the naturalist on the river amazons-第17部分

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ers　and　settlers。　We　passed　many　quite　large　establishments；　besides　one　pretty　little　village　called　Santa　Anna。　All　these　channels　are　washed　through　by　the　tidesthe　ebb；　contrary　to　what　takes　place　in　the　short　canal；　setting　towards　the　Tocantins。　The　water　is　almost　tepid　（77　Fahr。）；　and　the　rank　vegetation　all　around　seems　reeking　with　moisture。　The　country　however；　as　we　were　told；　is　perfectly　healthy。　Some　of　the　houses　are　built　on　wooden　piles　driven　into　the　mud　of　the　swamp。

In　the　afternoon　we　reached　the　end　of　the　last　channel；　called　the　Murut　Ipucu；　which　runs　for　several　miles　between　two　unbroken　lines　of　fan…leaved　palms；　forming　colossal　palisades　with　their　straight　stems　。　On　rounding　a　point　of　land；　we　came　in　full　view　of　the　Tocantins。　The　event　was　announced　by　one　of　our　Indians；　who　was　on　the　lookout　at　the　prow；　shouting：　〃La　esta　o　Parana…uassu！〃　〃Behold；　the　great　river！〃　It　was　a　grand　sight…　…a　broad　expanse　of　dark　waters　dancing　merrily　to　the　breeze；　the　opposite　shore；　a　narrow　blue　line；　miles　away。

We　went　ashore　on　an　island　covered　with　palm　trees；　to　make　a　fire　and　boil　our　kettle　for　tea。　I　wandered　a　short　way　inland；　and　was　astounded　at　the　prospect。　The　land　lay　below　the　upper　level　of　the　daily　tides；　so　that　there　was　no　underwood；　and　the　ground　was　bare。　The　trees　were　almost　all　of　one　species　of　Palm；　the　gigantic　fan…leaved　Mauritia　flexuosa；　only　on　the　borders　was　there　a　small　number　of　a　second　kind；　the　equally　remarkable　Ubussu　palm；　Manicaria　saccifera。　The　Ubussu　has　erect；　uncut　leaves；　twenty…five　feet　long；　and　six　feet　wide；　all　arranged　round　the　top　of　a　four…foot　high　stem；　so　as　to　form　a　figure　like　that　of　a　colossal　shuttlecock。　The　fan…leaved　palms；　which　clothed　nearly　the　entire　islet；　had　huge　cylindrical　smooth　stems；　three　feet　in　diameter；　and　about　a　hundred　feet　high。　The　crowns　were　formed　of　enormous　clusters　of　fan…shaped　leaves；　the　stalks　alone　of　which　measured　seven　to　ten　feet　in　length。　Nothing　in　the　vegetable　world　could　be　more　imposing　than　this　grove　of　palms。　There　was　no　underwood　to　obstruct　the　view　of　the　long　perspective　of　towering　columns。　The　crowns；　which　were　densely　packed　together　at　an　immense　height　overhead；　shut　out　the　rays　of　the　sun；　and　the　gloomy　solitude　beneath；　through　which　the　sound　of　our　voices　seemed　to　reverberate；　could　be　compared　to　nothing　so　well　as　a　solemn　temple。　The　fruits　of　the　two　palms　were　scattered　over　the　ground；　those　of　the　Ubussu　adhere　together　by　twos　and　threes；　and　have　a　rough；　brown…coloured　shell；　the　fruit　of　the　Mauritia；　on　the　contrary；　is　of　a　bright　red　hue；　and　the　skin　is　impressed　with　deep…crossing　lines；　which　give　it　a　resemblance　to　a　quilted　cricket…ball。

About　midnight；　the　tide　being　favourable　and　the　breeze　strong；　we　crossed　the　river；　taking　it　in　a　slanting　direction　a　distance　of　sixteen　miles；　and　arrived　at　eight　o'clock　the　following　morning　at　Cameta。　This　is　a　town　of　some　importance；　pleasantly　situated　on　the　somewhat　high　terra　firma　of　the　left　bank　of　the　Tocantins。　I　will　defer　giving　an　account　of　the　place　till　the　end　of　this　narrative　of　our　Tocantins　voyage。　We　lost　here　another　of　our　men；　who　got　drinking　with　some　old　companions　ashore；　and　were　obliged　to　start　on　the　difficult　journey　up　the　river　with　two　hands　only；　and　they　in　a　very　dissatisfied　humour　with　the　prospect。

The　river　view　from　Cameta　is　magnificent。　The　town　is　situated；　as　already　mentioned；　on　a　high　bank；　which　forms　quite　a　considerable　elevation　for　this　flat　country；　and　the　broad　expanse　of　dark…green　waters　is　studded　with　low；　palm…clad　islands　the　prospect　down　river；　however；　being　clear；　or　bounded　only　by　a　sea…like　horizon　of　water　and　sky。　The　shores　are　washed　by　the　breeze…tossed　waters　into　little　bays　and　creeks；　fringed　with　sandy　beaches。　The　Tocantins　has　been　likened；　by　Prince　Adalbert　of　Prussia；　who　crossed　its　mouth　in　1846；　to　the　Ganges。　It　is　upwards　of　ten　miles　in　breadth　at　its　mouth；　opposite　Cameta　it　is　five　miles　broad。　Mr。　Burchell；　the　well…known　English　traveller；　descended　the　river　from　the　mining　provinces　of　interior　Brazil　some　years　before　our　visit。　Unfortunately；　the　utility　of　this　fine　stream　is　impaired　by　the　numerous　obstructions　to　its　navigation　in　the　shape　of　cataracts　and　rapids；　which　commence；　in　ascending；　at　about　120　miles　above　Cameta；　as　will　be　seen　in　the　sequel。

August　30th。Arrived；　in　company　with　Senor　Laroque；　an　intelligent　Portuguese　merchant；　at　Vista　Alegre；　fifteen　miles　above　Cameta。　This　was　the　residence　of　Senor　Antonio　Ferreira　Gomez；　and　was　a　fair　sample　of　a　Brazilian　planter's　establishment　in　this　part　of　the　country。　The　buildings　covered　a　wide　space；　the　dwelling…house　being　separated　from　the　place　of　business；　and　as　both　were　built　on　low；　flooded　ground；　the　communication　between　the　two　was　by　means　of　a　long　wooden　bridge。　From　the　office　and　visitors'　apartments　a　wooden　pier　extended　into　the　river。　The　whole　was　raised　on　piles　above　the　high…water　mark。　There　was　a　rude　mill　for　grinding　sugar…cane；　worked　by　bullocks；　but　cashaca；　or　rum；　was　the　only　article　manufactured　from　the　juice。　Behind　the　buildings　was　a　small　piece　of　ground　cleared　from　the　forest；　and　planted　with　fruit　trees　orange；　lemon；　genipapa；　goyava；　and　others；　and　beyond　this；　a　broad　path　through　a　neglected　plantation　of　coffee　and　cacao；　led　to　several　large　sheds；　where　the　farinha；　or　mandioca　meal；　was　manufactured。　The　plantations　of　mandioca　are　always　scattered　about　in　the　forest；　some　of　them　being　on　islands　in　the　middle　of　the　river。　Land　being　plentiful；　and　the　plough；　as　well　as；　indeed；　nearly　all　other　agricultural　implements；　unknown；　the　same　ground　is　not　planted　three　years　together；　but　a　new　piece　of　forest　is　cleared　every　alternate　year；　and　the　old　clearing　suffered　to　relapse　into　jungle。

We　stayed　here　two　days；　sleeping　ashore　in　the　apartment　devoted　to　strangers。　As　usual　in　Brazilian　houses　of　the　middle　class；　we　were　not　introduced　to　the　female　members　of　the　family；　and；　indeed；　saw　nothing　of　them　except　at　a　distance。　In　the　forest　and　thickets　about　the　place　we　were　tolerably　successful　in　collecting；　finding　a　number　of　birds　and　insects　which　do　not　occur　at　Para。　I　saw　here；　for　the　first　time；　the　sky…blue　Chatterer　（Ampelis　cotinga）。　It　was　on　the　topmost　bough　of　a　very　lofty　tree；　and　completely　out　of　the　reach　of　an　ordinary　fowling…piece。　The　beautiful　light…blue　colour　of　its　plumage　was　plainly　discernible　at　that　distance。　It　is　a　dull；　quiet　bird。　A　much　commoner　species　was　the　Cigana　or　Gipsy　（Opisthocomus　cristatus）；　a　bird　belonging　to　the　same　order　（Gallinacea）　as　our　domestic　fowl。　It　is　about　the　size　of　a　pheasant；　the　plumage　is　dark　brown；　varied　with　reddish；　and　the　head　is　adorned　with　a　crest　of　long　feathers。　It　is　a　remarkable　bird　in　many　respects。　The　hind　toe　is　not　placed　high　above　the　level　of　the　other　toes；　as　it　is　in　the　fowl　order　generally；　but　lies　on　the　same　plane　with　them；　the　shape　of　the　foot　becomes　thus　suited　to　the　purely　arboreal　habits　of　the　bird；　enabling　it　to　grasp　firmly　the　branches　of　trees。　This　is　a　distinguishing　character　of　all　the　birds　in　equinoctial　America　which　represents　the　fowl　and　pheasant　tribes　of　the　old　world；　and　affords　another　proof　of　the　adaptation　of　the　fauna　to　a　forest　region。　The　Cigana　lives　in　considerable　flocks　on　the　lower　trees　and　bushes　bordering　the　streams　and　lagoons；　and　feeds　on　various　wild　fruits；　especially　the　sour　Goyava　（Psidium　sp）。　The　natives　say　it　devours　the　fruit　of　arborescent　Arums　（Caladium　arborescens）；　which　grow　in　crowded　masses　around　the　swampy　banks　of　lagoons。　Its　voice　is　a　harsh；　grating　hiss；　it　makes　the　noise　when　alarmed　or　when　disturbed　by　passing　canoes；　all　the　individuals　sibilating　as　they　fly　heavily　away　from　tree　to　tree。　It　is　polygamous；　like　other　members　of　the　same　order。　It　is　never；　however；　by　any　chance；　seen　on　the　ground；　and　is　nowhere　domesticated。　The　flesh　has　an　unpleasant　odour　of　musk　combined　with　wet　hidesa　smell　called　by　the　Brazilians　catinga；　it　is；　therefore；　uneatable。　If　it　be　as　unpalatable　to　carnivorous　animals　as　it　is　to　man；　the　immunity　from　persecution　which　it　would　thereby　enjoy　would　account　for　its　existing　in　such　great　numbers　throughout　the　country。

We　lost　another　of　our　crew　here；　and　thus；　at　the　commencement　of　our　voyage；　had　before　us　the　prospect　of　being　forced　to　return；　from　sheer　want　of　hands；　to　manage　the　canoe。　Senor　Gomez；　to　whom　we　had　brought　letters　of　introduction　from　Senor　Joao　Augusto　Correia；　a　Brazilian　gentlemen　of　high　standing　at　Para；　tried　what　he　could　do　to　induce　the　canoe…men　of　his　neighbourhood　to　engage　with　us；　but　it　was　a　vain　endeavour。　The　people　of　these　parts　seemed　to　be　above　working　for　wages。　They　are　naturally　indolent；　and　besides；　have　all　some　little　business　or　plantation　of　their　own；　which　gives　them　a　livelihood　with　independence。　It　is　difficult　to　obtain　hands　under　any　circumstances；　but　it　was　particularly　so　in　our　case；　from　being　foreigners；　and　suspected；　as　was　natural　amongst　ignorant　people；　of　being　strange　in　our　habits。　At　length；　our　host　lent　us　two　of　his　slaves　to　help　us　on　another　stage；　namely；　to　the　village　of　Baiao；　where　we　had　great　hopes　of　having　this；　our　urgent　want；　supplied　by　the　military　commandant　of　the　district。

September　2ndThe　distance　from　Vista　Alegre　to　Baiao　is　about　twenty…five　miles。　We　had　but　little　wind；　and　our　men　were　therefore　obliged　to　row　the　greater　part　of　the　way。　The　oars　used　in　such　canoes　as　ours　are　made　by　tying　a　stout　paddle　to　the　end　of　a　long　pole　by　means　of　woody　lianas。　The　men　take　their　stand　on　a　raised　deck；　formed　by　a　few　rough　planks　placed　over　the　arched　covering　in　the　fore　part　of　the　vessel；　and　pull　with　their　backs　to　the　stern。　We　started　at　six　a。m。；　and　about　sunset　reached　a　point　where　the　west　channel　of　the　river；　along　which　we　had　been　travelling　since　we　left　Cameta；　joined　a　broader　middle　one；　and　formed　with　it　a　great　expanse　of　water。　The　islands　here　seem　to　form　two　pretty　regular　lines；　dividing　the