the naturalist on the river amazons-第37部分

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rls　of　spines；　shoots　up　to　a　great　height。　On　the　borders　of　the　island　were　large　tracts　of　arrow…grass　（Gynerium　saccharoides）；　which　bears　elegant　plumes　of　flowers；　like　those　of　the　reed；　and　grows　to　a　height　of　twenty　feet；　the　leaves　arranged　in　a　fan…shaped　figure　near　the　middle　of　the　stem。　I　was　surprised　to　find　on　the　higher　parts　of　the　sandbank　the　familiar　foliage　of　a　willow　（Salix　Humboldtiana）。　It　is　a　dwarf　species；　and　grows　in　patches　resembling　beds　of　osiers；　as　in　the　English　willows；　the　leaves　were　peopled　by　small　chrysomelideous　beetles。

In　wandering　about；　many　features　reminded　me　of　the　seashore。　Flocks　of　white　gulls　were　flying　overhead；　uttering　their　well…　known　cry；　and　sandpipers　coursed　along　the　edge　of　the　water。　Here　and　there　lonely　wading…birds　were　stalking　about；　one　of　these；　the　Curiaca　（Ibis　melanopis）；　flew　up　with　a　low　cackling　noise；　and　was　soon　joined　by　a　unicorn　bird　（Palamedea　cornuta）；　which　I　startled　up　from　amidst　the　bushes；　whose　harsh　screams；　resembling　the　bray　of　a　jackass；　but　shriller；　disturbed　unpleasantly　the　solitude　of　the　place。　Amongst　the　willow　bushes　were　flocks　of　a　handsome　bird　belonging　to　the　Icteridae　or　troupial　family；　adorned　with　a　rich　plumage　of　black　and　saffron…yellow。　I　spent　some　time　watching　an　assemblage　of　a　species　of　bird　called　by　the　natives　Tumburi…para；　on　the　Cecropia　trees。　It　is　the　Monasa　nigrifrons　of　ornithologists；　and　has　a　plain　slate…coloured　plumage　with　the　beak　of　an　orange　hue。　It　belongs　to　the　family　of　Barbets；　most　of　whose　members　are　remarkable　for　their　dull；　inactive　temperament。　Those　species　which　are　arranged　by　ornithologists　under　the　genus　Bucco　are　called　by　the　Indians；　in　the　Tupi　language；　Tai…assu　uira；　or　pig…birds。　They　remain　seated　sometimes　for　hours　together　on　low　branches　in　the　shade；　and　are　stimulated　to　exertion　only　when　attracted　by　passing　insects。　This　flock　of　Tamburi…para　were　the　reverse　of　dull；　they　were　gambolling　and　chasing　each　other　amongst　the　branches。　As　they　sported　about；　each　emitted　a　few　short　tuneful　notes；　which　altogether　produced　a　ringing；　musical　chorus　that　quite　surprised　me。

On　the　27th　we　reached　an　elevated　wooded　promontory；　called　Parentins；　which　now　forms　the　boundary　between　the　provinces　of　Para　and　the　Amazons。　Here　we　met　a　small　canoe　descending　to　Santarem。　The　owner　was　a　free　negro　named　Lima；　who；　with　his　wife；　was　going　down　the　river　to　exchange　his　year's　crop　of　tobacco　for　European　merchandise。　The　long　shallow　canoe　was　laden　nearly　to　the　water　level。　He　resided　on　the　banks　of　the　Abacaxi；　a　river　which　discharges　its　waters　into　the　Canoma；　a　broad　interior　channel　which　extends　from　the　river　Madeira　to　the　Parentins；　a　distance　of　180　miles。　Penna　offered　him　advantageous　terms；　so　a　bargain　was　struck；　and　the　man　saved　his　long　journey。　The　negro　seemed　a　frank；　straightforward　fellow；　he　was　a　native　of　Pernambuco；　but　had　settled　many　years　ago　in　this　part　of　the　country。　He　had　with　him　a　little　Indian　girl　belonging　to　the　Mauhes　tribe；　whose　native　seat　is　the　district　of　country　lying　in　the　rear　of　the　Canoma；　between　the　Madeira　and　the　Tapajos。　The　Mauhes　are　considered；　I　think　with　truth；　to　be　a　branch　of　the　great　Mundurucu　nation；　having　segregated　from　them　at　a　remote　period；　and　by　long　isolation　acquired　different　customs　and　a　totally　different　language；　in　a　manner　which　seems　to　have　been　general　with　the　Brazilian　aborigines。　The　Mundurucus　seem　to　have　retained　more　of　the　general　characteristics　of　the　original　Tupi　stock　than　the　Mauhes。　Senor　Lima　told　me；　what　I　afterwards　found　to　be　correct；　that　there　were　scarcely　two　words　alike　in　the　languages　of　the　two　peoples；　although　there　are　words　closely　allied　to　Tupi　in　both。

The　little　girl　had　not　the　slightest　trace　of　the　savage　in　her　appearance。　Her　features　were　finely　shaped；　the　cheekbones　not　at　all　prominent；　the　lips　thin；　and　the　expression　of　her　countenance　frank　and　smiling。　She　had　been　brought　only　a　few　weeks　previously　from　a　remote　settlement　of　her　tribe　on　the　banks　of　the　Abacaxi；　and　did　not　yet　know　five　words　of　Portuguese。　The　Indians；　as　a　general　rule；　are　very　manageable　when　they　are　young；　but　it　is　a　general　complaint　that　when　they　reach　the　age　of　puberty　they　become　restless　and　discontented。　The　rooted　impatience　of　all　restraint　then　shows　itself；　and　the　kindest　treatment　will　not　prevent　them　running　away　from　their　masters；　they　do　not　return　to　the　malocas　of　their　tribes；　but　join　parties　who　go　out　to　collect　the　produce　of　the　forests　and　rivers；　and　lead　a　wandering　semi…savage　kind　of　life。

We　remained　under　the　Serra　dos　Parentins　all　night。　Early　the　next　morning　a　light　mist　hung　about　the　tree…tops；　and　the　forest　resounded　with　the　yelping　of　Whaiapu…sai　monkeys。　I　went　ashore　with　my　gun　and　got　a　glimpse　of　the　flock；　but　did　not　succeed　in　obtaining　a　specimen。　They　were　of　small　size　and　covered　with　long　fur　of　a　uniform　grey　colour。　I　think　the　species　was　the　Callithrix　donacophilus。　The　rock　composing　the　elevated　ridge　of　the　Parentins　is　the　same　coarse　iron…cemented　conglomerate　which　I　have　often　spoken　of　as　occurring　near　Para　and　in　several　other　places。　Many　loose　blocks　were　scattered　about。　The　forest　was　extremely　varied；　and　inextricable　coils　of　woody　climbers　stretched　from　tree　to　tree。　Throngs　of　cacti　were　spread　over　the　rocks　and　tree…trunks。　The　variety　of　small；　beautifully…shaped　ferns；　lichens；　and　boleti；　made　the　place　quite　a　museum　of　cryptogamic　plants。　I　found　here　two　exquisite　species　of　Longicorn　beetles；　and　a　large　kind　of　grasshopper　（Pterochroza）　whose　broad　fore…wings　resembled　the　leaf　of　a　plant；　providing　the　insect　with　a　perfect　disguise　when　they　were　closed；　while　the　hind　wings　were　decorated　with　gaily…　coloured　eye…like　spots。

The　negro　left　us　and　turned　up　a　narrow　channel；　the　Parana…　mirim　dos　Ramos　（the　little　river　of　the　branches；　i。e。；　having　many　ramifications）；　on　the　road　to　his　home；　130　miles　distant。　We　then　continued　our　voyage；　and　in　the　evening　arrived　at　Villa　Nova；　a　straggling　village　containing　about　seventy　houses；　many　of　which　scarcely　deserve　the　name；　being　mere　mud…huts　roofed　with　palm…leaves。　We　stayed　here　four　days。　The　village　is　built　on　a　rocky　bank；　composed　of　the　same　coarse　conglomerate　as　that　already　so　often　mentioned。　In　some　places　a　bed　of　Tabatinga　clay　rests　on　the　conglomerate。　The　soil　in　the　neighbourhood　is　sandy；　and　the　forest；　most　of　which　appears　to　be　of　second　growth；　is　traversed　by　broad　alleys　which　terminate　to　the　south　and　east　on　the　banks　of　pools　and　lakes；　a　chain　of　which　extends　through　the　interior　of　the　land。　As　soon　as　we　anchored　I　set　off　with　Luco　to　explore　the　district。　We　walked　about　a　mile　along　the　marly　shore；　on　which　was　a　thick　carpet　of　flowering　shrubs；　enlivened　by　a　great　variety　of　lovely　little　butterflies；　and　then　entered　the　forest　by　a　dry　watercourse。

About　a　furlong　inland　this　opened　on　a　broad　placid　pool；　whose　banks；　clothed　with　grass　of　the　softest　green　hue；　sloped　gently　from　the　water's　edge　to　the　compact　wall　of　forest　which　encompassed　the　whole。　The　pool　swarmed　with　water…fowl；　snowy　egrets；　dark…coloured　striped　herons；　and　storks　of　various　species　standing　in　rows　around　its　margins。　Small　flocks　of　macaws　were　stirring　about　the　topmost　branches　of　the　trees。　Long…legged　piosocas　（Perra　Jacana）　stalked　over　the　water　plants　on　the　surface　of　the　pool；　and　in　the　bushes　on　its　margin　were　great　numbers　of　a　kind　of　canary　（Sycalis　brasiliensis）　of　a　greenish…yellow　colour；　which　has　a　short　and　not　very　melodious　song。　We　had　advanced　but　a　few　steps　when　we　startled　a　pair　of　the　Jaburu…moleque　（Mycteria　americana）；　a　powerful　bird　of　the　stork　family；　four　and　a　half　feet　in　height；　which　flew　up　and　alarmed　the　rest；　so　that　I　got　only　one　bird　out　of　the　tumultuous　flocks　which　passed　over　our　heads。　Passing　towards　the　farther　end　of　the　pool　I　saw；　resting　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　a　number　of　large　round　leaves　turned　up　at　their　edges；　they　belonged　to　the　Victoria　water…lily。　The　leaves　were　just　beginning　to　expand　（December　3rd）；　some　were　still　under　water；　and　the　largest　of　those　which　had　reached　the　surface　measured　not　quite　three　feet　in　diameter。　We　found　a　montaria　with　a　paddle　in　it；　drawn　up　on　the　bank；　which　I　took　leave　to　borrow　of　the　unknown　owner；　and　Luco　paddled　me　amongst　the　noble　plants　to　search　for　flowers　meeting；　however；　with　no　success。　I　learned　afterwards　that　the　plant　is　common　in　nearly　all　the　lakes　of　this　neighbourhood。　The　natives　call　it　the　furno　do　Piosoca；　or　oven　of　the　Jacana；　the　shape　of　the　leaves　being　like　that　of　the　ovens　on　which　Mandioca　meal　is　roasted。

We　saw　many　kinds　of　hawks　and　eagles；　one　of　which；　a　black　species；　the　Caracara…i　（Milvago　nudicollis）；　sat　on　the　top　of　a　tall　naked　stump；　uttering　its　hypocritical　whining　notes。　This　eagle　is　considered　a　bird　of　ill　omen　by　the　Indians：　it　often　perches　on　the　tops　of　trees　in　the　neighbourhood　of　their　huts；　and　is　then　said　to　bring　a　warning　of　death　to　some　member　of　the　household。　Others　say　that　its　whining　cry　is　intended　to　attract　other　defenseless　birds　within　its　reach。　The　little　courageous　flycatcher　Bemti…vi　（Saurophagus　sulphuratus）　assembles　in　companies　of　four　or　five；　and　attacks　it　boldly；　driving　it　from　the　perch　where　it　would　otherwise　sit　for　hours。　I　shot　three　hawks　of　as　many　different　species；　and　these；　with　a　Magoary　stork；　two　beautiful　gilded…green　jacamars　（Galbula　chalcocephala）；　and　half…a…dozen　leaves　of　the　water…lily；　made　a　heavy　load；　with　which　we　trudged　off　back　to　the　canoe。

A　few　years　after　this　visit；　namely；　in　1854…5；　I　passed　eight　months　at　Villa　Nova。　The　district　of　which　it　is　the　chief　town　is　very　extensive；　for　it　has　about　forty　miles　of　linear　extent　along　the　banks　of　the　river；　but；　the　whole　does　not　contain　more　than　4000　inhabitants。　More　than　half　of　these　are　pureblood　Indians　who　live　in　a　semi…civilised　condition　on　the　banks　of　the　numerous　channels　and　lakes。　The　trade　of　the　place　is　chiefly　in　India…rubber；　balsam　o