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IRAÇÉMA.

straight to the wigwam of the Pagé; as the Guará[1] runs along the skirts of the forest when following the trail of the escaping prey, so did the wrathful warrior hurry his steps.

Araken saw the great Tabajára chief enter his cabin, but he did not move. Sitting on his hammock with crossed legs, he was giving ear to Iraçéma. The maiden related the events of the evening; beholding the sinister countenance of Irapúam, she sprang to her bow and placed herself by the white warrior՚s side.

Martim put her gently away and advanced a few steps.

The protection with which the Tabajára maid surrounded him, a warrior, annoyed him.

"Araken! the vengeance of the Tabajáras demands the white warrior; Irapúam comes to fetch him."

"The Guest is the beloved of Tupan; who so molests the Stranger shall hear the voice of his Thunder."

"It is the Stranger who has offended Tupan, robbing him of his Virgin who keeps the dreams of the Juréma draught."

"The mouth of Irapúam lies like the hiss of the Giboia,"[2] exclaimed Iraçéma.

Martim said—

"Irapúam is vile, and unworthy to be the Chief of braves."

The Pagé spoke slow and solemnly—

"If the Virgin has yielded the flower of her Chastity to the white warrior, she will die; but the Guest of

  1. ↑ Guará, a wild dog, the Brazilian wolf. The word decomposed with g, the relative u, to eat, and ara for a, the emphatic desinence is g-u-ára, "comedor," or "voracious eater."
  2. ↑ Giboia, the wild people so called the boa-constrictor, the largest snake in the Brazils, which can easily swallow a stag. The word comes from gi, a hatchet, and boia, any snake (the root of our "boa"), because the serpent strikes with its fangs like the blow of a hatchet.
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