the naturalist on the river amazons-第36部分

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　heat　of　the　cabins　was　stifling　in　the　early　part　of　the　night。　Penna；　Senhora　Katita；　and　I　slung　our　hammocks　in　triangle　between　the　mainmast　and　two　stout　poles　fixed　in　the　raised　deck。　A　sheet　was　the　only　covering　required；　besides　our　regular　clothing；　for　the　decrease　of　temperature　at　night　on　the　Amazons　is　never　so　great　as　to　be　felt　otherwise　than　as　a　delightful　coolness　after　the　sweltering　heat　of　the　afternoons。

We　used　to　rise　when　the　first　gleam　of　dawn　showed　itself　above　the　long；　dark　line　of　forest。　Our　clothes　and　hammocks　were　then　generally　soaked　with　dew；　but　this　was　not　felt　to　be　an　inconvenience。　The　Indian　Manoel　used　to　revive　himself　by　a　plunge　in　the　river；　under　the　bows　of　the　vessel。　It　is　the　habit　of　all　Indians；　male　and　female；　to　bathe　early　in　the　morning；　they　do　it　sometimes　for　warmth's　sake；　the　temperature　of　the　water　being　often　considerably　higher　than　that　of　the　air。　Penna　and　I　lolled　in　our　hammocks；　while　Katita　prepared　the　indispensable　cup　of　strong　coffee；　which　she　did　with　wonderful　celerity；　smoking　meanwhile　her　early　morning　pipe　of　tobacco。　Liberal　owners　of　river　craft　allow　a　cup　of　coffee　sweetened　with　molasses；　or　a　ration　of　cashaca；　to　each　man　of　their　crews；　Penna　gave　them　coffee。　When　all　were　served；　the　day's　work　began。　There　was　seldom　any　wind　at　this　early　hour；　so　if　there　was　still　water　along　the　shore；　the　men　rowed；　if　not；　there　was　no　way　of　progressing　but　by　espia。

In　some　places　the　currents　ran　with　great　force　close　to　the　banks；　especially　where　these　receded　to　form　long　bays　or　enseadas；　as　they　are　called；　and　then　we　made　very　little　headway。　In　such　places　the　banks　consist　of　loose　earth；　a　rich　crumbly　vegetable　mold　supporting　a　growth　of　most　luxuriant　forest；　of　which　the　currents　almost　daily　carry　away　large　portions；　so　that　the　stream　for　several　yards　out　is　encumbered　with　fallen　trees　whose　branches　quiver　in　the　current。　When　projecting　points　of　land　were　encountered；　it　was　impossible；　with　our　weak　crew；　to　pull　the　cuberta　against　the　whirling　torrents　which　set　round　them；　and　in　such　cases　we　had　to　cross　the　river；　drifting　often　with　the　current；　a　mile　or　two　lower　down　on　the　opposite　shore。　There　generally　sprung　a　light　wind　as　the　day　advanced；　and　then　we　took　down　our　hammocks；　hoisted　all　sail；　and　bowled　away　merrily。　Penna　generally　preferred　to　cook　the　dinner　ashore；　when　there　was　little　or　no　wind。　About　midday　on　these　calm　days；　we　used　to　look　out　for　a　nice　shady　nook　in　the　forest　with　cleared　space　sufficient　to　make　a　fire　upon。　I　then　had　an　hour's　hunting　in　the　neighbouring　wilderness；　and　was　always　rewarded　by　the　discovery　of　some　new　species。　During　the　greater　part　of　our　voyage；　however；　we　stopped　at　the　house　of　some　settler；　and　made　our　fire　in　the　port。　Just　before　dinner　it　was　our　habit　to　take　a　bath　in　the　river；　and　then；　according　to　the　universal　custom　on　the　Amazons；　where　it　seems　to　be　suitable　on　account　of　the　weak　fish　diet；　we　each　took　half　a　tea…cup　full　of　neat　cashaca；　the　〃abre〃　or　〃　opening；〃　as　it　is　called；　and　set　to　on　our　mess　of　stewed　pirarucu；　beans；　and　bacon。　Once　or　twice　a　week　we　had　fowls　and　rice；　at　supper；　after　sunset；　we　often　had　fresh　fish　caught　by　our　men　in　the　evening。　The　mornings　were　cool　and　pleasant　until　towards　midday；　but　in　the　afternoons；　the　heat　became　almost　intolerable；　especially　in　gleamy；　squally　weather；　such　as　generally　prevailed。　We　then　crouched　in　the　shade　of　the　sails；　or　went　down　to　our　hammocks　in　the　cabin；　choosing　to　be　half　stifled　rather　than　expose　ourselves　on　deck　to　the　sickening　heat　of　the　sun。

We　generally　ceased　travelling　about　nine　o'clock；　fixing　upon　a　safe　spot　wherein　to　secure　the　vessel　for　the　night。　The　cool　evening　hours　were　delicious；　flocks　of　whistling　ducks　（Anas　autumnalis）；　parrots；　and　hoarsely…screaming　macaws；　pair　by　pair；　flew　over　from　their　feeding　to　their　resting　places；　as　the　glowing　sun　plunged　abruptly　beneath　the　horizon。　The　brief　evening　chorus　of　animals　then　began；　the　chief　performers　being　the　howling　monkeys；　whose　frightful　unearthly　roar　deepened　the　feeling　of　solitude　which　crept　up　as　darkness　closed　around　us。　Soon　after；　the　fireflies　in　great　diversity　of　species　came　forth　and　flitted　about　the　trees。　As　night　advanced；　all　became　silent　in　the　forest；　save　the　occasional　hooting　of　tree…frogs；　or　the　monotonous　chirping　of　wood…crickets　and　grasshoppers。

We　made　but　little　progress　on　the　20th　and　two　following　days；　on　account　of　the　unsteadiness　of　the　wind。　The　dry　season　had　been　of　very　brief　duration　this　year；　it　generally　lasts　in　this　part　of　the　Amazons　from　July　to　January；　with　a　short　interval　of　showery　weather　in　November。　The　river　ought　to　sink　thirty　or　thirty…five　feet　below　its　highest　point；　this　year　it　had　declined　only　about　twenty…five　feet；　and　the　November　rains　threatened　to　be　continuous。　The　drier　the　weather　the　stronger　blows　the　east　wind；　it　now　failed　us　altogether；　or　blew　gently　for　a　few　hours　merely　in　the　afternoons。　I　had　hitherto　seen　the　great　river　only　in　its　sunniest　aspect；　I　was　now　about　to　witness　what　it　could　furnish　in　the　way　of　storms。

On　the　night　of　the　22nd　the　moon　appeared　with　a　misty　halo。　As　we　went　to　rest；　a　fresh　watery　wind　was　blowing；　and　a　dark　pile　of　clouds　gathered　up　river　in　a　direction　opposite　to　that　of　the　wind。　I　thought　this　betokened　nothing　more　than　a　heavy　rain　which　would　send　us　all　in　a　hurry　to　our　cabins。　The　men　moored　the　vessel　to　a　tree　alongside　a　hard　clayey　bank；　and　after　supper；　all　were　soon　fast　asleep；　scattered　about　the　raised　deck。　About　eleven　o'clock　I　was　awakened　by　a　horrible　uproar；　as　a　hurricane　of　wind　suddenly　swept　over　from　the　opposite　shore。　The　cuberta　was　hurled　with　force　against　the　clayey　bank；　Penna　shouted　out；　as　he　started　to　his　legs；　that　a　trovoada　de　cima；　or　a　squall　from　up…river；　was　upon　us。　We　took　down　our　hammocks；　and　then　all　hands　were　required　to　save　the　vessel　from　being　dashed　to　pieces。　The　moon　set；　and　a　black　pall　of　clouds　spread　itself　over　the　dark　forests　and　river；　a　frightful　crack　of　thunder　now　burst　over　our　heads；　and　down　fell　the　drenching　rain。　Joaquim　leapt　ashore　through　the　drowning　spray　with　a　strong　pole；　and　tried　to　pass　the　cuberta　round　a　small　projecting　point；　while　we　on　deck　aided　in　keeping　her　off　and　lengthened　the　cable。　We　succeeded　in　getting　free；　and　the　stout…built　boat　fell　off　into　the　strong　current　farther　away　from　the　shore；　Joaquim　swinging　himself　dexterously　aboard　by　the　bowsprit　as　it　passed　the　point。　It　was　fortunate　for　us　that　he　happened　to　be　on　a　sloping　clayey　bank　where　there　was　no　fear　of　falling　trees；　a　few　yards　farther　on；　where　the　shore　was　perpendicular　and　formed　of　crumbly　earth；　large　portions　of　loose　soil；　with　all　their　superincumbent　mass　of　forest；　were　being　washed　away；　the　uproar　thus　occasioned　adding　to　the　horrors　of　the　storm。

The　violence　of　the　wind　abated　in　the　course　of　an　hour；　but　the　deluge　of　rain　continued　until　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　sky　was　lighted　up　by　almost　incessant　flashes　of　pallid　lightning；　and　the　thunder　pealing　from　side　to　side　without　interruption。　Our　clothing；　hammocks；　and　goods　were　thoroughly　soaked　by　the　streams　of　water　which　trickled　through　between　the　planks。　In　the　morning　all　was　quiet；　but　an　opaque；　leaden　mass　of　clouds　overspread　the　sky；　throwing　a　gloom　over　the　wild　landscape　that　had　a　most　dispiriting　effect。　These　squalls　from　the　west　are　always　expected　about　the　time　of　the　breaking　up　of　the　dry　season　in　these　central　parts　of　the　Lower　Amazons。　They　generally　take　place　about　the　beginning　of　February；　so　that　this　year　they　had　commenced　much　earlier　than　usual。　The　soil　and　climate　are　much　drier　in　this　part　of　the　country　than　in　the　region　lying　farther　to　the　west；　where　the　denser　forests　and　more　clayey；　humid　soil　produce　a　considerably　cooler　atmosphere。　The　storms　may　be；　therefore；　attributed　to　the　rush　of　cold　moist　air　from　up　river；　when　the　regular　trade…　wind　coming　from　the　sea　has　slackened　or　ceased　to　blow。

On　the　26th　we　arrived　at　a　large　sand　bank　connected　with　an　island　in　mid…river；　in　front　of　an　inlet　called　Maraca…uassu。　Here　we　anchored　and　spent　half　a　day　ashore。　Penna's　object　in　stopping　was　simply　to　enjoy　a　ramble　on　the　sands　with　the　children；　and　give　Senora　Katita　an　opportunity　to　wash　the　linen。　The　sandbank　was　now　fast　going　under　water　with　the　rise　of　the　river；　in　the　middle　of　the　dry　season　it　is　about　a　mile　long　and　half　a　mile　in　width。　The　canoe…men　delight　in　these　open　spaces；　which　are　a　great　relief　to　the　monotony　of　the　forest　that　clothes　the　land　in　every　other　part　of　the　river。　Farther　westward　they　are　much　more　frequent；　and　of　larger　extent。　They　lie　generally　at　the　upper　end　of　islands；　in　fact；　the　latter　originate　in　accretions　of　vegetable　matter　formed　by　plants　and　trees　growing　on　a　shoal。　The　island　was　wooded　chiefly　with　the　trumpet　tree　（Cecropia　peltata）；　which　has　a　hollow　stem　and　smooth　pale　bark。　The　leaves　are　similar　in　shape　to　those　of　the　horse…chestnut；　but　immensely　larger；　beneath　they　are　white；　and　when　the　welcome　trade…wind　blows　they　show　their　silvery　undersidesa　pleasant　signal　to　the　weary　canoe　traveller。　The　mode　of　growth　of　this　tree　is　curious：　the　branches　are　emitted　at　nearly　right　angles　with　the　stem；　the　branchlets　in　minor　whorls　around　these；　and　so　forth；　the　leaves　growing　at　their　extremities；　so　that　the　total　appearance　is　that　of　a　huge　candelabrum。　Cecropiae　of　different　species　are　characteristic　of　Brazilian　forest　scenery；　the　kind　of　which　I　am　speaking　grows　in　great　numbers　everywhere　on　the　banks　of　the　Amazons　where　the　land　is　low。　In　the　same　places　the　curious　Monguba　tree　（Bombax　ceiba）　is　also　plentiful；　the　dark　green　bark　of　its　huge　tapering　trunk；　scored　with　grey；　forming　a　conspicuous　object。　The　principal　palm　tree　on　the　lowlands　is　the　Jauari　（Astrvocaryum　Jauari）；　whose　stem；　surrounded　by　whorls　of　spines；　shoots　up　to　a　great　height。　On　the　borders　of　the　island　were　large　tracts　of　arrow…