MARTIN RATTLER. _ 69

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 not know what fear is; they will
rush in the face of anything; and, unlike all other
animals, are quite indifferent to the report of fire-arms.
Their bodies are covered with long bristles, 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 per-
petual 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