
 been to see me ; but he docs not come so 
 often now. The darling boy used always to 
 come to me in my dreams. But he never 
 brings me food. Why does no one ever bring 
 me food ? I am hungry." 
 
 " Should you like food now, if I brought it to 
 you ? " said Martin in a low voice. 
 
 "Yes, yes; bring me food, — I am dying." 
 
 Martin released her hand and glided gently 
 out of the room. In a few minutes he returned 
 with a can of warm soup and a roll ; of which 
 Aunt Dorothy partook with an avidity that 
 showed she had been in urgent need. Im- 
 mediately after, she went to sleep ; and Martin 
 sat upon the bed holding her hand in both of 
 his till she awoke, which she did in an hour 
 after, and again ate a little food. While she 
 was thus engaged the door opened and a 
 young man entered, who stated that he was a 
 doctor, and had been sent there by a policeman. 
 
 " There is no hope," he said in a whisper, 
 after feeling her pulse; "the system is quite 
 exhausted." 
 
 " Doctor," whispered Martin, seizing the 
 young man by the arm, " can nothing save her? 
 I have money, and can command anything 
 that may do her good." 
 
 The doctor shook his head. " You may
 
 260 Martin Rattler 
 
 give her a little wine. It will strengthen her 
 for a time, but I fear there is no hope. I 
 will send in a bottle if you wish it." 
 
 Martin gave him the requisite sum, and in a 
 few minutes the wine was brought up by a boy. 
 
 The effect of the wine was wonderful. Aunt 
 Dorothy's eyes sparkled as they used to do in 
 days of old, and she spoke with unwonted 
 energy. 
 
 " You are kind to me, young man," she said, 
 looking earnestly into Martin's face, which, 
 however, he kept carefully in shadow. " May 
 our Lord reward you." 
 
 " Would you like me to talk to you of 
 your nephew ? " said Martin ; " I have seen him 
 abroad." 
 
 " Seen my boy ! Is he not dead ? " 
 
 " No ; he is alive, and in this country, too." 
 
 Aunt Dorothy turned pale, but did not reply 
 for a few minutes, during which she grasped his 
 hand convulsively. 
 
 " Turn your face to the light," she said 
 faintly. 
 
 Martin obeyed, and bending over her whis- 
 pered, " He is here ; I am Martin, my dear, dear 
 aunt 
 
 No expression of surprise escaped from Aunt 
 Dorothy as she folded her arms round his neck 
 and pressed his head upon her bosom. His hot 
 tears fell upon her neck while she held him,
 
 Martin Rattler 261 
 
 but she spoke not. It was evident that as 
 the strength infused by the wine abated her 
 faculties became confused. At length she 
 whispered, — 
 
 " It is good of you to come to see me, 
 darling boy. You have often come to me in 
 my dreams. But do not leave me so soon ; 
 stay a very little longer." 
 
 " This is no dream, dearest aunt," whispered 
 Martin, while his tears flowed faster ; "I am 
 really here." 
 
 " Ay, so you always say, my darling child ; 
 but you always go away and leave me. This 
 is a dream, no doubt, like all the rest ; but oh, 
 it seems very very real ! You never wept be- 
 fore, although you often smiled. Surely this is 
 the best and brightest dream I ever had ! " 
 
 Continuing to murmur his name while she 
 clasped him tightly to her bosom, Aunt Dorothy 
 gently fell asleep. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 Aunt Dorothy Grumbit did not die! Ker 
 gentle spirit had nearly fled ; but Martin's 
 return and Martin's tender nursing brought her
 
 262 Martin Rattler 
 
 round, and she gradually regained all her former 
 strength and vigour. Yes, to the unutterable 
 joy of Martin, to the inexpressible delight of 
 Mr. Arthur Jollyboy and Barney, and to the 
 surprise and complete discomfiture of the young 
 doctor who shook his head and said " There is 
 no hope," Aunt Dorothy Grumbit recovered, 
 and was brought back in health and in triumph 
 to her old cottage at Ashford ! 
 
 Moreover, she was arrayed again in the old 
 bed-curtain chintz with the flowers as big as 
 saucers, and the old high-crowned cap. A white 
 kitten was got, too, so like the one that used to 
 be Martin's playmate, that no one could discover 
 a hair of difference. So remarkable was this, 
 that Martin made inquiry, and found that it was 
 actually the grand-daughter of the old kitten, 
 which was still alive and well ; so he brought it 
 back too, and formally installed it in the cottage 
 along with its grandchild. 
 
 There was a great house-warming on the night 
 of the day in which Aunt Dorothy Grumbit was 
 brought back. Mr. Arthur Jollyboy was there 
 — of course ; and the vicar was there ; and the 
 pursy doctor who used to call Martin "a scamp;" 
 and the school-master ; and last, though not 
 least, Barney O'Flannagan was there. And they 
 all had tea, during which dear Aunt Dorothy 
 smiled sweetly on everybody and said nothing, 
 — and, indeed, did nothing, except that once or
 
 Martin Rattler 263 
 
 twice she put additional sugar and cream into 
 Martin's cup when he was not looking, and 
 stroked one of his hands continually. After tea 
 Martin related his adventures in Brazil, and 
 Barney helped him ; and these two talked more 
 that night than any one could have believed it 
 possible for human beings to do, without the aid 
 of steam lungs ! And the doctor listened, and 
 the vicar and school-master questioned, and old 
 Mr. Jollyboy roared and laughed till he became 
 purple in the face — particularly at the sallies of 
 Barney. As for old Aunt Dorothy Grumbit, 
 she listened when Martin spoke. When Martin 
 was silent she became stone deaf ! 
 
 In the course of time Mr. Jollyboy made 
 Martin his head clerk ; and then, becoming 
 impatient, he made him his partner off-hand. 
 Then he made Barney O'Flannagan an over- 
 seer in the warehouses ; and when the duties of 
 the day were over, the versatile Irishman became 
 his confidential servant, and went to sup and sleep 
 at the Old Hulk ; which, he used to remark, was 
 quite a natural and proper and decidedly com- 
 fortable place to come to an anchor in. 
 
 Martin became the stay and comfort of his 
 aunt in her old age ; and the joy which he was 
 the means of giving to her heart was like a deep 
 and placid river which never ceases to flow. 
 Ah ! there is a rich blessing in store for those 
 who tenderly nurse and comfort the aged, when
 
 264 Martin Rattler 
 
 called upon to do so ; and assuredly there is a 
 sharp thorn prepared for those who neglect this 
 sacred duty. Martin read the Bible to her night 
 and morning ; and she did nothing but watch 
 for him at the window while he was out. As 
 Martin afterwards became an active member of 
 the benevolent societies with which his partner 
 was connected, he learned from sweet experience 
 that " it is more blessed to give than to receive," 
 and that " it is better to go to the house of 
 mourning than to go to the house of feasting." 
 Dear young reader, do not imagine that we 
 plead in favour of moroseness or gloom. Laugh 
 if you will, and feast if you will, and remember, 
 too, that " a merry heart is a continual feast ; " 
 but we pray you not to forget that God himself 
 has said that a visit to the house of mourning 
 is better than a visit to the house of feasting : 
 and, strange to say, it is productive of greater 
 joy ; for to do good is better than to get good, 
 as surely as sympathy is better than selfishness. 
 
 Martin visited the poor and read the Bible to 
 them ; and in watering others he was himself 
 watered, for he found the " Pearl of Great Price," 
 even Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. 
 
 Business prospered in the hands of Martin 
 Rattler, too, and he became a man of substance. 
 Naturally, too, he became a man of great 
 importance in the town of Bilton. The quantity 
 of work that Martin and Mr. Jollyboy and
 
 Martin Rattler 265 
 
 Barney used to get through was quite marvellous ; 
 and the number of engagements they had during 
 the course of a day was quite bewildering. 
 
 In the existence of all men, who are not born 
 to unmitigated misery, there arc times and 
 seasons of peculiar enjoyment. The happiest 
 hour of all the twenty-four to Martin Rattler 
 was the hour of seven in the evening ; for then 
 it was that he found himself seated before the 
 blazing fire in the parlour of the Old Hulk, to 
 which Aunt Dorothy Grumbit had consented to 
 be removed, and in which she was now a fixture. 
 Then it was that old Mr. Jollyboy beamed with 
 benevolence, until the old lady sometimes 
 thought the fire was going to melt him ; then it 
 was that the tea-kettle sang on the hob like a 
 canary; and then it was that Barney bustled 
 about the room preparing the evening meal, and 
 talking all the time with the most perfect 
 freedom to any one who chose to listen to him. 
 Yes, seven p.m. was Martin's great hour, and 
 Aunt Dorothy's great hour, and old Mr. Jolly- 
 boy's great hour, and Barney's too ; for each 
 knew that the labours of the day were done, and 
 that the front door was locked for the night, and 
 that a great talk was brewing. They had a 
 tremendous talk every night, sometimes on one 
 subject, sometimes on another ; but the subject 
 of all others that they talked oftcnest about \v;ls 
 their travels. And many a time and oft, when
 
 266 Martin Rattler 
 
 the winter storms howled round the Old Hulk, 
 Barney was invited to draw in his chair, and 
 Martin and he plunged again vigorously into 
 the great old forests of South America, and 
 spoke so feelingly about them that Aunt 
 Dorothy and Mr. Jollyboy almost fancied them- 
 selves transported into the midst of tropical 
 scenes, and felt as if they were surrounded 
 by parrots, and monkeys, and jaguars, and alli- 
 gators, and anacondas, and all the wonderful 
 birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, that inhabit 
 the woods and waters of Brazil. 
 
 THE END 
 
 Richard Clay &* Sons, Limited, London and Bungay.
 
 This book is DUE on the last 
 date stamped belo w 

 
 Unive<sity ol California Los Angeles 
 
 L 007 056 38 
 
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