the naturalist on the river amazons-第27部分

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t　of　the　household　was　improved　by　a　number　of　good…looking　mameluco　women；　who　were　busily　employed　washing；　spinning；　and　making　farinha。　Two　of　them；　seated　on　a　mat　in　the　open　verandah；　were　engaged　sewing　dresses；　for　a　festival　was　going　to　take　place　a　few　days　hence　at　Balcarem；　a　village　eight　miles　distant　from　Murucupi；　and　they　intended　to　be　present　to　hear　mass　and　show　their　finery。　One　of　the　children；　a　naked　boy　about　seven　years　of　age；　crossed　over　with　the　montaria　to　fetch　us。　We　were　made　welcome　at　once；　and　asked　to　stay　for　dinner。　On　our　accepting　the　invitation；　a　couple　of　fowls　were　killed；　and　a　wholesome　stew　of　seasoned　rice　and　fowls　soon　put　into　preparation。　It　is　not　often　that　the　female　members　of　a　family　in　these　retired　places　are　familiar　with　strangers；　but；　these　people　had　lived　a　long　time　in　the　capital；　and　therefore；　were　more　civilised　than　their　neighbours。　Their　father　had　been　a　prosperous　tradesman；　and　had　given　them　the　best　education　the　place　afforded。　After　his　death　the　widow　with　several　daughters；　married　and　unmarried；　retired　to　this　secluded　spot；　which　had　been　their　sitio；　farm　or　country…house；　for　many　years。　One　of　the　daughters　was　married　to　a　handsome　young　mulatto；　who　was　present；　and　sang　us　some　pretty　songs；　accompanying　himself　on　the　guitar。

After　dinner　I　expressed　a　wish　to　see　more　of　the　creek；　so　a　lively　and　polite　old　man；　whom　I　took　to　be　one　of　the　neighbours；　volunteered　as　guide。　We　embarked　in　a　little　montaria；　and　paddled　some　three　or　four　miles　up　and　down　the　stream。　Although　I　had　now　become　familiarised　with　beautiful　vegetation；　all　the　glow　of　fresh　admiration　came　again　to　me　in　this　place。　The　creek　was　about　a　hundred　yards　wide；　but　narrower　in　some　places。　Both　banks　were　masked　by　lofty　walls　of　green　drapery；　here　and　there　a　break　occurring；　through　which；　under　overarching　trees；　glimpses　were　obtained　of　the　palm…　thatched　huts　of　settlers。　The　projecting　boughs　of　lofty　trees；　which　in　some　places　stretched　half…way　across　the　creek；　were　hung　with　natural　garlands　and　festoons；　and　an　endless　variety　of　creeping　plants　clothed　the　water…frontage；　some　of　which；　especially　the　Bignonias；　were　ornamented　with　large　gaily…　coloured　flowers。　Art　could　not　have　assorted　together　beautiful　vegetable　forms　so　harmoniously　as　was　here　done　by　Nature。　Palms；　as　usual；　formed　a　large　proportion　of　the　lower　trees；　some　of　them；　however；　shot　up　their　slim　stems　to　a　height　of　sixty　feet　or　more；　and　waved　their　bunches　of　nodding　plumes　between　us　and　the　sky。　One　kind　of　palm；　the　Pashiuba　（Iriartea　exorhiza）；　which　grows　here　in　greater　abundance　than　elsewhere；　was　especially　attractive。　It　is　not　one　of　the　tallest　kinds；　for　when　full…grown　its　height　is　not　more；　perhaps；　than　forty　feet；　the　leaves　are　somewhat　less　drooping；　and　the　leaflets　much　broader　than　in　other　species；　so　that　they　have　not　that　feathery　appearance　which　those　of　some　palms　have；　but　still　they　possess　their　own　peculiar　beauty。　My　guide　put　me　ashore　in　one　place　to　show　me　the　roots　of　the　Pashiuba。　These　grow　above　ground；　radiating　from　the　trunk　many　feet　above　the　surface；　so　that　the　tree　looks　as　if　supported　on　stilts；　and　a　person　can；　in　old　trees；　stand　upright　amongst　the　roots　with　the　perpendicular　stem　wholly　above　his　head。　It　adds　to　the　singularity　of　their　appearance　that　these　roots；　which　have　the　form　of　straight　rods；　are　studded　with　stout　thorns；　while　the　trunk　of　the　tree　is　quite　smooth。　The　purpose　of　this　curious　arrangement　is；　perhaps；　similar　to　that　of　the　buttress　roots　already　describednamely；　to　recompense　the　tree　by　root…growth　above　the　soil　for　its　inability；　in　consequence　of　the　competition　of　neighbouring　roots；　to　extend　it　underground。　The　great　amount　of　moisture　and　nutriment　contained　in　the　atmosphere　may　also　favour　these　growths。

On　returning　to　the　house；　I　found　Petzell　had　been　well　occupied　during　the　hot　hours　of　the　day　collecting　insects　in　a　neighbouring　clearing。　Our　kind　hosts　gave　us　a　cup　of　coffee　about　five　o'clock；　and　we　then　started　for　home。　The　last　mile　of　our　walk　was　performed　in　the　dark。　The　forest　in　this　part　is　obscure　even　in　broad　daylight；　but　I　was　scarcely　prepared　for　the　intense　opacity　of　darkness　which　reigned　here　on　this　night；　and　which　prevented　us　from　seeing　each　other　while　walking　side　by　side。　Nothing　occurred　of　a　nature　to　alarm　us；　except　that　now　and　then　a　sudden　rush　was　heard　among　the　trees；　and　once　a　dismal　shriek　startled　us。　Petzell　tripped　at　one　place　and　fell　all　his　length　into　the　thicket。　With　this　exception；　we　kept　well　to　the　pathway；　and　in　due　time　arrived　safely　at　Caripi。

One　of　my　neighbours　at　Murucupi　was　a　hunter　of　reputation　in　these　parts。　He　was　a　civilised　Indian；　married　and　settled；　named　Raimundo；　whose　habit　was　to　sally　forth　at　intervals　to　certain　productive　hunting…grounds；　the　situation　of　which　he　kept　secret；　and　procure　fresh　provisions　for　his　family。　I　had　found　out　by　this　time　that　animal　food　was　as　much　a　necessary　of　life　in　this　exhausting　climate　as　it　is　in　the　North　of　Europe。　An　attempt　which　I　made　to　live　on　vegetable　food　was　quite　a　failure；　and　I　could　not　eat　the　execrable　salt…fish　which　Brazilians　use。　I　had　been　many　days　without　meat　of　any　kind；　and　nothing　more　was　to　be　found　near　Caripi；　so　I　asked　as　a　favour　of　Senor　Raimundo　permission　to　accompany　him　on　one　of　his　hunting…trips；　and　shoot　a　little　game　for　my　own　use。　He　consented；　and　appointed　a　day　on　which　I　was　to　come　over　to　his　house　to　sleep；　so　as　to　be　ready　for　starting　with　the　ebb…tide　shortly　after　midnight。

The　locality　we　were　to　visit　was　situated　near　the　extreme　point　of　the　land　of　Carnapijo；　where　it　projects　northwardly　into　the　middle　of　the　Para　estuary；　and　is　broken　into　a　number　of　islands。　On　the　afternoon　of　January　11th；　1849；　I　walked　through　the　woods　to　Raimundo's　house；　taking　nothing　with　me　but　a　double…barrelled　gun；　a　supply　of　ammunition；　and　a　box　for　the　reception　of　any　insects　I　might　capture。　Raimundo　was　a　carpenter；　and　seemed　to　be　a　very　industrious；　man；　he　had　two　apprentices；　Indians　like　himself：　one　a　young　lad；　and　the　other　apparently　about　twenty　years　of　age。　His　wife　was　of　the　same　race。　The　Indian　women　are　not　always　of　a　taciturn　disposition　like　their　husbands。　Senora　Dominga　was　very　talkative；　there　was　another　old　squaw　at　the　house　on　a　visit；　and　the　tongues　of　the　two　were　going　at　a　great　rate　the　whole　evening；　using　only　the　Tupi　language。　Raimundo　and　his　apprentices　were　employed　building　a　canoe。　Notwithstanding　his　industry；　he　seemed　to　be　very　poor；　and　this　was　the　condition　of　most　of　the　residents　on　the　banks　of　the　Murucupi。　They　have；　nevertheless；　considerable　plantations　of　mandioca　and　Indian　corn；　besides　small　plots　of　cotton；　coffee；　and　sugarcane；　the　soil　is　very　fertile；　they　have　no　rent　to　pay；　and　no　direct　taxes。　There　is；　moreover；　always　a　market　in　Para；　twenty　miles　distant；　for　their　surplus　produce；　and　a　ready　communication　with　it　by　water。

In　the　evening　we　had　more　visitors。　The　sounds　of　pipe　and　tabor　were　heard；　and　presently　a　procession　of　villagers　emerged　from　a　pathway　through　the　mandioca　fields。　They　were　on　a　begging　expedition　for　St。　Thome；　the　patron　saint　of　Indians　and　Mamelucos。　One　carried　a　banner；　on　which　was　crudely　painted　the　figure　of　St。　Thome　with　a　glory　round　his　head。　The　pipe　and　tabor　were　of　the　simplest　description。　The　pipe　was　a　reed　pierced　with　four　holes；　by　means　of　which　a　few　unmusical　notes　were　produced；　and　the　tabor　was　a　broad　hoop　with　a　skin　stretched　over　each　end。　A　deformed　young　man　played　both　the　instruments。　Senor　Raimundo　received　them　with　the　quiet　politeness　which　comes　so　naturally　to　the　Indian　when　occupying　the　position　of　host。　The　visitors；　who　had　come　from　the　Villa　de　Conde；　five　miles　through　the　forest；　were　invited　to　rest。

Raimundo　then　took　the　image　of　St。　Thome　from　one　of　the　party；　and　placed　it　by　the　side　of　Nossa　Senhora　in　his　own　oratorio；　a　little　decorated　box　in　which　every　family　keeps　its　household　gods；　finally　lighting　a　couple　of　wax　candles　before　it。　Shortly　afterwards　a　cloth　was　laid　on　a　mat；　and　all　the　guests　were　invited　to　supper。　The　fare　was　very　scanty　a　boiled　fowl　with　rice；　a　slice　of　roasted　pirarucu；　farinha；　and　bananas。　Each　one　partook　very　sparingly；　some　of　the　young　men　contenting　themselves　with　a　plateful　of　rice。　One　of　the　apprentices　stood　behind　with　a　bowl　of　water　and　a　towel；　with　which　each　guest　washed　his　fingers　and　rinsed　his　mouth　after　the　meal。　They　stayed　all　night　the　large　open　shed　was　filled　with　hammocks；　which　were　slung　from　pole　to　pole；　and　upon　retiring；　Raimundo　gave　orders　for　their　breakfast　in　the　morning。

Raimundo　called　me　at　two　o'clock；　when　we　embarked　（he；　his　older　apprentice　Joaquim；　and　myself）　in　a　shady　place　where　it　was　so　dark　that　I　could　see　neither　canoe　nor　water；　taking　with　us　five　dogs。　We　glided　down　a　winding　creek　where　huge　trunks　of　trees　slanted　across　close　overhead；　and　presently　emerged　into　the　Murucupi。　A　few　yards　further　on　we　entered　the　broader　channel　of　the　Aitituba。　This　we　crossed；　and　entered　another　narrow　creek　on　the　opposite　side。　Here　the　ebb…tide　was　against　us；　and　we　had　great　difficulty　in　making　progress。　After　we　had　struggled　against　the　powerful　current　a　distance　of　two　miles；　we　came　to　a　part　where　the　ebb…tide　ran　in　the　opposite　direction；　showing　that　we　had　crossed　the　watershed。　The　tide　flows　into　this　channel　or　creek　at　both　ends　simultaneously；　and　meets　in　the　middle；　although　there　is　apparently　no　difference　of　level；　and　the　breadth　of　the　water　is　the　same。　The　tides　are　extremely　intricate　throughout　all　the　infinite　channels　and　creeks　which　intersect　the　lands　of　the　Amazons　delta。

The　moon　now　broke　forth　and　lighted　up　the　trunks　of　colossal　trees；　the　leaves　of　monstrous　Jupati　palms　which　arched　over　the　creek；　and　revealed　groups　of　arborescent　arums　standing　like　rows　of　spectres　on　its　banks。　We　had　a　glimpse　now　and　then　into　the　black　depths　of　the　forest；　where　all　was　silent　exc