the naturalist on the river amazons-第22部分

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f　the　song；　which；　however；　does　not　contain　much　point；　it　ran　thus：

Ora　pana；　tana　pana！；　pana　tana；　Joao　Augusto　he　bonito　e　homem　pimpao；　Mas　Pedro　he　feio　e　hum　grande　ladrao；　（Chorus）　Ora　pana；　etc。

John　Augustus　is　handsome　and　as　a　man　ought　to　be；　But　Peter　is　ugly　and　a　great　thief。　（Chorus）　Ora　pana；　etc。

The　canoe…men　of　the　Amazons　have　many　songs　and　choruses；　with　which　they　are　in　the　habit　of　relieving　the　monotony　of　their　slow　voyages；　and　which　are　known　all　over　the　interior。　The　choruses　consist　of　a　simple　strain；　repeated　almost　to　weariness；　and　sung　generally　in　unison；　but　sometimes　with　an　attempt　at　harmony。　There　is　a　wildness　and　sadness　about　the　tunes　which　harmonise　well　with；　and　in　fact　are　born　of；　the　circumstances　of　the　canoe…man's　life：　the　echoing　channels；　the　endless　gloomy　forests；　the　solemn　nights；　and　the　desolate　scenes　of　broad　and　stormy　waters　and　falling　banks。　Whether　they　were　invented　by　the　Indians　or　introduced　by　the　Portuguese　it　is　hard　to　decide；　as　many　of　the　customs　of　the　lower　classes　of　Portuguese　are　so　similar　to　those　of　the　Indians　that　they　have　become　blended　with　them。　One　of　the　commonest　songs　is　very　wild　and　pretty。　It　has　for　refrain　the　words　〃Mai；　Mai〃　（〃Mother；　Mother〃）；　with　a　long　drawl　on　the　second　word。　The　stanzas　are　quite　variable；　the　best　wit　on　board　starts　the　verse；　improvising　as　he　goes　on；　and　the　others　join　in　the　chorus。　They　all　relate　to　the　lonely　river　life　and　the　events　of　the　voyage　the　shoals；　the　wind；　how　far　they　shall　go　before　they　stop　to　sleep；　and　so　forth。　The　sonorous　native　names　of　places；　Goajara；　Tucumanduba；　etc。；　add　greatly　to　the　charm　of　the　wild　music。　Sometimes　they　bring　in　the　stars　thus：

A　lua　esta　sahindo；　Mai；　Mai！　A　lua　esta　sahindo；　Mai；　Mai！　As　sete　estrellas　estao　chorando；　Mai；　Mai！　Por　s'acharem　desamparados；　Mai；　Mai！

The　moon　is　rising；　Mother；　Mother！　The　moon　is　rising；　Mother；　Mother！　The　seven　stars　（Pleiades）　are　weeping；　Mother；　Mother！　To　find　themselves　forsaken；　Mother；　mother！

I　fell　asleep　about　ten　o'clock；　but　at　four　in　the　morning　John　Mendez　woke　me　to　enjoy　the　sight　of　the　little　schooner　tearing　through　the　waves　before　a　spanking　breeze。　The　night　was　transparently　clear　and　almost　cold；　the　moon　appeared　sharply　defined　against　the　dark　blue　sky；　and　a　ridge　of　foam　marked　where　the　prow　of　the　vessel　was　cleaving　its　way　through　the　water。　The　men　had　made　a　fire　in　the　galley　to　make　tea　of　an　acid　herb；　called　erva　cidreira；　a　quantity　of　which　they　had　gathered　at　the　last　landing…place；　and　the　flames　sparkled　cheerily　upwards。　It　is　at　such　times　as　these　that　Amazon　travelling　is　enjoyable；　and　one　no　longer　wonders　at　the　love　which　many；　both　natives　and　strangers；　have　for　this　wandering　life。　The　little　schooner　sped　rapidly　on　with　booms　bent　and　sails　stretched　to　the　utmost；　just　as　day　dawned；　we　ran　with　scarcely　slackened　speed　into　the　port　of　Cameta；　and　cast　anchor。

I　stayed　at　Cameta　until　the　16th　of　July；　and　made　a　considerable　collection　of　the　natural　productions　of　the　neighbourhood。　The　town　in　1849　was　estimated　to　contain　about　5000　inhabitants；　but　the　municipal　district　of　which　Cameta　is　the　capital　numbered　20；000；　this；　however；　comprised　the　whole　of　the　lower　part　of　the　Tocantins；　which　is　the　most　thickly　populated　part　of　the　province　of　Para。　The　productions　of　the　district　are　cacao；　india…rubber；　and　Brazil　nuts。　The　most　remarkable　feature　in　the　social　aspect　of　the　place　is　the　hybrid　nature　of　the　whole　population；　the　amalgamation　of　the　white　and　Indian　races　being　here　complete。　The　aborigines　were　originally　very　numerous　on　the　western　bank　of　the　Tocantins；　the　principal　tribe　having　been　the　Camutas；　from　which　the　city　takes　its　name。　They　were　a　superior　nation；　settled；　and　attached　to　agriculture；　and　received　with　open　arms　the　white　immigrants　who　were　attracted　to　the　district　by　its　fertility；　natural　beauty；　and　the　healthfulness　of　the　climate。　The　Portuguese　settlers　were　nearly　all　males；　the　Indian　women　were　good…looking；　and　made　excellent　wives；　so　the　natural　result　has　been；　in　the　course　of　two　centuries；　a　complete　blending　of　the　two　races。　There　is　now；　however；　a　considerable　infusion　of　negro　blood　in　the　mixture；　several　hundred　African　slaves　having　been　introduced　during　the　last　seventy　years。　The　few　whites　are　chiefly　Portuguese；　but　there　are　also　two　or　three　Brazilian　families　of　pure　European　descent。　The　town　consists　of　three　long　streets；　running　parallel　to　the　river；　with　a　few　shorter　ones　crossing　them　at　right　angles。　The　houses　are　very　plain；　being　built；　as　usual　in　this　country；　simply　of　a　strong　framework；　filled　up　with　mud；　and　coated　with　white　plaster。　A　few　of　them　are　of　two　or　three　stories。　There　are　three　churches；　and　also　a　small　theatre；　where　a　company　of　native　actors　at　the　time　of　my　visit　were　representing　light　Portuguese　plays　with　considerable　taste　and　ability。　The　people　have　a　reputation　all　over　the　province　for　energy　and　perseverance；　and　it　is　often　said　that　they　are　as　keen　in　trade　as　the　Portuguese。　The　lower　classes　are　as　indolent　and　sensual　here　as　in　other　parts　of　the　province；　a　moral　condition　not　to　be　wondered　at　in　a　country　where　perpetual　summer　reigns；　and　where　the　necessities　of　life　are　so　easily　obtained。　But　they　are　light…hearted；　quick…witted；　communicative；　and　hospitable。　I　found　here　a　native　poet；　who　had　written　some　pretty　verses；　showing　an　appreciation　of　the　natural　beauties　of　the　country；　and　was　told　that　the　Archbishop　of　Bahia；　the　primate　of　Brazil；　was　a　native　of　Cameta。　It　is　interesting　to　find　the　mamelucos　displaying　talent　and　enterprise；　for　it　shows　that　degeneracy　does　not　necessarily　result　from　the　mixture　of　white　and　Indian　blood。　The　Cametaenses　boast；　as　they　have　a　right　to　do；　of　theirs　being　the　only　large　town　which　resisted　successfully　the　anarchists　in　the　great　rebellion　of　1835…6。　While　the　whites　of　Para　were　submitting　to　the　rule　of　half…savage　revolutionists；　the　mamelucos　of　Cameta　placed　themselves　under　the　leadership　of　a　courageous　priest；　named　Prudencio。　They　armed　themselves；　fortified　the　place；　and　repulsed　the　large　forces　which　the　insurgents　of　Para　sent　to　attack　the　place。　The　town　not　only　became　the　refuge　for　all　loyal　subjects；　but　was　a　centre　whence　large　parties　of　volunteers　sallied　forth　repeatedly　to　attack　the　anarchists　in　their　various　strongholds。

The　forest　behind　Cameta　is　traversed　by　several　broad　roads；　which　lead　over　undulating　ground　many　miles　into　the　interior。　They　pass　generally　under　shade；　and　part　of　the　way　through　groves　of　coffee　and　orange　trees；　fragrant　plantations　of　cacao；　and　tracts　of　second…growth　woods。　The　narrow　brook…watered　valleys；　with　which　the　land　is　intersected；　alone　have　remained　clothed　with　primaeval　forest；　at　least　near　the　town。　The　houses　along　these　beautiful　roads　belong　chiefly　to　Mameluco；　mulatto；　and　Indian　families；　each　of　which　has　its　own　small　plantation。　There　are　only　a　few　planters　with　larger　establishments；　and　these　have　seldom　more　than　a　dozen　slaves。　Besides　the　main　roads；　there　are　endless　bypaths　which　thread　the　forest　and　communicate　with　isolated　houses。　Along　these　the　traveller　may　wander　day　after　day　without　leaving　the　shade；　and　everywhere　meet　with　cheerful；　simple；　and　hospitable　people。

Soon　after　landing；　I　was　introduced　to　the　most　distinguished　citizen　of　the　place；　Dr。　Angelo　Custodio　Correia；　whom　I　have　already　mentioned。　This　excellent　man　was　a　favourable　specimen　of　the　highest　class　of　native　Brazilians。　He　had　been　educated　in　Europe；　was　now　a　member　of　the　Brazilian　Parliament；　and　had　been　twice　president　of　his　native　province。His　manners　were　less　formal；　and　his　goodness　more　thoroughly　genuine；　perhaps；　than　is　the　rule　generally　with　Brazilians。　He　was　admired　and　loved；　as　I　had　ample　opportunity　of　observing；　throughout　all　Amazonia。　He　sacrificed　his　life　in　1855；　for　the　good　of　his　fellow…　townsmen；　when　Cameta　was　devastated　by　the　cholera；　having　stayed　behind　with　a　few　heroic　spirits　to　succour　invalids　and　direct　the　burying　of　the　dead；　when　nearly　all　the　chief　citizens　had　fled　from　the　place。　After　he　had　done　what　he　could；　he　embarked　for　Para　but　was　himself　then　attacked　with　cholera；　and　died　on　board　the　steamer　before　he　reached　the　capital。　Dr。　Angelo　received　me　with　the　usual　kindness　which　he　showed　to　all　strangers。　He　procured　me；　unsolicited；　a　charming　country　house；　free　of　rent；　hired　a　mulatto　servant　for　me；　and　thus　relieved　me　of　the　many　annoyances　and　delays　attendant　on　a　first　arrival　in　a　country　town　where　even　the　name　of　an　inn　is　unknown。　The　rocinha；　thus　given　up　for　my　residence；　belonged　to　a　friend　of　his；　Senor　Jose　Raimundo　Furtado；　a　stout　florid…　complexioned　gentleman；　such　a　one　as　might　be　met　with　any　day　in　a　country　town　in　England。　To　him　also　I　was　indebted　for　many　acts　of　kindness。

The　rocinha　was　situated　near　a　broad　grassy　road　bordered　by　lofty　woods；　which　leads　from　Cameta　to　the　Aldeia；　a　village　two　miles　distant。　My　first　walks　were　along　this　road。　From　it　branches　another　similar　but　still　more　picturesque　road；　which　runs　to　Curima　and　Pacaja；　two　small　settlements；　several　miles　distant；　in　the　heart　of　the　forest。　The　Curima　road　is　beautiful　in　the　extreme。　About　half　a　mile　from　the　house　where　I　lived；　it　crosses　a　brook　flowing　through　a　deep　dell　by　means　of　a　long　rustic　wooden　bridge。　The　virgin　forest　is　here　left　untouched；　numerous　groups　of　slender　palms；　mingled　with　lofty　trees　overrun　with　creepers　and　parasites；　fill　the　shady　glen　and　arch　over　the　bridge；　forming　one　of　the　most　picturesque　scenes　imaginable。　A　little　beyond　the　bridge　there　was　an　extensive　grove　of　orange　and　other　trees；　which　yielded　me　a　rich　harvest。　The　Aldeia　road　runs　parallel　to　the　river；　the　land　from　the　border　of　the　road　to　the　indented　shore　of　the　Tocantins　forming　a　long　slope　which　was　also　richly　wooded；　this　slope　was　threaded　by　numerous　shady　paths；　and　abounded　in　beautiful　insects　and　birds。　At　the　opposite　or　southern　end　of　the　town；　there　was　a