CHAPTER XXIV.
The diamond mines—More and more astonishing!
If Martin Rattler was amazed at the treatment he experienced at the hands of his new acquaint- ances on arriving, he had occasion to be very much more surprised at what occurred three hours after his incarceration.
It was getting dark when he was locked up, and for upwards of two hours he was left in total dark- ness. Moreover, he began to feel very hungry, having eaten nothing since mid-day. He was deeply engaged in devising plans for his escape when he was inter- rupted by the door being unlocked and a Negro slave entering with four magnificent candles, made of bees'- wax, which he placed upon the table. Then he re- turned to the door, where another slave handed him a tray containing dishes, knives and forks, and, in short, all the requisites for laying out a supper-table. Having spread a clean linen cloth on the board, he arranged covers for two, and going to the door placed his head to one side and regarded his arrangements
