the naturalist on the river amazons-第23部分

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nd　abounded　in　beautiful　insects　and　birds。　At　the　opposite　or　southern　end　of　the　town；　there　was　a　broad　road　called　the　Estrada　da　Vacaria　this　ran　along　the　banks　of　the　Tocantins　at　some　distance　from　the　river；　and　continued　over　hill　and　dale；　through　bamboo　thickets　and　palm　swamps；　for　about　fifteen　miles。

At　Cameta　I　chanced　to　verify　a　fact　relating　to　the　habits　of　a　large　hairy　spider　of　the　genus　Mygale；　in　a　manner　worth　recording。　The　species　was　M。　avicularia；　or　one　very　closely　allied　to　it；　the　individual　was　nearly　two　inches　in　length　of　body；　but　the　legs　expanded　seven　inches；　and　the　entire　body　and　legs　were　covered　with　coarse　grey　and　reddish　hairs。　I　was　attracted　by　a　movement　of　the　monster　on　a　tree…trunk；　it　was　close　beneath　a　deep　crevice　in　the　tree；　across　which　was　stretched　a　dense　white　web。　The　lower　part　of　the　web　was　broken；　and　two　small　birds；　finches；　were　entangled　in　the　pieces；　they　were　about　the　size　of　the　English　siskin；　and　I　judged　the　two　to　be　male　and　female。　One　of　them　was　quite　dead；　the　other　lay　under　the　body　of　the　spider；　not　quite　dead；　and　was　smeared　with　the　filthy　liquor　or　saliva　exuded　by　the　monster。　I　drove　away　the　spider　and　took　the　birds；　but　the　second　one　soon　died。　The　fact　of　species　of　Mygale　sallying　forth　at　night；　mounting　trees；　and　sucking　the　eggs　and　young　of　hummingbirds；　has　been　recorded　long　ago　by　Madame　Merian　and　Palisot　de　Beauvois；　but；　in　the　absence　of　any　confirmation；　it　has　come　to　be　discredited。　From　the　way　the　fact　has　been　related；　it　would　appear　that　it　had　been　merely　derived　from　the　report　of　natives；　and　had　not　been　witnessed　by　the　narrators。　Count　Langsdorff；　in　his　Expedition　into　the　Interior　of　Brazil；　states　that　he　totally　disbelieved　the　story。　I　found　the　circumstance　to　be　quite　a　novelty　to　the　residents　hereabout。　The　Mygales　are　quite　common　insects：　some　species　make　their　cells　under　stones；　others　form　artistical　tunnels　in　the　earth；　and　some　build　their　dens　in　the　thatch　of　houses。　The　natives　call　them　Aranhas　carangueijeiras；　or　crab…spiders。　The　hairs　with　which　they　are　clothed　come　off　when　touched；　and　cause　a　peculiar　and　almost　maddening　irritation。　The　first　specimen　that　I　killed　and　prepared　was　handled　incautiously；　and　I　suffered　terribly　for　three　days　afterwards。　I　think　this　is　not　owing　to　any　poisonous　quality　residing　in　the　hairs；　but　to　their　being　short　and　hard；　and　thus　getting　into　the　fine　creases　of　the　skin。　Some　Mygales　are　of　immense　size。　One　day　I　saw　the　children　belonging　to　an　Indian　family；　who　collected　for　me　with　one　of　these　monsters　secured　by　a　cord　round　its　waist；　by　which　they　were　leading　it　about　the　house　as　they　would　a　dog。

The　only　monkeys　I　observed　at　Cameta　were　the　Couxio　（Pithecia　Satanas）a　large　species；　clothed　with　long　brownish…black　hair…　…and　the　tiny　Midas　argentatus。　The　Couxio　has　a　thick　bushy　tail；　and　the　hair　of　the　head；　which　looks　as　if　it　had　been　carefully　combed；　sits　on　it　like　a　wig。　It　inhabits　only　the　most　retired　parts　of　the　forest；　on　the　terra　firma；　and　I　observed　nothing　of　its　habits。　The　little　Midas　argentatus　is　one　of　the　rarest　of　the　American　monkeys；　indeed；　I　have　not　heard　of　its　being　found　anywhere　except　near　Cameta；　where　I　once　saw　three　individuals；　looking　like　so　many　white　kittens；　running　along　a　branch　in　a　cacao　grove；　in　their　motions；　they　resembled　precisely　the　Midas　ursulus　already　described。　I　saw　afterwards　a　pet　animal　of　this　species；　and　heard　that　there　were　many　so　kept；　and　that　they　were　esteemed　as　great　treasures。　The　one　mentioned　was　full…grown；　although　it　measured　only　seven　inches　in　length　of　body。　It　was　covered　with　long；　white；　silky　hairs；　the　tail　being　blackish；　and　the　face　nearly　naked　and　flesh…coloured。　It　was　a　most　timid　and　sensitive　little　thing。　The　woman　who　owned　it　carried　it　constantly　in　her　bosom；　and　no　money　would　induce　her　to　part　with　her　pet。　She　called　it　Mico。　It　fed　from　her　mouth　and　allowed　her　to　fondle　it　freely；　but　the　nervous　little　creature　would　not　permit　strangers　to　touch　it。　If　any　one　attempted　to　do　so；　it　shrank　back；　the　whole　body　trembling　with　fear；　and　its　teeth　chattered　while　it　uttered　its　tremulous；　frightened　tones。　The　expression　of　its　features　was　like　that　of　its　more　robust　brother；　Midas　ursulus；　the　eyes；　which　were　black；　were　full　of　curiosity　and　mistrust；　and　were　always　kept　fixed　upon　the　person　who　attempted　to　advance　towards　it。

In　the　orange　groves　and　other　parts；　hummingbirds　were　plentiful；　but　I　did　not　notice　more　than　three　species。　I　saw　one　day　a　little　pigmy　belonging　to　the　genus　Phaethornis　in　the　act　of　washing　itself　in　a　brook；　perched　on　a　thin　branch；　one　end　of　which　was　under　water。　It　dipped　itself；　then　fluttered　its　wings　and　pruned　its　feathers；　and　seemed　thoroughly　to　enjoy　itself　alone　in　the　shady　nook　which　it　had　chosena　place　overshadowed　by　broad　leaves　of　ferns　and　Heliconiae。　I　thought；　as　I　watched　it；　that　there　was　no　need　for　poets　to　invent　elves　and　gnomes　while　Nature　furnishes　us　with　such　marvellous　little　sprites　ready　at　hand。

My　return　journey　to　Para　afforded　many　incidents　characteristic　of　Amazonian　travelling。　I　left　Cameta　on　the　16th　of　July。　My　luggage　was　embarked　in　the　morning　in　the　Santa　Rosa；　a　vessel　of　the　kind　called　cuberta；　or　covered　canoe。　The　cuberta　is　very　much　used　on　these　rivers。　It　is　not　decked；　but　the　sides　forward　are　raised　and　arched　over　so　as　to　admit　of　cargo　being　piled　high　above　the　water…line。　At　the　stern　is　a　neat　square　cabin；　also　raised；　and　between　the　cabin　and　covered　forepart　is　a　narrow　piece　decked　over；　on　which　are　placed　the　cooking　arrangements。　This　is　called　the　tombadilha　or　quarterdeck；　and　when　the　canoe　is　heavily　laden；　it　goes　underwater　as　the　vessel　heels　over　to　the　wind。　There　are　two　masts；　rigged　with　fore　and　aft　sailsthe　foremast　has　often　besides　a　main　and　top　sail。　The　forepart　is　planked　over　at　the　top；　and　on　this　raised　deck　the　crew　work　the　vessel；　pulling　it　along；　when　there　is　no　wind；　by　means　of　the　long　oars　already　described。

As　I　have　just　said；　my　luggage　was　embarked　in　the　morning。　I　was　informed　that　we　should　start　with　the　ebb…tide　in　the　afternoon；　so　I　thought　I　should　have　time　to　pay　my　respects　to　Dr。　Angelo　and　other　friends；　whose　extreme　courtesy　and　goodness　had　made　my　residence　at　Cameta　so　agreeable。　After　dinner　the　guests；　according　to　custom　at　the　house　of　the　Correias；　walked　into　the　cool　verandah　which　overlooks　the　river；　and　there　we　saw　the　Santa　Rosa；　a　mere　speck　in　the　offing　miles　away；　tacking　down　river　with　a　fine　breeze。　I　was　now　in　a　fix；　for　it　would　be　useless　attempting　to　overtake　the　cuberta；　and　besides　the　sea　ran　too　high　for　any　montaria。　I　was　then　told　that　I　ought　to　have　been　aboard　hours　before　the　time　fixed　for　starting；　because　when　a　breeze　springs　up；　vessels　start　before　the　tide　turns；　the　last　hour　of　the　flood　not　being　very　strong。　All　my　precious　collections；　my　clothes；　and　other　necessaries　were　on　board；　and　it　was　indispensable　that　I　should　be　at　Para　when　the　things　were　disembarked。　I　tried　to　hire　a　montaria　and　men；　but　was　told　that　it　would　be　madness　to　cross　the　river　in　a　small　boat　with　this　breeze。　On　going　to　Senor　Laroque；　another　of　my　Cameta　friends；　I　was　relieved　of　my　embarrassment；　for　I　found　there　an　English　gentleman；　Mr。　Patchett　of　Pernambuco；　who　was　visiting　Para　and　its　neighbourhood　on　his　way　to　England；　and　who；　as　he　was　going　back　to　Para　in　a　small　boat　with　four　paddles；　which　would　start　at　midnight；　kindly　offered　me　a　passage。

The　evening　from　seven　to　ten　o'clock　was　very　stormy。　About　seven；　the　night　became　intensely　dark；　and　a　terrific　squall　of　wind　burst　forth；　which　made　the　loose　tiles　fly　over　the　housetops；　to　this　succeeded　lightning　and　stupendous　claps　of　thunder；　both　nearly　simultaneous。　We　had　had　several　of　these　short　and　sharp　storms　during　the　past　month。　At　midnight；　when　we　embarked；　all　was　as　calm　as　though　a　ruffle　had　never　disturbed　air；　forest；　or　river。　The　boat　sped　along　like　an　arrow　to　the　rhythmic　paddling　of　the　four　stout　youths　we　had　with　us；　who　enlivened　the　passage　with　their　wild　songs。　Mr。　Patchett　and　I　tried　to　get　a　little　sleep；　but　the　cabin　was　so　small　and　encumbered　with　boxes　placed　at　all　sorts　of　angles；　that　we　found　sleep　impossible。　I　was　just　dozing　when　the　day　dawned；　and；　on　awakening；　the　first　object　I　saw　was　the　Santa　Rosa；　at　anchor　under　a　green　island　in　mid…river。　I　preferred　to　make　the　remainder　of　the　voyage　in　company　of　my　collections；　so　bade　Mr。　Patchett　good…day。　The　owner　of　the　Santa　Rosa；　Senor　Jacinto　Machado；　whom　I　had　not　seen　before；　received　me　aboard；　and　apologised　for　having　started　without　me。　He　was　a　white　man；　a　planter；　and　was　now　taking　his　year's　production　of　cacao；　about　twenty　tons；　to　Para。　The　canoe　was　very　heavily　laden；　and　I　was　rather　alarmed　to　see　that　it　was　leaking　at　all　points。　The　crew　were　all　in　the　water　diving　about　to　feel　for　the　holes；　which　they　stopped　with　pieces　of　ray　and　clay；　and　an　old　negro　was　baling　the　water　out　of　the　hold。　This　was　a　pleasant　prospect　for　a　three…day　voyage！　Senor　Machado　treated　it　as　the　most　ordinary　incident　possible：　〃It　was　always　likely　to　leak；　for　it　was　an　old　vessel　that　had　been　left　as　worthless　high　and　dry　on　the　beach；　and　he　had　bought　it　very　cheap。〃

When　the　leaks　were　stopped；　we　proceeded　on　our　journey　and　at　night　reached　the　mouth　of　the　Anapu。　I　wrapped　myself　in　an　old　sail；　and　fell　asleep　on　the　raised　deck。　The　next　day；　we　threaded　the　Igarape…mirim；　and　on　the　19th　descended　the　Moju。　Senor　Machado　and　I　by　this　time　had　become　very　good　friends。　At　every　interesting　spot　on　the　banks　of　the　Moju；　he　manned　the　small　boat　and　took　me　ashore。　There　are　many　large　houses　on　this　river　belonging　to　what　were　formerly　large　and　flourishing　plantations；　but　which；　since　the　Revolution　of　1835…6；　had　been　suffered　to　go　to　decay。　Two　of　the　largest　buildings　were　constructed　by　the　Jesuits　in　the　early　part　of　the　last　century。　We　were　told　that　there　were　formerly　eleven　large　sug