the naturalist on the river amazons-第3部分

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esuits；　situated　a　few　miles　to　the　eastward　of　the　Para　River。　Here　the　ship　anchored　in　the　open　sea　at　a　distance　of　six　miles　from　the　shore；　the　shallowness　of　the　water　far　out　around　the　mouth　of　the　great　river　not　permitting；　in　safety；　a　nearer　approach；　and；　the　signal　was　hoisted　for　a　pilot。

It　was　with　deep　interest　that　my　companion　and　myself；　both　now　about　to　see　and　examine　the　beauties　of　a　tropical　country　for　the　first　time；　gazed　on　the　land　where　I；　at　least；　eventually　spent　eleven　of　the　best　years　of　my　life。　To　the　eastward　the　country　was　not　remarkable　in　appearance；　being　slightly　undulating；　with　bare　sandhills　and　scattered　trees；　but　to　the　westward；　stretching　towards　the　mouth　of　the　river；　we　could　see　through　the　captain's　glass　a　long　line　of　forest；　rising　apparently　out　of　the　water；　a　densely…packed　mass　of　tall　trees；　broken　into　groups；　and　finally　into　single　trees；　as　it　dwindled　away　in　the　distance。　This　was　the　frontier；　in　this　direction；　of　the　great　primaeval　forest　characteristic　of　this　region；　which　contains　so　many　wonders　in　its　recesses；　and　clothes　the　whole　surface　of　the　country　for　two　thousand　miles　from　this　point　to　the　foot　of　the　Andes。

On　the　following　day　and　night　we　sailed；　with　a　light　wind；　partly　aided　by　the　tide；　up　the　Para　river。　Towards　evening　we　passed　Vigia　and　Colares；　two　fishing　villages；　and　saw　many　native　canoes；　which　seemed　like　toys　beneath　the　lofty　walls　of　dark　forest。　The　air　was　excessively　close；　the　sky　overcast；　and　sheet　lightning　played　almost　incessantly　around　the　horizon　an　appropriate　greeting　on　the　threshold　of　a　country　lying　close　under　the　equator！　The　evening　was　calm；　this　being　the　season　when　the　winds　are　not　strong；　so　we　glided　along　in　a　noiseless　manner；　which　contrasted　pleasantly　with　the　unceasing　turmoil　to　which　we　had　been　lately　accustomed　on　the　Atlantic。　The　immensity　of　the　river　struck　us　greatly；　for　although　sailing　sometimes　at　a　distance　of　eight　or　nine　miles　from　the　eastern　bank；　the　opposite　shore　was　at　no　time　visible。　Indeed；　the　Para　river　is　thirty…six　miles　in　breadth　at　its　mouth；　and　at　the　city　of　Para；　nearly　seventy　miles　from　the　sea；　it　is　twenty　miles　wide；　but　at　that　point；　a　series　of　islands　commences　which　contracts　the　riverview　in　front　of　the　port。

On　the　morning　of　the　28th　of　May；　we　arrived　at　our　destination。　The　appearance　of　the　city　at　sunrise　was　pleasing　in　the　highest　degree。　It　is　built　on　a　low　tract　of　land；　having　only　one　small　rocky　elevation　at　its　southern　extremity；　it；　therefore；　affords　no　amphitheatral　view　from　the　river；　but　the　white　buildings　roofed　with　red　tiles；　the　numerous　towers　and　cupolas　of　churches　and　convents；　the　crowns　of　palm　trees　reared　above　the　buildings；　all　sharply　defined　against　the　clear　blue　sky；　give　an　appearance　of　lightness　and　cheerfulness　which　is　most　exhilarating。　The　perpetual　forest　hems　the　city　in　on　all　sides　landwards；　and　towards　the　suburbs；　picturesque　country　houses　are　seen　scattered　about；　half　buried　in　luxuriant　foliage。　The　port　was　full　of　native　canoes　and　other　vessels；　large　and　small；　and　the　ringing　of　bells　and　firing　of　rockets；　announcing　the　dawn　of　some　Roman　Catholic　festival　day；　showed　that　the　population　was　astir　at　that　early　hour。

We　went　ashore　in　due　time；　and　were　kindly　received　by　Mr。　Miller；　the　consignee　of　the　vessel；　who　invited　us　to　make　his　house　our　home　until　we　could　obtain　a　suitable　residence。　On　landing；　the　hot　moist　mouldy　air；　which　seemed　to　strike　from　the　ground　and　walls；　reminded　me　of　the　atmosphere　of　tropical　stoves　at　Kew。　In　the　course　of　the　afternoon　a　heavy　shower　fell；　and　in　the　evening；　the　atmosphere　having　been　cooled　by　the　rain；　we　walked　about　a　mile　out　of　town　to　the　residence　of　an　American　gentleman　to　whom　our　host　wished　to　introduce　us。

The　impressions　received　during　this　first　walk　can　never　wholly　fade　from　my　mind。　After　traversing　the　few　streets　of　tall；　gloomy；　convent…looking　buildings　near　the　port；　inhabited　chiefly　by　merchants　and　shopkeepers；　along　which　idle　soldiers；　dressed　in　shabby　uniforms　carrying　their　muskets　carelessly　over　their　arms；　priests；　negresses　with　red　water…jars　on　their　heads；　sad…looking　Indian　women　carrying　their　naked　children　astride　on　their　hips；　and　other　samples　of　the　motley　life　of　the　place；　we　passed　down　a　long　narrow　street　leading　to　the　suburbs。　Beyond　this；　our　road　lay　across　a　grassy　common　into　a　picturesque　lane　leading　to　the　virgin　forest。　The　long　street　was　inhabited　by　the　poorer　class　of　the　population。　The　houses　were　of　one　story　only；　and　had　an　irregular　and　mean　appearance。　The　windows　were　without　glass；　having；　instead；　projecting　lattice　casements。　The　street　was　unpaved；　and　inches　deep　in　loose　sand。　Groups　of　people　were　cooling　themselves　outside　their　doors　people　of　all　shades　in　colour　of　skin；　European；　Negro　and　Indian；　but　chiefly　an　uncertain　mixture　of　the　three。　Amongst　them　were　several　handsome　women　dressed　in　a　slovenly　manner；　barefoot　or　shod　in　loose　slippers；　but　wearing　richly…　decorated　earrings；　and　around　their　necks　strings　of　very　large　gold　beads。　They　had　dark　expressive　eyes；　and　remarkably　rich　heads　of　hair。　It　was　a　mere　fancy；　but　I　thought　the　mingled　squalor；　luxuriance　and　beauty　of　these　women　were　pointedly　in　harmony　with　the　rest　of　the　scene　so　striking；　in　the　view；　was　the　mixture　of　natural　riches　and　human　poverty。　The　houses　were　mostly　in　a　dilapidated　condition；　and　signs　of　indolence　and　neglect　were　visible　everywhere。　The　wooden　palings　which　surrounded　the　weed…grown　gardens　were　strewn　about　and　broken；　hogs；　goats；　and　ill…fed　poultry　wandered　in　and　out　through　the　gaps。

But　amidst　all；　and　compensating　every　defect；　rose　the　overpowering　beauty　of　the　vegetation。　The　massive　dark　crowns　of　shady　mangos　were　seen　everywhere　amongst　the　dwellings；　amidst　fragrant　blossoming　orange；　lemon；　and　many　other　tropical　fruit　trees；　some　in　flower；　others　in　fruit；　at　varying　stages　of　ripeness。　Here　and　there；　shooting　above　the　more　dome…like　and　sombre　trees；　were　the　smooth　columnar　stems　of　palms；　bearing　aloft　their　magnificent　crowns　of　finely…cut　fronds。　Amongst　the　latter　the　slim　assai…palm　was　especially　noticeable；　growing　in　groups　of　four　or　five；　its　smooth；　gently…curving　stem；　twenty　to　thirty　feet　high；　terminating　in　a　head　of　feathery　foliage；　inexpressibly　light　and　elegant　in　outline。　On　the　boughs　of　the　taller　and　more　ordinary…looking　trees　sat　tufts　of　curiously…　leaved　parasites。　Slender；　woody　lianas　hung　in　festoons　from　the　branches；　or　were　suspended　in　the　form　of　cords　and　ribbons；　whilst　luxuriant　creeping　plants　overran　alike　tree…trunks；　roofs　and　walls；　or　toppled　over　palings　in　a　copious　profusion　of　foliage。　The　superb　banana　（Musa　paradisiaca）；　of　which　I　had　always　read　as　forming　one　of　the　charms　of　tropical　vegetation；　grew　here　with　great　luxuriance　its　glossy　velvety…green　leaves；　twelve　feet　in　length；　curving　over　the　roofs　of　verandahs　in　the　rear　of　every　house。　The　shape　of　the　leaves；　the　varying　shades　of　green　which　they　present　when　lightly　moved　by　the　wind；　and　especially　the　contrast　they　afford　in　colour　and　form　to　the　more　sombre　hues　and　more　rounded　outline　of　the　other　trees；　are　quite　sufficient　to　account　for　the　charm　of　this　glorious　tree。

Strange　forms　of　vegetation　drew　our　attention　at　almost　every　step。　Amongst　them　were　the　different　kinds　of　Bromelia；　or　pineapple　plants；　with　their　long；　rigid；　sword…shaped　leaves；　in　some　species　jagged　or　toothed　along　their　edges。　Then　there　was　the　bread…fruit　treean　importation；　it　is　true；　but　remarkable　from　its　large；　glossy；　dark　green；　strongly　digitated　foliage；　and　its　interesting　history。　Many　other　trees　and　plants；　curious　in　leaf；　stem；　or　manner　of　growth；　grew　on　the　borders　of　the　thickets　along　which　lay　our　road；　they　were　all　attractive　to　newcomers；　whose　last　country　ramble　of　quite　recent　date　was　over　the　bleak　moors　of　Derbyshire　on　a　sleety　morning　in　April。

As　we　continued　our　walk　the　brief　twilight　commenced；　and　the　sounds　of　multifarious　life　came　from　the　vegetation　around。　The　whirring　of　cicadas；　the　shrill　stridulation　of　a　vast　number　and　variety　of　field　crickets　and　grasshoppers；　each　species　sounding　its　peculiar　note；　the　plaintive　hooting　of　tree　frogsall　blended　together　in　one　continuous　ringing　soundthe　audible　expression　of　the　teeming　profusion　of　Nature。　As　night　came　on；　many　species　of　frogs　and　toads　in　the　marshy　places　joined　in　the　chorus　their　croaking　and　drumming；　far　louder　than　anything　I　had　before　heard　in　the　same　line；　being　added　to　the　other　noises；　created　an　almost　deafening　din。　This　uproar　of　life；　I　afterwards　found；　never　wholly　ceased；　night　or　day。　In　the　course　of　time　I　became；　like　other　residents；　accustomed　to　it。　It　is；　however；　one　of　the　peculiarities　of　a　tropicalat　least；　a　Brazilianclimate　which　is　most　likely　to　surprise　a　stranger。　　After　my　return　to　England；　the　deathlike　stillness　of　summer　days　in　the　country　appeared　to　me　as　strange　as　the　ringing　uproar　did　on　my　first　arrival　at　Para。　The　object　of　our　visit　being　accomplished；　we　returned　to　the　city。　The　fire…flies　were　then　out　in　great　numbers；　flitting　about　the　sombre　woods；　and　even　the　frequented　streets。　We　turned　into　our　hammocks；　well　pleased　with　what　we　had　seen；　and　full　of　anticipation　with　regard　to　the　wealth　of　natural　objects　we　had　come　to　explore。

　During　the　first　few　days；　we　were　employed　in　landing　our　baggage　and　arranging　our　extensive　apparatus。　We　then　accepted　the　invitation　of　Mr。　Miller　to　make　use　of　his　rocinha；　or　country…house　in　the　suburbs；　until　we　finally　decided　on　a　residence。　Upon　this；　we　made　our　first　essay　in　housekeeping。　We　bought　cotton　hammocks；　the　universal　substitute　for　beds　in　this　country；　cooking　utensils　and　crockery；　and　engaged　a　free　negro；　named　Isidoro；　as　cook　and　servant…of…all…work。

Our　first　walks　were　in　the　immediate　suburbs　of　Para。　The　city　lies　on　a　corner　of　land　formed　by　the　junction　of　the　river　Guama　with　the　Para。　As　I　have　said　before；　the　forest；　which　covers　the　whole