MARTIN RATTLER. 171

“ 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 in-
stantly 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