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diff --git a/21750.txt b/21750.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b651840 --- /dev/null +++ b/21750.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6576 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Martin Rattler, by R.M. Ballantyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Martin Rattler + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21750] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARTIN RATTLER *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +MARTIN RATTLER, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +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 whiteheaded 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 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 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 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 generalised view, no doubt; but she +_saw_ it, and that was a great comfort. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +IN DISGRACE. + +Fire 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 rearranged them two or three times; after which he stirred the fire +a little more, and examined it carefully to see that it was all right; +but he 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 Adam?" 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?" + +"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?" + +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 THREE. + +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 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 excitement. 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 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 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 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 +you're 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 critical 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's +indignant heart into a blaze of inexpressible 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 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 +everybody 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 +legs--and did himself considerable damage; while Martin, who was firmly +knit and active as 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 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. + +"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, some, 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 neighbouring 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 niver bate ye, Martin, avic, as long as there's two timbers of ye +houldin' togither." 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 +sea-port of Bilton, which lay about five miles to the southward of his +native village. Moreover, Barney suggested 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 FOUR. + +A LESSON TO ALL STOCKING-KNITTERS--MARTIN'S PROSPECTS BEGIN TO OPEN UP. + +In the small sea-port of Bilton, before mentioned, 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 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 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 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, that he was a very bad boy; but, as she continued 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. + +"But, Mrs Grumbit, there is a peculiar formation 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 I 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 +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 +_hitches_ 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 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 FIVE. + +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 Ashford 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 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 consent 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 arithmetic 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 Jollyboy, +whose ledgers he was--in that old gentleman's secret resolves--destined +to keep. + +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 fighting, except when he thought +there was good reason for it; then he stood by and saw fair-play. There +was a strange mixture of philosophical 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 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?" inquired 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 can go 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. + +"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 +seaward. 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 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 +perseveringly 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 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 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 Irishman, 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 'll 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 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. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +THE VOYAGE, A PIRATE, 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 of 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, pantaloons, and slippers of canvass; and, +what was 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 I niver travel without my work-box in my pocket." + +"Your work-box!" said Martin, laughing. + +"Jist so. An' it consists of wan sailmaker's needle, a ball o' twine, +and a clasp-knife. Set me down with these before a roll o' canvass and +I'll make ye 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 foot high, in my father's cabin in ould +Ireland. But that was on my own account intirely, and not as a +purfession; and a sorrowful time I had of it too, for I was for iver +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 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'you 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 completely altered; a cloud of +canvass 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 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 +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 progress 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 yardarm, 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 broken English, "or I blow +you out de 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 Irishman. "If we separate in the +darkness we'll niver foregather 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." + +"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 SEVEN. + +MARTIN AND BARNEY 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 condition, 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 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 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 interrupted 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, 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 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 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 rumbling of distant thunder +was heard. Barney's countenance instantly fell. + +"What's the matter, Barney?" inquired 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 prolonged 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 +observe a many-stemmed tree with dense and heavy foliage, under which +they darted. They were just in time, and had scarcely seated themselves +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 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 EIGHT. + +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 landing on the coast of South America. It was 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 +daylight 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 realisation 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 with +their ripe fruit shone in the sunbeams like gold. Stately palms rose +above the surrounding 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 surrounded 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 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 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 jessamine stealing up his +nostrils--deem himself the tenant of another world, and evince his +conviction 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, 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 off 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 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 arrangements 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 discovered 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 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 repeated +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 dauntless animals in the +forests of Brazil. They do of 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, resembling 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 +fright the night before, flew silently past them; and the wild howlings +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 at 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 living fire. Though not so large +as the royal Bengal tiger of India, this animal was nevertheless 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, absolutely 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 withstand 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 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 everything 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 continued 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,--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 _campos_, 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 frequently; 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 +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 +comprehend. All the forenoon, screams, and cries, and croaks, and +grunts, and whistles, ring out through the woods incessantly; while, if +you listen attentively, 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 gradually more hilly, and their march consequently +more toilsome. They were just about to give up all thought of +proceeding farther that night, when, on reaching the summit of a little +hill, they beheld a bright red light shining at a considerable distance +in the valley beyond. With light steps and hearts full of hope they +descended the hill and hastened towards it. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +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 proceed 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 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 surprise. 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 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 rise, instead o' talkin' +gibberish like that, it would be more to your credit!" exclaimed the +Irishman, 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 expression 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 comed 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 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, "whereabouts +may I take the liberty o' 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,--"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 TEN. + +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 distance 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 doorway, 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. + +"What's the matter, honey?" said Barney, in a soothing tone of voice, as +a mother might address her infant son. The hermit whose composure 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 remaining, +they are so bad." + +Barney groaned again, and the hermit went on to enumerate the wicked +deeds of the vampire-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 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 extremities. So gentle are they in their operations, +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 lifeblood 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 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 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 armadillo." + +"Arms-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-root 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 jaguars, and sich like to see me, +it don't much signify; but my moustaches is gittin' 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," continued 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 of 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," 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 quantity 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 though 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." + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +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 Vanez 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 many--for the wild Indians who lived here knew not +their value. + +"It was on a dark and stormy night in the year 1510. A group of swarthy +and naked savages encircled a small fire on the edge of the forest on +the east coast of Brazil. The spot where their watch-fire was kindled +is now covered by the flourishing city of Bahia. At that time it was a +wilderness. Before them stretched the noble bay which is now termed +_Bahia 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 of 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 Carreo, the captain of the +ship. Before grasping 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 himself up proudly to his full height, and beckoned the savages +to return. This they did, casting many glances of fear at the dreaded +musket. 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 importance 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 +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. Meanwhile 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 1808 Portugal was invaded by Napoleon Buonaparte, and the +sovereign of that kingdom, John the Sixth, 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 everything 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 incompetent 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 the First, 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 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 whosoever 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 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 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 continued:-- + +"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 enterprise. 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 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 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 magnificent. 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, and goats; and in the woods +are 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 ornaments. 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 +pounds." + +"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 wance?" + +"Because men cannot _eat_ diamonds," replied the hermit gravely. + +"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 the +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 everything 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 tremendous 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; 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 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 TWELVE. + +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 joining with him in the +bunting 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 surprising, 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 enlarge on here, for 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 garments 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 +hunting-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 disposition, 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 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; whereupon 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 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 swinging 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 in my country are very +often disappointed. They come here expecting to see everything all at +once; but although there are jaguars, and serpents, 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 overhanging 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 +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 indignant 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 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, starting 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 Saint 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. + +"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 under-wood 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 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 looking 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 +mankind; 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 and +appropriate that we should specially acknowledge 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, and +rocks lay piled about in many places, forming 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 band, 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 cave where ye laid down 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 pointing 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 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 attempt, 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 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, somewhat 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 neighbouring 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 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." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +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 glittering 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 hermit has given 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'Flannagan; 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 thousand 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 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 pinchbeck, and utterly incapable of going! Moreover, 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 asserted 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 +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 hermit 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 common 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, lad. What good would it do ye to know all +the hard names that men have given to the flowers? Sure I wance 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 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 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 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 anything." + +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 +garish 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 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 picturesque 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 +Portuguese 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 laughing 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?" + +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; 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 shifts, +besides many without 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 sauntering 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 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, however, 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 successful 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. + +"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 FOURTEEN. + +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 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 whose canoe they were embarked +and whose servants they had become, found it pleasant, as he sat there +perched in his little montaria, like an exceedingly ancient and +overgrown 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 altogether extraordinary monkey, +that tiny marmoset. There was a sort of romance connected with it, too; +for it had been the mother of an 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 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 +Jollyboy 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 Portuguese as +enabled him to say "no" and "yes;" 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 in +becoming 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 hastened +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 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 are 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 solitudes 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 of 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 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 hundred 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 +hundred to a thousand feet high, and extend about two hundred miles +inland. Beyond them the shores of the river are low and flat, for more +than two thousand miles, till the spurs of the Andes are reached. + +During the rainy season the Amazon overflows 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 Brazilians, foreign +settlers, and half-civilised Indians, occur at intervals throughout the +whole course of the river; and a little trade in dye-woods, +India-rubber, medicinal drugs, Brazil nuts, coffee, etcetera, 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." + +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 sand-banks. On turning a point where the stream was +narrow and overhung with bushes 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. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +THE GREAT ANACONDA'S DINNER--BARNEY GETS A FRIGHT--TURTLES' EGGS, +OMELETS AND ALLIGATORS' TAILS--SENHOR ANTONIO'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 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 remarkable 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 anaconda begins at the +tail and 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 suggested 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. + +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 +freshwater 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 +flattish 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 +carefully 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 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 satisfaction 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 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 +satisfactory "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--sympathised. + +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 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 few 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. + +"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 mentioned, there were +long-tailed light-coloured cuckoos flying about from tree to tree, not +calling like the cuckoo of Europe at all, but 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 overhead, 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 many a bird! The +universal hubbub is tremendous! 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 companion reached the lake, and +here active preparations were making for the alligator hunt. + +"Is that the only place ye have to spind the night in, Sambo?" said +Barney to their conductor, 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 plantation of a Yankee settler. +He was a bit of a wag, too, much to the indignation of his grave master, +the Senhor Antonio, who abhorred jesting. + +"Ye're too cliver, avic," said Barney, with a patronising 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 thrusting 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. + +An hour or two later the Senhor 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 +handkerchiefs, 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 SIXTEEN. + +AN ALLIGATOR HUNT--REMARKABLE EXPLOSIONS--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 +difficulty,--Martin and Barney both pronounced it "capital." Sambo, who +had cooked the delicate 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 +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, however, 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 movements; 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 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 floundering 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 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 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 Portuguese; but poor Barney seemed awfully crestfallen, +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 undertone, "you did it that time, Barney. I +verily thought the old fellow was hanged. He became quite livid in the +face." + +"Och! bad luck to the lasso, say I. May I niver more see the swate +groves o' Killarney if iver I meddle with wan again." + +"Hi-i; you is fuss rate," said Sambo, as he and his comrades returned +and busied themselves 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 quantities 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, Barney made himself useful by +kindling a large fire and preparing a savoury dish for "all hands," +plentifully seasoned with salt and pepper, with which condiments the +country is well supplied, and of which the people are exceedingly fond. + +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 peixe 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 _dumpy_ fish, of a leaden colour, with a +semicircular 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 beefsteaks 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 spluttering 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 +eyebrows 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 reclining 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. 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 comfortable 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 +expression 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." + +A smart shower began to fall as he spoke, and, percolating through the +old root 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 unbelieving 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 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 recover 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 and 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 themselves 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. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +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 Santarem 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 almost 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-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 notions. He did not, 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 impatience 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 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 under-wood, and the branches +threatened to sweep it off, it ducked 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 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 of 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 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 +them, 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 a trogon swooped at a falling +bunch of 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 creeping-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 Saint Ann--which emitted a delightful odour and was four +inches in diameter. + +Having traversed this part of the wood, they once more emerged upon the +main stream of the Amazon. It was covered with waterfowl. 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 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' wan! Port your helm, Naygur! hard +sport! 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 appearance 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 prospect." + +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 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 EIGHTEEN. + +THE SAD AND MOMENTOUS ERA REFERRED TO AT THE CLOSE OF THE CHAPTER +PRECEDING 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, intending 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 inquire who was +there, and then ran away screaming; a porcupine also 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 stooping to puff the smouldering spark into a flame. +"I've larned by exparience that ye niver can be--puff--sure o' nothin' +in this--puff--remarkable country. Jist look at Darkey now," continued +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, a-liftin' 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." + +"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 comed into furrin parts; the only thing that kapes 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 suddenly before the travellers +belonged to one of the numerous tribes of Indians inhabiting the country +near the head-waters of some of the chief tributaries of the Amazon. He +was almost 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 the travellers in surprise, +and, by their movements, 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 entreaties, +induced them to hesitate for an instant, 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 treasures 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. + +The ransacking of the canoe and appropriating of its contents occupied +the savages but a short time, after which they packed everything 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 gambolling 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 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 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 NINETEEN. + +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 mountainous +district. Sometimes they wound their way in a zig-zag 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 fought 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 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 saw the leader of +the party rest his weight in the loop, and, 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 permitted 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. + +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 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 comed to a conclusion." + +"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. + +"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 +careworn 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 frown had gathered there. The sudden prospect 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 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 warlike 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 TWENTY. + +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 frolic, that had filled Martin Rattler's heart 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 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 fearful 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 endeavoured 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 shapes and sizes, and very +simple in construction. 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 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 uncultivated 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 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 consider, 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 +magnificent 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 +regarded 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 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 of 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 +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 circumstance, +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 expeditions, 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, 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 TWENTY ONE. + +SAVAGE FEASTS AND ORNAMENTS--MARTIN GROWS DESPERATE, AND MAKES A BOLD +ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE. + +Hunting and feasting were the chief occupations 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 permitted 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 eat, they met to drink and dance,--those who were hungry +might eat at home. The preparations for drinking were made on 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 of +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 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 women 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 +expression 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 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 monotonous 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 attractive. 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 recalled to mind the remark of his old friend +the hermit,--"They want the Bible in Brazil." + +During his frequent rambles in the neighbourhood 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, accompanied, as usual, at a respectful distance, by his +vigilant friend the tall savage. One of his favourite resting-places +was at the foot of a banana-tree, which grew on the brow of a stupendous +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. Wherever 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 unerring certainty, to any +hiding place. Still the strength of his stern determination sustained +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 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 the pool, it ran straight against +the face of a precipice and there terminated to all appearance; 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 re-appearance, +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 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 carelessness 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 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 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 TWENTY TWO. + +THE ESCAPE--ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS--FIGHT BETWEEN A JAGUAR AND AN +ALLIGATOR--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 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, regardless of the +wet condition of his clothes, and pondered long and earnestly over his +position, which was still one of some danger; but a sensation 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, covering, 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 rocks, 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 +disturbed 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 +inconvenience. 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 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 observed 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. + +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 only 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 deep self-reproach filled his +heart. In the baste 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 flat 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 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 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 paralysed. +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 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 +adventures 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 under-wood, 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 +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 expected that the +dreadful creature before him would attack and kill him; for, when he +observed 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 under-wood as if +it had been grass, leaving a broad track behind it. + +On another occasion he met with a formidable-looking but comparatively +harmless animal, called the great 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, +somewhat pillar-like in shape. At the foot of one of 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 +immediately 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 TWENTY THREE. + +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 Saturday +afternoon when he made this discovery, and he spent the Sabbath-day in +rest beside it. For Martin had more than once called to remembrance 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 meditations 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 +consider 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 civilised 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 +ear, 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 enemies; and the sudden sound of the human voice, +which he had not heard for so long, tended to create conflicting and +almost overwhelming 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 Mines. Git work 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, conversing 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 de 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. + +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 doorway 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, uttered in a harsh, grating voice, by the overseer, 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 TWENTY FOUR. + +THE DIAMOND MINES--MORE AND MORE ASTONISHING! + +If Martin Rattler was amazed at the treatment he experienced at the +hands of his new acquaintances on arriving, he had occasion to be very +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 +arrangements 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 imagination 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 chest till he almost broke every bone in his body! + +"Och! cushla, bliss yer young face! sure it's yersilf, an' no mistake! +Kape 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 either +the words that 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 ejaculatory +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 +comed 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 pie, and an immense variety of 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 comed 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 comed 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 sind me the proceeds 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 pecooliar to the +unbeknown provinces o' Siberia, ye could escape detection as far as 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 spake 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 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 comed here I fortunately fell in with the +owner first, and we spoke almost intirely in Irish, so nobody understood +where I comed 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 atmosphere, 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 attention and earnestness that his pipe was constantly going +out; and the two friends did not retire to rest till near day-break. + +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 +remained 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 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 disconsolate 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 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 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 towards 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 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 +day-break. 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 +descending 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. + +The seringa, or India-rubber-tree, grows plentifully in some parts of +Brazil, and many hundreds of the inhabitants are 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 glittering 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. + +"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 day-break, 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 of 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 +take diamonds and gold-dust in exchange, they generally realise 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 indirectly, 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 unexpectedly 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 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 excellent." + +"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 of 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 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 _Esmerilo 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 are 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. This +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 _bateia_, 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. Sometimes 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 the biggest they iver found +since I comed 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 bateia 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 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, bein' 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 pounds sterling. Without more words about +it he paid down the money; and the slave went away. Juiz lost 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 wance. So back he went +and stayed some time in the city, tryin' to git his di'mond safely sold; +for it was sich a big wan that he feared the government fellows might +hear o't; in which case he would have got ten years transportation to +Angola on the coast of Africa. At last however, he got rid of it for +20,000 mil-reis, which is about 6000 pounds. 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 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 undertone. "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." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +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 ye'll kill the baste!" cried Barney, who +thundered along at Martin's side enjoying to the full the spring of his +powerful 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 +skyscrapers! Kape her steady! Hooray!" + +It was well for Barney that he had seized the saddle. Even as it was, +he received a tremendous 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 Martin, 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 experience, you know. So come alone." + +"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 again 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 diamond mine early that +morning, and their first day on horseback proved to them that there are +shadows, as well as lights, in equestrian life. 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 conveying faithfully to his employer. During the first +part of the day they had ridden though 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 pleasure in this world without _something_ crossgrained 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 remarkable 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 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 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 flourished 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 +picketing their horses, prepared breakfast. It was soon despatched, 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 opportunely on the horizon, Barney said suddenly-- + +"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'll 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 addressing 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. + +"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 standing 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!" + +"Ay, 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. + +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 unfortunate 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 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 prospect 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 +Barney 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 calm 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 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 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 TWENTY SIX. + +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 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 Grumbit 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 +impudence 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'Flannagan. + +"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 before, 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 might as well look at a bit +o' mahogany as at your faygur-head. Tell him at wance, Martin, dear." + +"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?" + +"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 gentleman; "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 I 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 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 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. + +He was quickly aroused by the bugle of the approaching coach. Springing +up, he dashed the tears away and hurried towards the highroad. 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 TWENTY SEVEN. + +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 the least surprised, for he +had had much intercourse 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 wich 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 afeer'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 covering, and one glance +at that gentle, careworn 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 performed, 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 although 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 fall asleep again; but in +a few seconds she opened her eyes and said, "Martin, too, has been to +see me; but he does 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. +Immediately 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 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 whispered, "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, 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." + +"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_ before, 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 TWENTY EIGHT. + +CONCLUSION. + +Aunt Dorothy Grumbit did _not_ die! Her gentle spirit had nearly fled; +but Martin's return and Martin's tender nursing brought her 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 schoolmaster; 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 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 schoolmaster +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 overseer 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 comfortable 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 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 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 are 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 Jollyboy'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 oftenest about +was their travels. And many a time and oft, when 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 themselves transported into the midst of +tropical scenes, and felt as if they were surrounded by parrots, and +monkeys, and jaguars, and alligators, and anacondas, and all the +wonderful birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, that inhabit the woods +and waters of Brazil. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Martin Rattler, by R.M. 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