The Whispering Land

cowcatcher – a metal frame on the front of a locomotive to remove obstructions from the tracks
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The author spent the earlier part of his life in Greece, hence his knowledge of the language.
to run to earth – here to find after a long search (a hunting term used jocularly; cf. other instances of its use on pp. 99, 121)
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forty-odd cages – more than forty cages; the word odd when mentioned in round numbers, means 'additional to a whole'
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to come into one's own – to start performing one's duties
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to doll up (colloq.) - to dress carefully and stylishly or showily 
Martin Fierro - an epic poem by Jose Fernandez, a well-known poet of Argentina
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Bosun ['bousn] = boatswain, the ship's officer who is in charge of the crew, the boats, rigging, etc.
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pale into insignificance – become insignificant, seem of no importance
full of beans (sl.) - full of energy, lively, brisk, vivacious
to husband – here to economize, to spend thriftily
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the Great Fire of London – the fire that destroyed the most part, of London in 1666
beautifully appointed – very nicely furnished
at the double – at a run, at double speed
a whacking great shot (sl.) - a very big dose
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kill or cure – here a remedy that would either cure a patient very quickly or kill him
for all I knew – as far as I knew
allergic to something – having an allergy, not able to stand something (allergy – a hypersensitivity to a specific substance, such as certain foods, dust, etc., or condition, as heat or cold, which in similar amounts is harmless to most people)
she's right out – she has passed out, i.e. lost consciousness
terrific (colloq.) - wonderful, magnificent
"hostesses" – a euphemistic name for the local prostitutes
port of call – a harbour where merchant ships discharge and take in cargo; figuratively, a place regularly visited by someone
to stand someone a drink – to treat to a drink
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carnavalitos (Sp.) - gay songs
pobrecita (Sp.) - poor thing
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she never looked back – she never returned to her previous bad state
by leaps and bounds – very quickly, with very rapid progress
porcine – pertaining to or characteristic of pigs (cf. equine charges on p. 27, feline tribe on p. 121)
The Pit and the Pendulum - a story by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), American poet, critic and prose writer. The main personage who tells the story was sentenced to death by the Spanish inquisition and thrown into a dark dungeon, where he lay bound hand and foot, with dozens of rats running all over his body.
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to pull somebody round – to cause somebody to recover from an illness, to save
despachante (Sp.) - a Customs official who is in charge of dispatching, i.e. sending off goods
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We had twenty minutes to go. – We had twenty minutes at our disposal.
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stop press – the latest news inserted in a special-column of a newspaper after printing has begun