“So think I,” replied Martin; “therefore the sooner we set off the better.”

Having no luggage to pack and no arrangements of any kind to make, the two friends rose from their primitive breakfast-table, and walked away straight before them into the forest.

All that day they travelled patiently forward, conversing pleasantly about the various and wonderful trees, and flowers, and animals they met with by the way; but no signs were discovered that indicated the presence of man.  Towards evening, however, they fell upon a track or foot-path,—­which discovery rejoiced them much; and here, before proceeding further, they sat down to eat a little more fruit,—­which, indeed, they had done several times during the day.  They walked nearly thirty miles that day without seeing a human being; but they met with many strange and beautiful birds and beasts,—­some of which were of so fierce an aspect that they would have been very glad to have had guns to defend themselves with.  Fortunately, however, all the animals seemed to be much more afraid of them than they were of the animals; so they travelled in safety.  Several times during the course of the day they saw snakes and serpents, which glided away into the jungle on their approach, and could not be overtaken, although Barney made repeated darts at them, intending to attack them with his cutlass; which assaults always proved fruitless.

Once they were charged by a herd of peccaries,—­a species of pig or wild hog,—­from which they escaped by jumping actively to one side; but the peccaries turned and rushed at them again, and it was only by springing up the branches of a neighbouring tree that they escaped their fury.  These peccaries are the fiercest and most dauntless animals in the forests of Brazil.  They do not know what fear is,—­they will rush in the face of anything; and, unlike all other animals, are quite indifferent to the report of fire-arms.  Their bodies are covered with long bristles, resembling very much the quills of the porcupine.

As the evening drew 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.