rose like a distant murmur
on the air, and mingled with the songs of birds and insects. Then the
sun went down, and in a few minutes it grew dark, while the brilliant
fire-flies began their nocturnal gambols. Suddenly a bright flame burst
over the village, and a flight of magnificent rockets shot up into the
sky, and burst in a hundred bright and variously-coloured stars, which
paled for a few seconds the lights of nature. But they vanished in a
moment, and the clear stars shed abroad their undying lustre,--seeming,
in their quiet unfading beauty, a gentle satire on the short-lived and
garish productions of man.

"Mighty purty, no doubt," exclaimed Barney. "Is this the Imperor's
birth-day?"

"No," replied the hermit shaking his head; "that is the way in which the
false priests amuse the people. The poor Indian and the Negro, and,
indeed, the ignorant Brazilian, thinks it very grand; and the priests
let them think it is pleasing to the God of heaven. Ah! here comes an
old Negro; we will ask him."

Several country people, in varied and picturesque costumes, hurried past
the travellers towards the village; and as they came to a foot-path that
joined the road, an old Negro approached them. Saluting him in the
Portuguese language, the hermit said, "Friend, why do they let off
rockets to-night?"

"Por Dios," (for God), answered the old man, looking and pointing
upwards with grave solemnity. Without vouchsafing another word, he
hurried away.

"So they think," said the hermit, "and so they are taught by the
priests. Music, noise, and fire-works please these ignorant people; and
so the priests, who are mostly as ignorant as the people, tell them it
is a good part of religious ceremony."

Presently a band of young girls came laughing and singing along the
road. They were dressed in pure white, their rich black tresses being
uncovered and ornamented with flowers, and what appeared to be bright
jewels.

"Hallo!" exclaimed Martin, gazing after them; "what splendid jewels!
surely these must be the daughters of very rich people."

"Och, but they've been at the di'mond mines for certain! Did iver ye
sae the like?"

The girls did indeed seem to blaze with jewels, which not only sparkled
in their hair, but fringed their white robes, and were worked round the
edges of their slippers; so that a positive light shone around their
persons, and fell upon the path like a halo, giving them more the
appearance of lovely su