mething. There are thousands of kinds,
and most magnificent. Some of them are more than thirty feet round
about. There are two hundred different kinds of palms, and so thick
stand the giant trees in many places, with creeping-plants growing
between, that it is not possible for man to cut his way through the
forests in some parts. Language cannot describe the grandeur and glory
of the Brazilian forests.

"We have numbers of wild horses, and hogs, and goats; and in the woods
are tiger-cats, jaguars, tapirs, hyenas, sloths, porcupines, and--but
you have seen many things already. If you live you will see more. I
need not tell you of these things; very soon I will show you some.

"The population of my country consists of the descendants of Portuguese
settlers, native Indians, and Negroes. Of the latter, some are free,
some slaves. The Indians go about nearly naked. Most of them are in a
savage state: they paint their skins, and wear gaudy ornaments. The
religion of the country is Roman Catholic, but all religions are
tolerated; and I have much hope for the future of Brazil, in spite of
the priests."

"And do ye git much out o' the di'mond mines?" inquired Barney, whose
mind was running on this subject.

"O yes, a great deal. Every year many are got, and Government gets
one-fifth of the value of all the gold and diamonds found in the
country. One diamond was found a short time ago which was worth 40,000
pounds."

"Ye don't say so!" exclaimed Barney in great surprise, as he blew an
immense cloud of smoke from his lips. "Now, that's extror'nary. Why
don't everybody go to the mines and dig up their fortin at wance?"

"Because men cannot _eat_ diamonds," replied the hermit gravely.

"Troth, I niver thought o' that; ye're right."

Martin laughed heartily as he lay in his hammock and watched his
friend's expression while pondering this weighty subject.

"Moreover," resumed the hermit, "you will be surprised to hear that
diamond and gold finding is not the most profitable employment in the
country.

"The man who cultivates the ground is better off than anybody. It, is a
fact a very great fact, a fact that you should get firmly fixed in your
memory--that in less than _two years_ the exports of sugar and coffee
amounted to more than the value of all the diamonds found in _eighty_
years. Yes, that is true. But the people of Brazil are not well off.
They have everything that is necessary to make a great nati