the naturalist on the river amazons-第11部分

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The　other　grand　forest　trees　whose　native　names　we　learned；　were　the　Moiratinga　（the　White　or　King　tree）；　probably　the　same　as；　or　allied　to；　the　Mora　Excelsa；　which　Sir　Robert　Schomburgh　discovered　in　British　Guiana；　the　Samauma　（Eriodendron　Samauma）　and　the　Massaranduba；　or　Cow　tree。　The　last…mentioned　is　the　most　remarkable。　We　had　already　heard　a　good　deal　about　this　tree；　and　about　its　producing　from　its　bark　a　copious　supply　of　milk　as　pleasant　to　drink　as　that　of　the　cow。　We　had　also　eaten　its　fruit　in　Para；　where　it　is　sold　in　the　streets　by　negro　market　women；　and　had　heard　a　good　deal　of　the　durableness　in　water　of　its　timber。　We　were　glad；　therefore；　to　see　this　wonderful　tree　growing　in　its　native　wilds。　It　is　one　of　the　largest　of　the　forest　monarchs；　and　is　peculiar　in　appearance　on　account　of　its　deeply…scored　reddish　and　ragged　bark。　A　decoction　of　the　bark；　I　was　told；　is　used　as　a　red　dye　for　cloth。　A　few　days　afterwards　we　tasted　its　milk；　which　was　drawn　from　dry　logs　that　had　been　standing　many　days　in　the　hot　sun；　at　the　saw…mills。　It　was　pleasant　with　coffee；　but　had　a　slight　rankness　when　drunk　pure；　it　soon　thickens　to　a　glue；　which　is　excessively　tenacious；　and　is　often　used　to　cement　broken　crockery。　I　was　told　that　it　was　not　safe　to　drink　much　of　it；　for　a　slave　had　recently　nearly　lost　his　life　through　taking　it　too　freely。

In　some　parts　of　the　road　ferns　were　conspicuous　objects。　But　I　afterwards　found　them　much　more　numerous　on　the　Maranham　road；　especially　in　one　place　where　the　whole　forest　glade　formed　a　vast　fernery；　the　ground　was　covered　with　terrestrial　species；　and　the　tree　trunks　clothed　with　climbing　and　epiphytous　kinds。　I　saw　no　tree　ferns　in　the　Para　district；　they　belong　to　hilly　regions；　some　occur；　however；　on　the　Upper　Amazons。

Such　were　the　principal　features　in　the　vegetation　of　the　wilderness；　but　where　were　the　flowers？　To　our　great　disappointment　we　saw　none；　or　only　such　as　were　insignificant　in　appearance。　Orchids　are　very　rare　in　the　dense　forests　of　the　low　lands。　I　believe　it　is　now　tolerably　well　ascertained　that　the　majority　of　forest　trees　in　equatorial　Brazil　have　small　and　inconspicuous　flowers。　Flower…frequenting　insects　are　also　rare　in　the　forest。　Of　course　they　would　not　be　found　where　their　favourite　food　was　wanting；　but　I　always　noticed　that　even　where　flowers　occurred　in　the　forest；　few　or　no　insects　were　seen　upon　them。　In　the　open　country　or　campos　of　Santarem　on　the　Lower　Amazons；　flowering　trees　and　bushes　are　more　abundant；　and　there　a　large　number　of　floral　insects　are　attracted。　The　forest　bees　of　South　America　belonging　to　the　genera　Melipona　and　Euglossa　are　more　frequently　seen　feeding　on　the　sweet　sap　which　exudes　from　the　trees　or　on　the　excrement　of　birds　on　leaves；　rather　than　on　flowers。

We　were　disappointed　also　in　not　meeting　with　any　of　the　larger　animals　in　the　forest。　There　was　no　tumultuous　movement；　or　sound　of　life。　We　did　not　see　or　hear　monkeys；　and　no　tapir　or　jaguar　crossed　our　path。　Birds；　also；　appeared　to　be　exceedingly　scarce。　We　heard；　however；　occasionally；　the　long…drawn；　wailing　note　of　the　Inambu；　a　kind　of　partridge　（Crypturus　cincreus？）；　and；　also；　in　the　hollows　on　the　banks；　of　the　rivulets；　the　noisy　notes　of　another　bird；　which　seemed　to　go　in　pairs；　amongst　the　tree…tops；　calling　to　each　other　as　they　went。　These　notes　resounded　through　the　wilderness。　Another　solitary　bird　had　a　most　sweet　and　melancholy　song；　it　consisted　simply　of　a　few　notes；　uttered　in　a　plaintive　key；　commencing　high；　and　descending　by　harmonic　intervals。　It　was　probably　a　species　of　warbler　of　the　genus　Trichas。　All　these　notes　of　birds　are　very　striking　and　characteristic　of　the　forest。

I　afterwards　saw　reason　to　modify　my　opinion；　founded　on　these　first　impressions；　with　regard　to　the　amount　and　variety　of　animal　life　in　this　and　other　parts　of　the　Amazonian　forests。　There　is；　in　fact；　a　great　variety　of　mammals；　birds；　and　reptiles；　but　they　are　widely　scattered；　and　all　excessively　shy　of　man。　The　region　is　so　extensive；　and　uniform　in　the　forest　clothing　of　its　surface；　that　it　is　only　at　long　intervals　that　animals　are　seen　in　abundance　when　some　particular　spot　is　found　which　is　more　attractive　than　others。　Brazil；　moreover；　is　poor　throughout　in　terrestrial　mammals；　and　the　species　are　of　small　size；　they　do　not；　therefore；　form　a　conspicuous　feature　in　its　forests。　The　huntsman　would　be　disappointed　who　expected　to　find　here　flocks　of　animals　similar　to　the　buffalo　herds　of　North　America；　or　the　swarms　of　antelopes　and　herds　of　ponderous　pachyderms　of　Southern　Africa。　The　largest　and　most　interesting　portion　of　the　Brazilian　mammal　fauna　is　arboreal　in　its　habits；　this　feature　of　the　animal　denizens　of　these　forests　I　have　already　alluded　to。　The　most　intensely　arboreal　animals　in　the　world　are　the　South　American　monkeys　of　the　family　Cebidae；　many　of　which　have　a　fifth　hand　for　climbing　in　their　prehensile　tails；　adapted　for　this　function　by　their　strong　muscular　development；　and　the　naked　palms　under　their　tips。　This　seems　to　teach　us　that　the　South　American　fauna　has　been　slowly　adapted　to　a　forest　life；　and；　therefore；　that　extensive　forests　must　have　always　existed　since　the　region　was　first　peopled　by　mammalia。　But　to　this　subject；　and　to　the　natural　history　of　the　monkeys；　of　which　thirty…eight　species　inhabit　the　Amazon　region；　I　shall　have　to　return。

We　often　read；　in　books　of　travels；　of　the　silence　and　gloom　of　the　Brazilian　forests。　They　are　realities；　and　the　impression　deepens　on　a　longer　acquaintance。　The　few　sounds　of　birds　are　of　that　pensive　or　mysterious　character　which　intensifies　the　feeling　of　solitude　rather　than　imparts　a　sense　of　life　and　cheerfulness。　Sometimes；　in　the　midst　of　the　stillness；　a　sudden　yell　or　scream　will　startle　one；　this　comes　from　some　defenseless　fruit…eating　animal；　which　is　pounced　upon　by　a　tiger…cat　or　stealthy　boa…constrictor。　Morning　and　evening　the　howling　monkeys　make　a　most　fearful　and　harrowing　noise；　under　which　it　is　difficult　to　keep　up　one's　buoyancy　of　spirit。　The　feeling　of　inhospitable　wildness；　which　the　forest　is　calculated　to　inspire；　is　increased　tenfold　under　this　fearful　uproar。　Often；　even　in　the　still　hours　of　midday；　a　sudden　crash　will　be　heard　resounding　afar　through　the　wilderness；　as　some　great　bough　or　entire　tree　falls　to　the　ground。　There　are；　besides；　many　sounds　which　it　is　impossible　to　account　for。　I　found　the　natives　generally　as　much　at　a　loss　in　this　respect　as　myself。　Sometimes　a　sound　is　heard　like　the　clang　of　an　iron　bar　against　a　hard；　hollow　tree；　or　a　piercing　cry　rends　the　air；　these　are　not　repeated；　and　the　succeeding　silence　tends　to　heighten　the　unpleasant　impression　which　they　make　on　the　mind。　With　the　native　it　is　always　the　Curupira；　the　wild　man　or　spirit　of　the　forest；　which　produces　all　noises　they　are　unable　to　explain。　For　myths　are　the　rude　theories　which　mankind；　in　the　infancy　of　knowledge；　invent　to　explain　natural　phenomena。　The　Curupira　is　a　mysterious　being；　whose　attributes　are　uncertain；　for　they　vary　according　to　locality。　Sometimes　he　is　described　as　a　kind　of　orangutang；　being　covered　with　long；　shaggy　hair；　and　living　in　trees。　At　others；　he　is　said　to　have　cloven　feet　and　a　bright　red　face。　He　has　a　wife　and　children；　and　sometimes　comes　down　to　the　rocas　to　steal　the　mandioca。　At　one　time　I　had　a　Mameluco　youth　in　my　service；　whose　head　was　full　of　the　legends　and　superstitions　of　the　country。　He　always　went　with　me　into　the　forest；　in　fact；　I　could　not　get　him　to　go　alone；　and　whenever　we　heard　any　of　the　strange　noises　mentioned　above。　he　used　to　tremble　with　fear。　He　would　crouch　down　behind　me；　and　beg　of　me　to　turn　back；　his　alarm　ceasing　only　after　he　had　made　a　charm　to　protect　us　from　the　Curupira。　For　this　purpose；　he　took　a　young　palm　leaf；　plaited　it；　and　formed　it　into　a　ring；　which　he　hung　to　a　branch　on　our　track。

At　length；　after　a　six　hour　walk；　we　arrived　at　our　destination；　the　last　mile　or　two　having　been　again　through　second…growth　forest。　The　mills　formed　a　large　pile　of　buildings；　pleasantly　situated　in　a　cleared　tract　of　land；　many　acres　in　extent；　and　everywhere　surrounded　by　the　perpetual　forest。　We　were　received　in　the　kindest　manner　by　the　overseer；　Mr。　Leavens；　who　showed　us　all　that　was　interesting　about　the　place；　and　took　us　to　the　best　spots　in　the　neighbourhood　for　birds　and　insects。　The　mills　were　built　a　long　time　ago　by　a　wealthy　Brazilian。　They　had　belonged　to　Mr。　Upton　for　many　years。　I　was　told　that　when　the　dark…skinned　revolutionists　were　preparing　for　their　attack　on　Para；　they　occupied　the　place；　but　not　the　slightest　injury　was　done　to　the　machinery　or　building；　for　the　leaders　said　it　was　against　the　Portuguese　and　their　party　that　they　were　at　war；　not　against　the　other　foreigners。

The　Iritiri　Creek　at　the　mills　is　only　a　few　yards　wide；　it　winds　about　between　two　lofty　walls　of　forest　for　some　distance；　then　becomes　much　broader；　and　finally　joins　the　Magoary。　There　are　many　other　ramifications；　creeks　or　channels；　which　lead　to　retired　hamlets　and　scattered　houses；　inhabited　by　people　of　mixed　white；　Indian；　and　negro　descent。　Many　of　them　did　business　with　Mr。　Leavens；　bringing　for　sale　their　little　harvests　of　rice；　or　a　few　logs　of　timber。　It　was　interesting　to　see　them　in　their　little；　heavily…laden　montarias。　Sometimes　the　boats　were　managed　by　handsome；　healthy　young　lads；　loosely　clad　in　a　straw　hat；　white　shirt；　and　dark　blue　trousers；　turned　up　to　the　knee。　They　steered；　paddled；　and　managed　the　varejao　（the　boating　pole）；　with　much　grace　and　dexterity。

We　made　many　excursions　down　the　Iritiri；　and　saw　much　of　these　creeks；　besides；　our　second　visit　to　the　mills　was　by　water。　The　Magoary　is　a　magnificent　channel；　the　different　branches　form　quite　a　labyrinth；　and　the　land　is　everywhere　of　little　elevation。　　All　these　smaller　rivers；　throughout　the　Para　Estuary；　are　of　the　nature　of　creeks。　The　land　is　so　level；　that　the　short　local　rivers　have　no　sources　and　downward　currents　like　rivers　as　we　generally　understand　them。　They　serve　the　purpose　of　draining　the　land；　but　instead　of　having　a　constant　current　one　way；　they　have　a　regular　ebb　and　flow