MARTIN RATTLER. 129

slaves, and nearly quite naked. A Brazilian mer-
chant, 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 road-side 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 jesta was being

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