the naturalist on the river amazons-第28部分

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s　banks。　We　had　a　glimpse　now　and　then　into　the　black　depths　of　the　forest；　where　all　was　silent　except　the　shrill　stridulation　of　wood…crickets。　Now　and　then　a　sudden　plunge　in　the　water　ahead　would　startle　us；　caused　by　heavy　fruit　or　some　nocturnal　animal　dropping　from　the　trees。　The　two　Indians　here　rested　on　their　paddles　and　allowed　the　canoe　to　drift　with　the　tide。　A　pleasant　perfume　came　from　the　forest；　which　Raimundo　said　proceeded　from　a　cane…field。　He　told　me　that　all　this　land　was　owned　by　large　proprietors　at　Para；　who　had　received　grants　from　time　to　time　from　the　Government　for　political　services。　Raimundo　was　quite　in　a　talkative　humour；　he　related　to　me　many　incidents　of　the　time　of　the　〃Cabanagem；〃　as　the　revolutionary　days　of　1835…6　are　popularly　called。　He　said　he　had　been　much　suspected　himself　of　being　a　rebel；　but　declared　that　the　suspicion　was　unfounded。　The　only　complaint　he　had　to　make　against　the　white　man　was　that　he　monopolised　the　land　without　having　any　intention　or　prospect　of　cultivating　it。　He　had　been　turned　out　of　one　place　where　he　had　squatted　and　cleared　a　large　piece　of　forest。　I　believe　the　law　of　Brazil　at　this　time　was　that　the　new　lands　should　become　the　property　of　those　who　cleared　and　cultivated　them；　if　their　right　was　not　disputed　within　a　given　term　of　years　by　some　one　who　claimed　the　proprietorship。　This　land…law　has　since　been　repealed；　and　a　new　one　adopted　founded　on　that　of　the　United　States。　Raimundo　spoke　of　his　race　as　the　redskins；　〃pelle　vermelho。〃　They　meant　well　to　the　whites；　and　only　begged　to　be　let　alone。　〃God；〃　he　said；　〃had　given　room　enough　for　us　all。〃

It　was　pleasant　to　hear　the　shrewd　good…natured　fellow　talk　in　this　strain。　Our　companion；　Joaquim；　had　fallen　asleep；　the　night　air　was　cool；　and　the　moonlight　lit　up　the　features　of　Raimundo；　revealing　a　more　animated　expression　than　is　usually　observable　in　Indian　countenances。　I　always　noticed　that　Indians　were　more　cheerful　on　a　voyage；　especially　in　the　cool　hours　of　night　and　morning；　than　when　ashore。　There　is　something　in　their　constitution　of　body　which　makes　them　feel　excessively　depressed　in　the　hot　hours　of　the　day；　especially　inside　their　houses。　Their　skin　is　always　hot　to　the　touch。　They　certainly　do　not　endure　the　heat　of　their　own　climate　so　well　as　the　whites。　The　negroes　are　totally　different　in　this　respect；　the　heat　of　midday　has　very　little　effect　on　them；　and　they　dislike　the　cold　nights　on　the　river。

We　arrived　at　our　hunting…ground　about　half…past　four。　The　channel　was　broader　here　and　presented　several　ramifications。　It　yet　wanted　an　hour　and　a　half　to　daybreak；　so　Raimundo；recommended　me　to　have　a　nap。　We　both　stretched　ourselves　on　the　benches　of　the　canoe　and　fell　asleep；　letting　the　boat　drift　with　the　tide；　which　was　now　slack。　I　slept　well　considering　the　hardness　of　our　bed；　and　when　I　awoke　in　the　middle　of　a　dream　about　home…scenes；　the　day　was　beginning　to　dawn。　My　clothes　were　quite　wet　with　the　dew。　The　birds　were　astir；　the　cicadas　had　begun　their　music；　and　the　Urania　Leilus；　a　strange　and　beautiful　tailed　and　gilded　moth；　whose　habits　are　those　of　a　butterfly；　commenced　to　fly　in　flocks　over　the　tree…　tops。　Raimundo　exclaimed　〃Clareia　o　dia！〃〃The　day　brightens！〃　The　change　was　rapid：　the　sky　in　the　east　assumed　suddenly　the　loveliest　azure　colour；　across　which　streaks　of　thin　white　clouds　were　painted。　It　is　at　such　moments　as　this　when　one　feels　how　beautiful　our　earth　truly　is！　The　channel　on　whose　waters　our　little　boat　was　floating　was　about　two　hundred　yards　wide；　others　branched　off　right　and　left；　surrounding　the　group　of　lonely　islands　which　terminate　the　land　of　Carnapijo。　The　forest　on　all　sides　formed　a　lofty　hedge　without　a　break；　below；　it　was　fringed　with　mangrove　bushes；　whose　small　foliage　contrasted　with　the　large　glossy　leaves　of　the　taller　trees；　or　the　feather　and　fan…　shaped　fronds　of　palms。

Being　now　arrived　at　our　destination；　Raimundo　turned　up　his　trousers　and　shirt…sleeves；　took　his　long　hunting…knife；　and　leapt　ashore　with　the　dogs。　He　had　to　cut　a　gap　in　order　to　enter　the　forest。　We　expected　to　find　Pacas　and　Cutias；　and　the　method　adopted　to　secure　them　was　this：　at　the　present　early　hour　they　would　be　seen　feeding　on　fallen　fruits；　but　would　quickly；　on　hearing　a　noise；　betake　themselves　to　their　burrows；　Raimundo　was　then　to　turn　them　out　by　means　of　the　dogs；　and　Joaquim　and　I　were　to　remain　in　the　boat　with　our　guns；　ready　to　shoot　all　that　came　to　the　edge　of　the　streamthe　habits　of　both　animals；　when　hard…pressed；　being　to　take　to　the　water。　We　had　not　long　to　wait。　The　first　arrival　was　a　Paca；　a　reddish；　nearly　tail…less　rodent；　spotted　with　white　on　the　sides；　and　intermediate　in　size　and　appearance　between　a　hog　and　a　hare。　My　first　shot　did　not　take　effect；　the　animal　dived　into　the　water　and　did　not　reappear。　A　second　was　brought　down　by　my　companion　as　it　was　rambling　about　under　the　mangrove　bushes。　A　Cutia　next　appeared：　this　is　also　a　rodent；　about　one…third　the　size　of　the　Paca；　it　swims；　but　does　not　dive；　and　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　shoot　it。　We　obtained　in　this　way　two　more　Pacas　and　another　Cutia。　All　the　time　the　dogs　were　yelping　in　the　forest。

Shortly　afterwards　Raimundo　made　his　appearance；　and　told　us　to　paddle　to　the　other　side　of　the　island。　Arrived　there；　we　landed　and　prepared　for　breakfast。　It　was　a　pretty　spota　clean；　white；　sandy　beach　beneath　the　shade　of　wide…spreading　trees。　Joaquim　made　a　fire。　He　first　scraped　fine　shavings　from　the　midrib　of　a　Bacaba　palm…leaf；　these　he　piled　into　a　little　heap　in　a　dry　place；　and　then　struck　a　light　in　his　bamboo　tinderbox　with　a　piece　of　an　old　file　and　a　flint；　the　tinder　being　a　felt…like　substance　manufactured　by　an　ant　（Polyrhachis　bispinosus）。　By　gentle　blowing；　the　shavings　ignited；　dry　sticks　were　piled　on　them；　and　a　good　fire　soon　resulted。　He　then　singed　and　prepared　the　cutia；　finishing　by　running　a　spit　through　the　body　and　fixing　one　end　in　the　ground　in　a　slanting　position　over　the　fire。　We　had　brought　with　us　a　bag　of　farinha　and　a　cup　containing　a　lemon；　a　dozen　or　two　of　fiery　red　peppers；　and　a　few　spoonsful　of　salt。　We　breakfasted　heartily　when　our　cutia　was　roasted；　and　washed　the　meal　down　with　a　calabash　full　of　the　pure　water　of　the　river。

After　breakfast　the　dogs　found　another　cutia；　which　was　hidden　in　its　burrow　two　or　three　feet　beneath　the　roots　of　a　large　tree；　and　it　took　Raimundo　nearly　an　hour　to　disinter　it。　Soon　afterwards　we　left　this　place；　crossed　the　channel；　and；　paddling　past　two　islands；　obtained　a　glimpse　of　the　broad　river　between　them；　with　a　long　sandy　spit；　on　which　stood　several　scarlet　ibises　and　snow…white　egrets。　One　of　the　islands　was　low　and　sandy；　and　half　of　it　was　covered　with　gigantic　arum…trees；　the　often…mentioned　Caladium　arborescens；　which　presented　a　strange　sight。　Most　people　are　acquainted　with　the　little　British　species；　Arum　maculatum；　which　grows　in　hedge…bottoms；　and　many；　doubtless；　have　admired　the　larger　kinds　grown　in　hothouses；　they　can　therefore　form　some　idea　of　a　forest　of　arums。　On　this　islet　the　woody　stems　of　the　plants　near　the　bottom　were　eight　to　ten　inches　in　diameter；　and　the　trees　were　twelve　to　fifteen　feet　high　all　growing　together　in　such　a　manner　that　there　was　just　room　for　a　man　to　walk　freely　between　them。　There　was　a　canoe　inshore；　with　a　man　and　a　woman　the　man；　who　was　hooting　with　all　his　might；　told　us　in　passing　that　his　son　was　lost　in　the　〃aningal〃　（arum…grove）。　He　had　strayed　while　walking　ashore；　and　the　father　had　now　been　an　hour　waiting　for　him　in　vain。

About　one　o'clock　we　again　stopped　at　the　mouth　of　a　little　creek。　It　was　now　intensely　hot。　Raimundo　said　deer　were　found　here；　so　he　borrowed　my　gun；　as　being　a　more　effective　weapon　than　the　wretched　arms　called　Lazarinos；　which　he；　in　common　with　all　the　native　hunters；　used；　and　which　sell　at　Para　for　seven　or　eight　shillings　apiece。　Raimundo　and　Joaquim　now　stripped　themselves　quite　naked；　and　started　off　in　different　directions　through　the　forest；　going　naked　in　order　to　move　with　less　noise　over　the　carpet　of　dead　leaves；　among　which　they　stepped　so　stealthily　that　not　the　slightest　rustle　could　be　heard。　The　dogs　remained　in　the　canoe；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　which　I　employed　myself　two　hours　entomologising。　At　the　end　of　that　time　my　two　companions　returned；　having　met　with　no　game　whatever。

We　now　embarked　on　our　return　voyage。　Raimundo　cut　two　slender　poles；　one　for　a　mast　and　the　other　for　a　sprit　to　these　he　rigged　a　sail　we　had　brought　in　the　boat；　for　we　were　to　return　by　the　open　river；　and　expected　a　good　wind　to　carry　us　to　Caripi。　As　soon　as　we　got　out　of　the　channel　we　began　to　feel　the　windthe　sea…breeze；　which　here　makes　a　clean　sweep　from　the　Atlantic。　Our　boat　was　very　small　and　heavily　laden；　and　when；　after　rounding　a　point；　I　saw　the　great　breadth　we　had　to　traverse　（seven　miles）；　I　thought　the　attempt　to　cross　in　such　a　slight　vessel　foolhardy　in　the　extreme。　The　waves　ran　very　high；　there　was　no　rudder；　Raimundo　steered　with　a　paddle；　and　all　we　had　to　rely　upon　to　save　us　from　falling　into　the　trough　of　the　sea　and　being　instantly　swamped　were　his　nerve　and　skill。　There　was　just　room　in　the　boat　for　our　three　selves；　the　dogs；　and　the　game　we　had　killed；　and　when　between　the　swelling　ridges　of　waves　in　so　frail　a　shell；　our　destruction　seemed　inevitable；　as　it　was；　we　shipped　a　little　water　now　and　then。　Joaquim　assisted　with　his　paddle　to　steady　the　boat　my　time　was　fully　occupied　in　bailing　out　the　water　and　watching　the　dogs；　which　were　crowded　together　in　the　prow；　yelling　with　fear　one　or　other　of　them　occasionally　falling　over　the　side　and　causing　great　commotion　in　scrambling　in　again。　Off　the　point　was　a　ridge　of　rocks；　over　which　the　surge　raged　furiously。　Raimundo　sat　at　the　stern；　rigid　and　silent；　his　eye　steadily　watching　the　prow　of　the　boat。　It　was　almost　worth　the　risk　and　discomfort　of　the　passage　to　witness　the　seamanlike　ability　displayed　by　Indians　on　the　water。　The　little　boat　rode　beautifully；　rising　well　with　each　wave；　and　in　the　course　of　an　hour　and　a　half　we　arrived　at　Caripi；　thoroughly　tired　and　wet　through　to　the　skin。

On　the　16th　of　January；