nd horror. In
a few seconds the jaguar showed signs of being disconcerted. It turned
its head from side to side slightly, and dropped its eyes, as if to
avoid their gaze. Then turning slowly and stealthily round, it sprang
with a magnificent bound into the jungle, and disappeared.

Both Martin and Barney heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"What a mercy it did not attack us!" said the former, wiping the cold
perspiration from his forehead. "We should have had no chance against
such a terrible beast with a cutlass, I fear."

"True, boy, true," replied his friend, gravely; "it would have been
little better than a penknife in the ribs o' sich a cratur. I niver
thought that it was in the power o' man or baste to put me in sich a
fright; but the longer we live we learn, boy."

Barney's disposition to make light of everything was thoroughly subdued
by this incident, and he felt none of his usual inclination to regard
all that he saw in the Brazilian forests with a comical eye. The danger
they had escaped was too real and terrible, and their almost unarmed
condition too serious, to be lightly esteemed. For the next hour or two
he continued to walk by Martin's side either in total silence, or in
earnest, grave conversation; but by degrees these feelings wore off, and
his buoyant spirits gradually returned.

The country over which they had passed during the day was of a mingled
character. At one time they traversed a portion of dark forest heavy
and choked up with the dense and gigantic foliage peculiar to those
countries that lie near to the equator; then they emerged from this upon
what to their eyes seemed most beautiful scenery,--mingled plain and
woodland,--where the excessive brilliancy and beauty of the tropical
vegetation was brought to perfection by exposure to the light of the
blue sky and the warm rays of the sun. In such lovely spots they
travelled more slowly and rested more frequently, enjoying to the full
the sight of the gaily-coloured birds and insects that fluttered busily
around them, and the delicious perfume of the flowers that decked the
ground and clambered up the trees. At other times they came to plains,
or _campos_, as they are termed, where there were no trees at all, and
few shrubs, and where the grass was burned brown and dry by the sun.
Over such they hurried as quickly as they could; and fortunately, where
they chanced to travel, such places were neither numerous nor extensive,
although i