up."

"I'm not so sure of that," replied Barney, striking a light with flint
and steel and stooping to puff the smouldering spark into a flame.
"I've larned by exparience that ye niver can be--puff--sure o' nothin'
in this--puff--remarkable country. Jist look at Darkey now," continued
the Irishman, sitting down on a stone before the fire, which now began
to kindle up, and stuffing the tobacco into his pipe with his little
finger. "There he is, a livin' Naygur, a-liftin' of the provision-bag
out o' the canoe. Well, if he was all of a suddent to turn into
Marmoset, an' swaller himself, an' then jump down the throat of Grampus,
and the whole consarn, canoe and all, to disappear, I don't think that I
would be much surprised."

"Would you not, Barney? I suspect that I should be, a little, under the
circumstances; perhaps the old Nigger would be more so."

"Niver a taste," continued Barney. "Ye see, if that was to happen, I
would then know that it was all a drame. I've more than wance expected
to wake up since I comed into furrin parts; the only thing that kapes me
in doubt about it is the baccy."

"How so, Barney?"

"Why, bekase it tastes so rael, good luck to it! that I can't git myself
to think it's only a drame. Jist look, now," he continued, in the same
tone of voice; "if it wasn't a drame, how could I see sich a thing as
that standin' on the rock over there?"

Martin glanced towards the spot pointed out by his friend, and
immediately started up with surprise.--"Hallo! Barney, that's no dream,
I'll vouch for it. He's an Indian, and a very ugly one too, I declare.
I say, old fellow, do you know what sort of savage that is?"

"Not know," answered the trader, glancing uneasily at the stranger.

"He might have the dacency to put on more close, anyhow," muttered
Barney, as he gazed inquiringly at the savage.

The being who had thus appeared so suddenly before the travellers
belonged to one of the numerous tribes of Indians inhabiting the country
near the head-waters of some of the chief tributaries of the Amazon. He
was almost entirely naked, having merely a scanty covering on his loins;
and carried a small quiver full of arrows at his back, and what appeared
to be a long spear in his hand. His figure was strongly but not well
formed; and his face, which was of a dark copper hue, was disfigured in
a most remarkable manner. A mass of coarse black hair formed the only
covering to his head. His cheeks were