the naturalist on the river amazons-第14部分

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ther　tropical　flowers。　They　are　dressed　in　their　usual　holiday　attire；　gauze　chemises　and　black　silk　petticoats；　their　necks　are　adorned　with　links　of　gold　beads；　which　when　they　are　slaves　are　generally　the　property　of　their　mistresses；　who　love　thus　to　display　their　wealth。

At　night；　when　festivals　are　going　on　in　the　grassy　squares　around　the　suburban　churches；　there　is　really　much　to　admire。　A　great　deal　that　is　peculiar　in　the　land　and　the　life　of　its　inhabitants　can　be　seen　best　at　those　times。　The　cheerful　white　church　is　brilliantly　lighted　up；　and　the　music；　not　of　a　very　solemn　description；　peals　forth　from　the　open　windows　and　doors。　Numbers　of　young　gaudily…dressed　negresses　line　the　path　to　the　church　doors　with　stands　of　liqueurs；　sweetmeats；　and　cigarettes；　which　they　sell　to　the　outsiders。　A　short　distance　off　is　heard　the　rattle　of　dice…boxes　and　roulette　at　the　open…air　gambling…　stalls。　When　the　festival　happens　on　moonlit　nights；　the　whole　scene　is　very　striking　to　a　newcomer。　Around　the　square　are　groups　of　tall　palm　trees；　and　beyond　it；　over　the　illuminated　houses；　appear　the　thick　groves　of　mangoes　near　the　suburban　avenues；　from　which　comes　the　perpetual　ringing　din　of　insect　life。　The　soft　tropical　moonlight　lends　a　wonderful　charm　to　the　whole。

The　inhabitants　are　all　out；　dressed　in　their　best。　The　upper　classes；　who　come　to　enjoy　the　fine　evening　and　the　general　cheerfulness；　are　seated　on　chairs　around　the　doors　of　friendly　houses。　There　is　no　boisterous　conviviality；　but　a　quiet　enjoyment　seems　to　be　felt　everywhere；　and　a　gentle　courtesy　rules　among　all　classes　and　colours。　I　have　seen　a　splendidly…　dressed　colonel；　from　the　President's　palace；　walk　up　to　a　mulatto；　and　politely　ask　his　permission　to　take　a　light　from　his　cigar。　When　the　service　is　over；　the　church　bells　are　set　ringing；　a　shower　of　rockets　mounts　upwards；　the　bands　strike　up；　and　parties　of　coloured　people　in　the　booths　begin　their　dances。　About　ten　o'clock　the　Brazilian　national　air　is　played；　and　all　disperse　quietly　and　soberly　to　their　homes。

At　the　festival　of　Corpus　Christi；　there　was　a　very　pretty　arrangement。　The　large　green　square　of　the　Trinidade　was　lighted　up　all　round　with　bonfires。　On　one　side　a　fine　pavilion　was　erected；　the　upright　posts　consisting　of　real　fan…leaved　palm　treesthe　Mauritia　flexuosa；　which　had　been　brought　from　the　forest；　stems　and　heads　entire；　and　fixed　in　the　ground。　The　booth　was　illuminated　with　coloured　lamps；　and　lined　with　red　and　white　cloth。　In　it　were　seated　the　ladies；　not　all　of　pure　Caucasian　blood；　but　presenting　a　fine　sample　of　Para　beauty　and　fashion。

The　grandest　of　all　these　festivals　is　that　held　in　honour　of　Our　Lady　of　Nazareth：　it　is；　I　believe；　peculiar　to　Para。　As　I　have　said　before；　it　falls　in　the　second　quarter　of　the　moon；　about　the　middle　of　the　dry　seasonthat　is；　in　October　or　November　and　lasts；　like　the　others；　nine　days。　On　the　first　day；　a　very　extensive　procession　takes　place；　starting　from　the　Cathedral；　whither　the　image　of　the　saint　had　been　conveyed　some　days　previous；　and　terminating　at　the　chapel　or　hermitage；　as　it　is　called；　of　the　saint　at　Nazaretha　distance　of　more　than　two　miles。　The　whole　population　turns　out　on　this　occasion。　All　the　soldiers；　both　of　the　line　and　the　National　Guard；　take　part　in　it；　each　battalion　accompanied　by　its　band　of　music。　The　civil　authorities；　also；　with　the　President　at　their　head；　and　the　principal　citizens；　including　many　of　the　foreign　residents；　join　in　the　line。　The　boat　of　the　shipwrecked　Portuguese　vessel　is　carried　after　the　saint　on　the　shoulders　of　officers　or　men　of　the　Brazilian　navy；　and　along　with　it　are　borne　the　other　symbols　of　the　miracles　which　Our　Lady　is　supposed　to　have　performed。　The　procession　starts　soon　after　the　sun's　heat　begins　to　moderate　that　is；　about　half…past　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　When　the　image　is　deposited　in　the　chapel　the　festival　is　considered　to　be　inaugurated；　and　the　village　every　evening　becomes　the　resort　of　the　pleasure…loving　population；　the　holiday　portion　of　the　programme　being　preceded；　of　course；　by　a　religious　service　in　the　chapel。　The　aspect　of　the　place　is　then　that　of　a　fair；　without　the　humour　and　fun；　but；　at　the　same　time；　without　the　noise　and　coarseness　of　similar　holidays　in　England。　Large　rooms　are　set　apart　for　panoramic　and　other　exhibitions；　to　which　the　public　is　admitted　gratis。　In　the　course　of　each　evening；　large　displays　of　fireworks　take　place；　all　arranged　according　to　a　published　programme　of　the　festival。

The　various　ceremonies　which　take　place　during　Lent　seemed　to　me　the　most　impressive；　and　some　of　them　were　exceedingly　well…　arranged。　The　people；　both　performers　and　spectators；　conduct　themselves　with　more　gravity　on　these　occasions；　and　there　is　no　holiday…making。　Performances；　representing　the　last　events　in　the　life　of　Christ；　are　enacted　in　the　churches　or　streets　in　such　a　way　as　to　remind　one　of　the　old　miracle　plays　or　mysteries。　A　few　days　before　Good　Friday；　a　torchlight　procession　takes　place　by　night　from　one　church　to　another；　in　which　is　carried　a　large　wooden　image　of　Christ　bent　under　the　weight　of　the　cross。　The　chief　members　of　the　government　assist；　and　the　whole　slowly　moves　to　the　sound　of　muffled　drums。　A　double　procession　is　managed　a　few　days　afterwards。　The　image　of　St。　Mary　is　carried　in　one　direction；　and　that　of　the　Saviour　in　another。　The　two　images　meet　in　the　middle　of　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　the　churches；　which　is　previously　filled　to　excess　with　the　multitudes　anxious　to　witness　the　affecting　meeting　of　mother　and　son　a　few　days　before　the　crucifixion。　The　images　are　brought　face　to　face　in　the　middle　of　the　church；　the　crowd　falls　prostrate；　and　a　lachrymose　sermon　is　delivered　from　the　pulpit。

The　whole　thing；　as　well　as　many　other　spectacles　arranged　during　the　few　succeeding　days；　is　highly　theatrical　and　well　calculated　to　excite　the　religious　emotions　of　the　people　although；　perhaps；　only　temporarily。　On　Good　Friday　the　bells　do　not　ring；　all　musical　sounds　are　interdicted；　and　the　hours；　night　and　day；　are　announced　by　the　dismal　noise　of　wooden　clappers；　wielded　by　negroes　stationed　near　the　different　churches。　A　sermon　is　delivered　in　each　church。　In　the　middle　of　it；　a　scroll　is　suddenly　unfolded　from　the　pulpit；　upon　which　is　an　exaggerated　picture　of　the　bleeding　Christ。　This　act　is　accompanied　by　loud　groans；　which　come　from　stout…lunged　individuals　concealed　in　the　vestry　and　engaged　for　the　purpose。　The　priest　becomes　greatly　excited；　and　actually　sheds　tears。　On　one　of　these　occasions　I　squeezed　myself　into　the　crowd；　and　watched　the　effect　of　the　spectacle　on　the　audience。　Old　Portuguese　men　and　Brazilian　women　seemed　very　much　affected　sobbing；　beating　their　breasts；　and　telling　their　beads。　The　negroes　themselves　behaved　with　great　propriety；　but　seemed　moved　more　particularly　by　the　pomp；　the　gilding；　the　dresses；　and　the　general　display。　Young　Brazilians　laughed。　Several　aborigines　were　there；　coolly　looking　on。　One　old　Indian；　who　was　standing　near　me；　said；　in　a　derisive　manner；　when　the　sermon　was　over：　〃It's　all　very　good；　better　it　could　not　be〃　（Esta　todo　bom；　melhor　nao　pude　ser）。

The　negroes　of　Para　are　very　devout。　They　have　built；　by　slow　degrees；　as　I　was　told；　a　fine　church　by　their　own　unaided　exertions。　It　is　called　Nossa　Senhora　do　Rosario；　or　Our　Lady　of　the　Rosary。　During　the　first　weeks　of　our　residence　at　Para；　I　frequently　observed　a　line　of　negroes　and　negresses；　late　at　night；　marching　along　the　streets；　singing　a　chorus。　Each　carried　on　his　or　her　head　a　quantity　of　building　materialsstones；　bricks；　mortar；　or　planks。　I　found　they　were　chiefly　slaves；　who；　after　their　hard　day's　work；　were　contributing　a　little　towards　the　construction　of　their　church。　The　materials　had　all　been　purchased　by　their　own　savings。　The　interior　was　finished　about　a　year　afterwards；　and　is　decorated；　I　thought；　quite　as　superbly　as　the　other　churches　which　were　constructed；　with　far　larger　means；　by　the　old　religious　orders　more　than　a　century　ago。　Annually；　the　negroes　celebrate　the　festival　of　Nossa　Senora　de　Rosario；　and　generally　make　it　a　complete　success。

I　will　now　add　a　few　more　notes　which　I　have　accumulated　on　the　subject　of　the　natural　history；　and　then　we　shall　have　done；　for　the　present；　with　Para　and　its　neighbourhood。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　monkeys　were　rare　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　Para。　I　met　with　only　three　species　in　the　forest　near　the　city；　they　are　shy　animals；　and　avoid　the　neighbourhood　of　towns；　where　they　are　subject　to　much　persecution　by　the　inhabitants；　who　kill　them　for　food。　The　only　kind　which　I　saw　frequently　was　the　little　Midas　ursulus；　one　of　the　Marmosets；　a　family　peculiar　to　tropical　America；　and　differing　in　many　essential　points　of　structure　and　habits　from　all　other　apes。　They　are　small　in　size；　and　more　like　squirrels　than　true　monkeys　in　their　manner　of　climbing。　The　nails；　except　those　of　the　hind　thumbs；　are　long　and　claw…shaped　like　those　of　squirrels；　and　the　thumbs　of　the　fore　extremities；　or　hands；　are　not　opposable　to　the　other　fingers。　I　do　not　mean　to　imply　that　they　have　a　near　relationship　to　squirrels；　which　belong　to　the　Rodents；　an　inferior　order　of　mammals；　their　resemblance　to　those　animals　is　merely　a　superficial　one。　They　have　two　molar　teeth　less　in　each　jaw　than　the　Cebidae；　the　other　family　of　American　monkeys；　they　agree　with　them；　however；　in　the　sideway　position　of　the　nostrils；　a　character　which　distinguishes　both　from　all　the　monkeys　of　the　old　world。　The　body　is　long　and　slender；　clothed　with　soft　hairs；　and　the　tail；　which　is　nearly　twice　the　length　of　the　trunk；　is　not　prehensile。　The　hind　limbs　are　much　larger　in　volume　than　the　anterior　pair。　The　Midas　ursulus　is　never　seen　in　large　flocks；　three　or　four　is　the　greatest　number　observed　together。　It　seems　to　be　less　afraid　of　the　neighbourhood　of　man　than　any　other　monkey。　I　sometimes　saw　it　in　the　woods　which　border　the　suburban　streets；　and　once　I　espied　two　individuals　in　a　thicket　behind　the　English　consul's　house　at　Nazareth。　Its　mode　of　progression　along　the　main　boughs　of　the　lofty　trees　is　like　that　of　the　squirrel；　it　does