86 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



to make sure of it — behold, the head of a large rattle- 

 snake appeared in the grass close by : an instantaneous 

 spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What 

 had been taken for a grasshopper was, in fact, the 

 elevated rattle of the snake in the act of announcing 

 that he was quite prepared, though unwilling, to make 

 a sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed 

 slowly from under the orange-tree to the neighbouring 

 wood on the side of a hill : as he moved over a place 

 bare of grass and weeds, he appeared to be about eight 

 feet long : it was he who had engaged the attention of 

 the birds, and made them heedless of danger from 

 another quarter : they flew away on his retiring ■ one 

 alone left his little life in the air, destined to become a 

 specimen, mute and motionless, for the inspection of 

 the curious in a far distant clime. 



It was now the rainy season ; the birds 



Rainy Season. ° 



were moulting : fifty-eight specimens of the 

 handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernam- 

 buco had been collected ; and it was time to proceed 

 elsewhere. The conveyance to the interior was by 

 horses ; and this mode, together with the heavy rains, 

 would expose preserved specimens to almost certain 

 damage. The journey to Maranham by land, would 

 take at least forty days. The route was not wild 

 enough to engage the attention of an explorer, or 

 civilized enough to afford common comforts to a 

 traveller. By sea there were no opportunities, except 

 slave ships. As the transporting poor negroes from 

 port to port for sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' decks 

 are crowded with them. This would not do. 



Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of 

 gratitude to an Irish family, whose urbanity and goodness 



