72 MARTIN RATTLER.

was thoroughly subdued by this incident, and, he felt
none of his usual inclination to regard all that he saw
in the Brazilian forests with a comical eye. The
danger they had escaped was too real and terrible,
and their almost unarmed condition too serious, to be
lightly esteemed. For the next hour or two he con-
tinued to walk by Martin’s side either in total silence
or in earnest, grave conversation; but by degrees these
feelings wore off, and his buoyant spirits gradually
returned.

The country over which they had passed during
the day was of a mingled character. At one time
they traversed a portion of dark forest, heavy and
choked up with the dense and gigantic foliage peculiar
to those countries that lie near to the equator; then
they emerged from this upon what to their eyes
seemed most beautiful scenery—-mingled plain and
woodland—where the excessive brilliancy and beauty
of the tropical vegetation was brought to perfection by
exposure to the licht 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