on, the birds and beasts and the innumerable
insects, that had kept up a perpetual noise during the day, retired to
rest; and then the nocturnal animals began to creep out of their holes
and go about. Huge vampire-bats, one of which had given Barney such a
fright the night before, flew silently past them; and the wild howlings
commenced again. They now discovered that one of the most dismal of the
howls proceeded from a species of monkey: at which discovery Martin
laughed very much, and rallied his companion on being so easily
frightened; but Barney gladly joined in the laugh against himself, for,
to say truth, he felt quite relieved and light-hearted at discovering
that his ghosts were converted into bats and monkeys!

There was one roar, however, which, when they heard it ever and anon,
gave them considerable uneasiness.

"D'ye think there's lions in them parts?" inquired Barney, glancing with
an expression of regret at his empty pistol, and laying his hand on the
hilt of his cutlass.

"I think not," replied Martin, in a low tone of voice. "I have read in
my school geography that there are tigers of some sort--jaguars, or
ounces, I think they are called,--but there are no--"

Martin's speech was cut short by a terrific roar, which rang through the
woods, and the next instant a magnificent jaguar, or South American
tiger, bounded on to the track a few yards in advance, and, wheeling
round, glared fiercely at the travellers. It seemed, in the uncertain
light as if his eyes were two balls of living fire. Though not so large
as the royal Bengal tiger of India, this animal was nevertheless of
immense size, and had a very ferocious aspect. His roar was so sudden
and awful, and his appearance so unexpected, that the blood was sent
thrilling back into the hearts of the travellers, who stood rooted to
the spot, absolutely unable to move. This was the first large animal of
the cat kind that either of them had seen in all the terrible majesty of
its wild condition; and, for the first time, Martin and his friend felt
that awful sensation of dread that will assail even the bravest heart
when a new species of imminent danger is suddenly presented. It is said
that no animal can withstand the steady gaze of a human eye; and many
travellers in wild countries have proved this to be a fact. On the
present occasion our adventurers stared long and steadily at the wild
creature before them, from a mingled feeling of surprise a