ming-bird may be seen flitting from flower to flower. These birds, which seem like winged jewels, generally die when kept in cages, even in their own country. One lady had a tame one but it was not. kept in a cage-it flew about the room, and even out of the window, and returned at the sound of its mistress's voice. This bird got its own food. It is supposed that it not only sucked the juice of the flowers, but ate the insects. No one knows exactly what food humming-birds require, and therefore no one can keep them in cages.

The Negro slaves have all been set free. They were not set free suddenly.

allowed to purchase their liberty.

They were

Thus they

free, and now they willingly work for wages, acting as porters, drivers, carriers, and washer

women.

But there is not much hard work to be done, because of the abundance of horses; even beggars go begging on horseback!

Fishermen ride into the water to cast their nets; and bird-catchers catch birds with a noose at the end of a pole, while, seated on their horses, they gallop along.

THE CORDILLERAS.

These high mountains divide Peru and Chili from the rest of South America. It is dangerous to cross them, on account of the snow storms, which come on quite suddenly. But houses of refuge are built among the mountains, with thick brick walls, and only loopholes for windows. Some travellers have been starved to death in these retreats.

Once ten poor men were found lying on the floor of a house of refuge; six were dead, the other four-speechless and dying. They had been prevented by the storm from going on their journey. They had eaten their mules, and their dog, and had torn down the door Yet they had written nothing

to make a fire.

on the walls; so no one knew who they were, or whence they came; but people who take refuge in these houses are too much alarmed to write on the walls.

GUIANA.

THIS Country is not one empire, like Brazil, or one republic, like Peru, or Chili, or La Plata; it is divided between many nations. One part is called British Guiana, anotherDutch Guiana, another-French Guiana, and another part belongs to Brazil.

In British Guiana there are British Missionaries to teach the poor Indians, and the Negroes, who once were slaves.

It is a flat country, very fertile, but very unwholesome. It produces sugar, cotton, and

rice.

The Indians live among the great forests, and on the banks of the river. There they hunt, and fish, while their wives cultivate a root, called "Cassava," which serves them for bread.

There are no large animals in the forests; the largest is about the size of a calf, and is

called the Tapir, or bush-cow; and, like a cow, it is harmless, and feeds on grass.

The Jaguar is not as large as the Tapir, but more dangerous, for it has the nature of a leopard. It has also a leopard's spotted skin. It lies concealed, and attacks men sometimesbut oftener children, or small animals.

There are abundance of snakes in the forests. The largest are the least to be feared; they kill by their strength in crushing the bones; but the smaller snakes are poisonous.

While snakes creep silently along, and while jaguars lie quietly concealed, the harmless

baboons growl among the branches, and the macaws and parrots screain.

A missionary who went to teach the Indians, lived in a hut by the River Pomeroon. He slept in a hammock (as the Indians do), in order to be preserved from the noxious reptiles. At first he was all alone, except a little Negro boy, who came to live with him.

His great desire was to get Indians to come to him; but for some time he could not succeed. They did not wish to learn about the Christian religion having seen many wicked white men, called Christians.

As the missionary sat in his hut, he could see the Indians paddling down the river in their canoes; and much he wished they would stop at his door; but they never did; so he went after them in his canoe, and talked to them. The Indians took care the next time they passed that way, to go by as quietly as possible, and to keep as close as they could to the opposite bank, that the sound of their paddles might not be heard.

But one day an Indian called on the missionary, and offered to place his children under his care. This man had been on a journey, and had been turned from idols by a missionary in a distant place, and now he wished to learn how to worship the "Great Father."

U