the naturalist on the river amazons-第24部分

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esuits　in　the　early　part　of　the　last　century。　We　were　told　that　there　were　formerly　eleven　large　sugar　mills　on　the　banks　of　the　Moju；　while　now　there　are　only　three。

At　Burujuba；　there　is　a　large　monastery　in　a　state　of　ruin；　part　of　the　edifice；　however；　was　still　inhabited　by　a　Brazilian　family。　The　walls　are　four　feet　in　thickness。　The　long　dark　corridors　and　gloomy　cloisters　struck　me　as　very　inappropriate　in　the　midst　of　this　young　and　radiant　nature。　They　would　be　better　if　placed　on　some　barren　moor　in　Northern　Europe　than　here　in　the　midst　of　perpetual　summer。　The　next　turn　in　the　river　below　Burujuba　brought　the　city　of　Para　into　view。　The　wind　was　now　against　us；　and　we　were　obliged　to　tack　about。　Towards　evening；　it　began　to　blow　stiffly；　the　vessel　heeled　over　very　much；　and　Senor　Machado；　for　the　first　time；　trembled　for　the　safety　of　his　cargo；　the　leaks　burst　out　afresh　when　we　were　yet　two　miles　from　the　shore。　He　ordered　another　sail　to　be　hoisted　in　order　to　run　more　quickly　into　port；　but　soon　afterwards　an　extra　puff　of　wind　came；　and　the　old　boat　lurched　alarmingly；　the　rigging　gave　way；　and　down　fell　boom　and　sail　with　a　crash；　encumbering　us　with　the　wreck。　We　were　then　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　oars；　and　as　soon　as　we　were　near　the　land；　fearing　that　the　crazy　vessel　would　sink　before　reaching　port；　I　begged　Senor　Machado　to　send　me　ashore　in　the　boat　with　the　more　precious　portion　of　my　collections。


CHAPTER　V

CARIPI　AND　THE　BAY　OF　MARAJO

River　Para　and　Bay　of　MarajoJourney　to　CaripiNegro　Observance　of　ChristmasA　German　FamilyBatsAnt…eatersHummingbirds　Excursion　to　the　MurucupiDomestic　Life　of　the　Inhabitants　Hunting　Excursion　with　IndiansWhite　Ants

That　part　of　the　Para　river　which　lies　in　front　of　the　city；　as　I　have　already　explained；　forms　a　narrow　channel；　being　separated　from　the　main　waters　of　the　estuary　by　a　cluster　of　islands。　This　channel　is　about　two　miles　broad；　and　constitutes　part　of　the　minor　estuary　of　Goajara；　into　which　the　three　rivers　Guama；　Moju；　and　Acara　discharge　their　waters。　The　main　channel　of　the　Para　lies　ten　miles　away　from　the　city；　directly　across　the　river；　at　that　point；　after　getting　clear　of　the　islands；　a　great　expanse　of　water　is　beheld；　ten　to　twelve　miles　in　width；　on　the　opposite　shore　the　island　of　Marajo；　being　visible　only　in　clear　weather　as　a　line　of　tree…tops　dotting　the　horizon。　A　little　further　upwards；　that　is　to　the　southwest；　the　mainland　on　the　right　or　eastern　shore　appearsthis　is　called　Carnapijo；　it　is　rocky；　covered　with　the　neverending　forest；　and　the　coast；　which　is　fringed　with　broad　sandy　beaches；　describes　a　gentle　curve　inwards。　The　broad　reach　of　the　Para　in　front　of　this　coast　is　called　the　Bahia；　or　Bay　of　Marajo。　The　coast　and　the　interior　of　the　land　are　peopled　by　civilised　Indians　and　Mamelucos；　with　a　mixture　of　free　negroes　and　mulattos。　They　are　poor；　for　the　waters　are　not　abundant　in　fish；　and　they　are　dependent　for　a　livelihood　solely　on　their　small　plantations；　and　the　scant　supply　of　game　found　in　the　woods。　The　district　was　originally　peopled　by　various　tribes　of　Indians；　of　whom　the　principal　were　the　Tupinambas　and　Nhengahibas。　Like　all　the　coast　tribes；　whether　inhabiting　the　banks　of　the　Amazons　or　the　seashore　between　Para　and　Bahia；　they　were　far　more　advanced　in　civilisation　than　the　hordes　scattered　through　the　interior　of　the　country；　some　of　which　still　remain　in　the　wild　state；　between　the　Amazons　and　the　Plata。　There　are　three　villages　on　the　coast　of　Carnapijo；　and　several　planters'　houses；　formerly　the　centres　of　flourishing　estates；　which　have　now　relapsed　into　forest　in　consequence　of　the　scarcity　of　labour　and　diminished　enterprise。　One　of　the　largest　of　these　establishments　is　called　Caripi。　At　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　it　belonged　to　a　Scotch　gentleman；　Mr。　Campbell；　who　had　married　the　daughter　of　a　large　Brazilian　proprietor。　Most　of　the　occasional　English　and　American　visitors　to　Para　had　made　some　stay　at　Caripi；　and　it　had　obtained　quite　a　reputation　for　the　number　and　beauty　of　the　birds　and　insects　found　there；　I　therefore　applied　for；　and　obtained　permission；　to　spend　two　or　three　months　at　the　place。　The　distance　from　Para　was　about　twenty…three　miles；　round　by　the　northern　end　of　the　Ilha　das　oncas　（Isle　of　Tigers）；　which　faces　the　city。　I　bargained　for　a　passage　thither　with　the　cabo　of　a　small　trading…vessel；　which　was　going　past　the　place；　and　started　on　the　7th　of　December；　1848。

We　were　thirteen　persons　aboard：　the　cabo；　his　pretty　mulatto　mistress；　the　pilot　and　five　Indian　canoemen；　three　young　mamelucos　（tailor…apprentices　who　were　taking　a　holiday　trip　to　Cameta）；　a　heavily　chained　runaway　slave；　and　myself。　The　young　mamelucos　were　pleasant；　gentle　fellows；　they　could　read　and　write；　and　amused　themselves　on　the　voyage　with　a　book　containing　descriptions　and　statistics　of　foreign　countries；　in　which　they　seemed　to　take　great　interestone　reading　while　the　others　listened。　At　Uirapiranga；　a　small　island　behind　the　Ilha　das　oncas；　we　had　to　stop　a　short　time　to　embark　several　pipes　of　cashaca　at　a　sugar　estate。　The　cabo　took　the　montaria　and　two　men；　the　pipes　were　rolled　into　the　water　and　floated　to　the　canoe；　the　men　passing　cables　round　and　towing　them　through　a　rough　sea。　Here　we　slept；　and　the　following　morning；　continuing　our　voyage；　entered　a　narrow　channel　which　intersects　the　land　of　Carnapijo。　At　2　p。m。　we　emerged　from　this　channel；　which　is　called　the　Aitituba；　or　Arrozal；　into　the　broad　Bahia；　and　then　saw；　two　or　three　miles　away　to　the　left；　the　red…tiled　mansion　of　Caripi；　embosomed　in　woods　on　the　shores　of　a　charming　little　bay。

The　water　is　very　shallow　near　the　shore；　and　when　the　wind　blows　there　is　a　heavy　ground　swell。　A　few　years　previously；　an　English　gentleman；　Mr。　Graham；　an　amateur　naturalist；　was　capsized　here　and　drowned　with　his　wife　and　child；　while　passing　in　a　heavily…　laden　montaria　to　his　large　canoe。　Remembering　their　fate；　I　was　rather　alarmed　to　see　that　I　should　be　obliged　to　take　all　my　luggage　ashore　in　one　trip　in　a　leaky　little　boat。　The　pile　of　chests　with　two　Indians　and　myself　sank　the　montaria　almost　to　the　level　of　the　water。　I　was　kept　busy　bailing　all　the　way。　The　Indians　manage　canoes　in　this　condition　with　admirable　skill。　They　preserve　the　nicest　equilibrium；　and　paddle　so　gently　that　not　the　slightest　oscillation　is　perceptible。　On　landing；　an　old　negress　named　Florinda；　the　feitora　or　manageress　of　the　establishment　（which　was　kept　only　as　a　poultry…farm　and　hospital　for　sick　slaves）；　gave　me　the　keys；　and　I　forthwith　took　possession　of　the　rooms　I　required。

I　remained　here　nine　weeks；　or　until　the　12th　of　February；　1849。　The　house　was　very　large　and　most　substantially　built；　but　consisted　of　only　one　story。　I　was　told　it　was　built　by　the　Jesuits　more　than　a　century　ago。　The　front　had　no　veranda；　the　doors　opening　upon　a　slightly　elevated　terrace　about　a　hundred　yards　distant　from　the　broad　sandy　beach。　Around　the　residence　the　ground　had　been　cleared　to　the　extent　of　two　or　three　acres；　and　was　planted　with　fruit　trees。　Well…trodden　pathways　through　the　forest　led　to　little　colonies　of　the　natives　on　the　banks　of　retired　creeks　and　rivulets　in　the　interior。　I　led　here　a　solitary　but　not　unpleasant　life；　for　there　was　a　great　charm　in　the　loneliness　of　the　place。　The　swell　of　the　river　beating　on　the　sloping　beach　caused　an　unceasing　murmur；　which　lulled　me　to　sleep　at　night；　and　seemed　appropriate　music　in　those　midday　hours　when　all　nature　was　pausing　breathless　under　the　rays　of　a　vertical　sun。　Here　I　spent　my　first　Christmas　Day　in　a　foreign　land。　The　festival　was　celebrated　by　the　negroes　of　their　own　free　will　and　in　a　very　pleasing　manner。　The　room　next　to　the　one　I　had　chosen　was　the　capella；　or　chapel。　It　had　a　little　altar　which　was　neatly　arranged；　and　the　room　was　furnished　with　a　magnificent　brass　chandelier。　Men；　women；　and　children　were　busy　in　the　chapel　all　day　on　the　24th　of　December　decorating　the　altar　with　flowers　and　strewing　the　floor　with　orange…leaves。　They　invited　some　of　their　neighbours　to　the　evening　prayers；　and　when　the　simple　ceremony　began　an　hour　before　midnight；　the　chapel　was　crowded。　They　were　obliged　to　dispense　with　the　mass；　for　they　had　no　priest；　the　service　therefore　consisted　merely　of　a　long　litany　and　a　few　hymns。　There　was　placed　on　the　altar　a　small　image　of　the　infant　Christ；　the　〃Menino　Deos〃　as　they　called　it；　or　the　child…god；　which　had　a　long　ribbon　depending　from　its　waist。　An　old　white…haired　negro　led　off　the　litany；　and　the　rest　of　the　people　joined　in　the　responses。　After　the　service　was　over　they　all　went　up　to　the　altar；　one　by　one；　and　kissed　the　end　of　the　ribbon。　The　gravity　and　earnestness　shown　throughout　the　proceedings　were　remarkable。　Some　of　the　hymns　were　very　simple　and　beautiful；　especially　one　beginning　〃Virgensoberana；〃　a　trace　of　whose　melody　springs　to　my　recollection　whenever　I　think　on　the　dreamy　solitude　of　Caripi。

The　next　day　after　I　arrived；　two　blue…eyed　and　red…haired　boys　came　up　and　spoke　to　me　in　English；　and　presently　their　father　made　his　appearance。　They　proved　to　be　a　German　family　named　Petzell；　who　were　living　in　the　woods；　Indian　fashion；　about　a　mile　from　Caripi。　Petzell　explained　to　me　how　he　came　here。　He　said　that　thirteen　years　ago　he　came　to　Brazil　with　a　number　of　other　Germans　under　engagement　to　serve　in　the　Brazilian　army。　When　his　time　had　expired　he　came　to　Para　to　see　the　country；　but　after　a　few　months'　rambling　left　the　place　to　establish　himself　in　the　United　States。　There　he　married；　went　to　Illinois；　and　settled　as　farmer　near　St。　Louis。　He　remained　on　his　farm　seven　or　eight　years；　and　had　a　family　of　five　children。　He　could　never　forget；　however；　the　free　river…life　and　perpetual　summer　of　the　banks　of　the　Amazons；　so；　he　persuaded　his　wife　to　consent　to　break　up　their　home　in　North　America；　and　migrate　to　Para。　No　one　can　imagine　the　difficulties　the　poor　fellow　had　to　go　through　before　reaching　the　land　of　his　choice。　He　first　descended　the　Mississippi；　feeling　sure　that　a　passage　to　Para　could　be　got　at　New　Orleans。　He　was　there　told　that　the　only　port　in　North　America　he　could　start　from　was　New