the naturalist on the river amazons-第16部分

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dah。　This　species；　however；　although　much　admired；　looks　dull　in　colour　by　the　side　of　its　congener；　the　Morpho　Rhetenor；　whose　wings；　on　the　upper　face；　are　of　quite　a　dazzling　lustre。　Rhetenor　usually　prefers　the　broad　sunny　roads　in　the　forest；　and　is　an　almost　unattainable　prize；　on　account　of　its　lofty　flight；　for　it　very　rarely　descends　nearer　the　ground　than　about　twenty　feet。　When　it　comes　sailing　along；　it　occasionally　flaps　its　wings；　and　then　the　blue　surface　flashes　in　the　sunlight；　so　that　it　is　visible　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off。　There　is　another　species　of　this　genus；　of　a　satiny…white　hue；　the　Morpho　Uraneis；　this　is　equally　difficult　to　obtain；　the　male　only　has　the　satiny　lustre；　the　female　being　of　a　pale…lavender　colour。　It　is　in　the　height　of　the　dry　season　that　the　greatest　number　and　variety　of　butterflies　are　found　in　the　woods；　especially　when　a　shower　falls　at　intervals　of　a　few　days。　An　infinite　number　of　curious　and　rare　species　may　then　be　taken；　most　diversified　in　habits；　mode　of　flight；　colours；　and　markings：　some　yellow；　others　bright　red；　green；　purple；　and　blue；　and　many　bordered　or　spangled　with　metallic　lines　and　spots　of　a　silvery　or　golden　lustre。　Some　have　wings　transparent　as　glass　one　of　these　clear　wings　is　especially　beautiful；　namely；　the　Hetaira　Esmeralda。　It　has　one　spot　only　of　opaque　colouring　on　its　wings；　which　is　of　a　violet　and　rose　hue；　this　is　the　only　part　visible　when　the　insect　is　flying　low　over　dead　leaves　in　the　gloomy　shades　where　alone　it　is　found；　and　it　then　looks　like　a　wandering　petal　of　a　flower。

Bees　and　wasps　are　not　especially　numerous　near　Para；　and　I　will　reserve　an　account　of　their　habits　for　a　future　chapter。　Many　species　of　Mygale；　those　monstrous　hairy　spiders；　half　a　foot　in　expanse；　which　attract　the　attention　so　much　in　museums；　are　found　in　sandy　places　at　Nazareth。　The　different　kinds　have　the　most　diversified　habits。　Some　construct；　amongst　the　tiles　or　thatch　of　houses；　dens　of　closely…woven　web；　which；　in　its　texture；　very　much　resembles　fine　muslin；　these　are　often　seen　crawling　over　the　walls　of　apartments。　Others　build　similar　nests　in　trees；　and　are　known　to　attack　birds。　One　very　robust　fellow；　the　Mygale　Blondii；　burrows　into　the　earth；　forming　a　broad；　slanting　gallery；　about　two　feet　long；　the　sides　of　which　he　lines　beautifully　with　silk。　He　is　nocturnal　in　his　habits。　Just　before　sunset　he　may　be　seen　keeping　watch　within　the　mouth　of　his　tunnel；　disappearing　suddenly　when　he　hears　a　heavy　foot…　tread　near　his　hiding　place。　The　number　of　spiders　ornamented　with　showy　colours　was　somewhat　remarkable。　Some　double　themselves　up　at　the　base　of　leaf…stalks；　so　as　to　resemble　flower…buds；　and　thus　deceive　the　insects　on　which　they　prey。　The　most　extraordinary…looking　spider　was　a　species　of　Acrosoma；　which　had　two　curved　bronze…coloured　spines；　an　inch　and　a　half　in　length；　proceeding　from　the　tip　of　its　abdomen。　It　spins　a　large　web；　the　monstrous　appendages　being　apparently　no　impediment　to　it　in　its　work；　but　what　their　use　can　be　I　am　unable　to　divine。

Coleoptera；　or　beetles；　at　first　seemed　to　be　very　scarce。　This　apparent　scarcity　has　been　noticed　in　other　equatorial　countries；　and　arises；　probably；　from　the　great　heat　of　the　sun　not　permitting　them　to　exist　in　exposed　situations；　where　they　form　such　conspicuous　objects　in　Europe。　Many　hundred　species　of　the　different　families　can　be　found　when　they　are　patiently　searched　for　in　the　shady　places　to　which　they　are　confined。　It　is　vain　to　look　for　the　Geodephaga；　or　carnivorous　beetles；　under　stones；　or　anywhere；　indeed；　in　open；　sunny　places。　The　terrestrial　forms　of　this　interesting　family；　which　abound　in　England　and　temperate　countries　generally；　are　scarce　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Para；　in　fact；　I　met　with　only　four　or　five　species。

On　the　other　hand；　the　purely　arboreal　kinds　were　rather　numerous。　The　contrary　of　this　happens　in　northern　latitudes；　where　the　great　majority　of　the　species　and　genera　are　exclusively　terrestrial。　The　arboreal　forms　are　distinguished　by　the　structure　of　the　feet；　which　have　broad　spongy　soles　and　toothed　claws；　enabling　them　to　climb　over　　and　cling　to　branches　and　leaves。　The　remarkable　scarcity　of　ground　beetles　is；　doubtless；　attributable　to　the　number　of　ants　and　Termites　which　people　every　inch　of　surface　in　all　shady　places；　and　which　would　most　likely　destroy　the　larvae　of　Coleoptera。　Moreover；　these　active　creatures　have　the　same　functions　as　Coleoptera；　and　thus　render　their　existence　unnecessary。　The　large　proportion　of　climbing　forms　of　carnivorous　beetles　is　an　interesting　fact；　because　it　affords　another　instance　of　the　arboreal　character　which　animal　forms　tend　to　assume　in　equinoctial　America；　a　circumstance　which　points　to　the　slow　adaptation　of　the　fauna　to　a　forest…clad　country　throughout　an　immense　lapse　of　geological　time。


CHAPTER　IV

THE　TOCANTINS　AND　CAMETA

Preparations　for　the　journeyThe　Bay　of　GoajaraGrove　of　fan…　leaved　PalmsThe　lower　TocantinsSketch　of　the　River…Vista　AlegreBaiaoRapidsBoat　journey　to　the　Guariba　FallsNative　Life　on　the　TocantinsSecond　journey　to　Cameta。

August　26th；　1848Mr。　Wallace　and　I　started　today　on　the　excursion　；which　I　have　already　mentioned　as　having　been　planned　with　Mr。　Leavens；　up　the　river　Tocantins；　whose　mouth　lies　about　forty…five　miles　in　a　straight　line；　but　eighty　miles　following　the　bends　of　the　river　channels　to　the　southwest　of　Para。　This　river；　as　before　stated；　has　a　course　of　1600　miles；　and　stands　third　in　rank　amongst　the　streams　which　form　the　Amazons　system。　The　preparations　for　the　journey　took　a　great　deal　of　time　and　trouble。　We　had　first　to　hire　a　proper　vessel；　a　two…masted　vigilinga　twenty…seven　feet　long；　with　a　flat　prow　and　great　breadth　of　beam　and　fitted　to　live　in　heavy　seas；　for；　although　our　voyage　was　only　a　river　trip；　there　were　vast　sea…like　expanses　of　water　to　traverse。　It　was　not　decked　over；　but　had　two　arched　awnings　formed　of　strong　wickerwork；　and　thatched　with　palm　leaves。　We　then　had　to　store　it　with　provisions　for　three　months；　the　time　we　at　first　intended　to　be　away；　procure　the　necessary　passports；　and；　lastly；　engage　a　crew。　Mr。　Leavens；　having　had　much　experience　in　the　country；　managed　all　these　matters。　He　brought　two　Indians　from　the　rice…mills；　and　these　induced　another　to　enroll　himself。　We；　on　our　parts；　took　our　cook　Isidoro；　and　a　young　Indian　lad；　named　Antonio；　who　had　attached　himself　to　us　in　the　course　of　our　residence　at　Nazareth。　Our　principal　man　was　Alexandro；　one　of　Mr。　Leavens's　Indians。　He　was　an　intelligent　and　well…disposed　young　Tapuyo；　an　expert　sailor；　and　an　indefatigable　hunter。　To　his　fidelity　we　were　indebted　for　being　enabled　to　carry　out　any　of　the　objects　of　our　voyage。　Being　a　native　of　a　district　near　the　capital；　Alexandro　was　a　civilised　Tapuyo；　a　citizen　as　free　as　his　white　neighbours。　He　spoke　only　Portuguese。　He　was　a　spare…built　man；　rather　under　the　middle　height；　with　fine　regular　features；　and；　what　was　unusual　in　Indians；　the　upper　lip　decorated　with　a　moustache。　Three　years　afterwards　I　saw　him　at　Para　in　the　uniform　of　the　National　Guard；　and　he　called　on　me　often　to　talk　about　old　times。　I　esteemed　him　as　a　quiet；　sensible；　manly　young　fellow。

We　set　sail　in　the　evening；　after　waiting　several　hours　in　vain　for　one　of　our　crew。　It　was　soon　dark；　the　wind　blew　stiffly；　and　the　tide　rushed　along　with　great　rapidity；　carrying　us　swiftly　past　the　crowd　of　vessels　which　were　anchored　in　the　port。　The　canoe　rolled　a　good　deal。　After　we　had　made　five　or　six　miles　of　way；　the　tide　turned　and　we　were　obliged　to　cast　anchor。　Not　long　after；　we　lay　ourselves　down；　all　three　together；　on　the　mat　which　was　spread　over　the　floor　of　our　cabin；　and　soon　fell　asleep。

On　awaking　at　sunrise　the　next　morning；　we　found　ourselves　gliding　upwards　with　the　tide；　along　the　Bahia　or　Bay；　as　it　is　called；　of　Goajara。　This　is　a　broad　channel　lying　between　the　mainland　and　a　line　of　islands　which　extends　some　distance　beyond　the　city。　Into　it　three　large　rivers　discharge　their　waters；　namely；　the　Guama；　the　Acara；　and　the　Moju　so　that　it　forms　a　kind　of　sub…estuary　within　the　grand　estuary　of　Para。　It　is　nearly　four　miles　broad。　The　left　bank；　along　which　we　were　now　sailing；　was　beautiful　in　the　extreme；　not　an　inch　of　soil　was　to　be　seen；　the　water　frontage　presented　a　compact　wall　of　rich　and　varied　forest；　resting　on　the　surface　of　the　stream。　It　seemed　to　form　a　finished　border　to　the　water　scene；　where　the　dome…like；　rounded　shapes　of　exogenous　trees　which　constituted　the　mass　formed　the　groundwork；　and　the　endless　diversity　of　broad…leaved　Heliconiae　and　Palmseach　kind　differing　in　stem；　crown；　and　frondsthe　rich　embroidery。　The　morning　was　calm　and　cloudless；　and　the　slanting　beams　of　the　early　sun；　striking　full　on　the　front　of　the　forest；　lighted　up　the　whole　most　gloriously。　The　only　sound　of　life　which　reached　us　was　the　call　of　the　Serracura　（Gallinula　Cayennensis）；　a　kind　of　wild…fowl；　all　else　was　so　still　that　the　voices　of　boatmen　could　be　plainly　heard　from　canoes　passing　a　mile　or　two　distant　from　us。　The　sun　soon　gains　great　power　on　the　water；　but　with　it　the　sea…breeze　increases　in　strength；　moderating　the　heat　which　would　otherwise　be　almost　insupportable。　We　reached　the　end　of　the　Goajara　about　midday；　and　then　entered　the　narrower　channel　of　the　Moju。　Up　this　we　travelled；　partly　rowing　and　partly　sailing　between　the　same　unbroken　walls　of　forest；　until　the　morning　of　the　28th。

August　29thThe　Moju；　a　stream　slightly　inferior　to　the　Thames　in　size；　is　connected　about　twenty　miles　from　its　mouth　by　means　of　a　short；　artificial　canal　with　a　small　stream；　the　Igarape…　mirim；　which　flows　the　opposite　way　into　the　water…system　of　the　Tocantins。　Small　vessels　like　ours　take　this　route　in　preference　to　the　stormy　passage　by　way　of　the　main　river；　although　the　distance　is　considerably　greater。　We　passed　through　the　canal　yesterday；　and　today　have　been　threading　our　way　through　a　labyrinth　of　narrow　channels；　their　banks　all　clothed　with　the　same　magnificent　forest；　but　agreeably　varied　by　houses　of　planters　and　settlers。　We　passed　many　quite　large　establishments；　besides　one　pretty　little　village　calle