MARTIN RATTLER. 157

few days, the owner had a pond which was much fre-
quented 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. Tm
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.”