the naturalist on the river amazons-第41部分

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　inhabiting　the　interior　of　the　country　from　the　Madeira　to　beyond　the　Tapajos；　two　other　tribes　of　Indians　now　inhabit　the　lower　Madeira；　namely；　the　Parentintins　and　the　Muras。　Of　the　former　I　did　not　hear　much；　the　Muras　lead　a　lazy　quiet　life　on　the　banks　of　the　labyrinths　of　lakes　and　channels　which　intersect　the　low　country　on　both　sides　of　the　river　below　Borba。　The　Araras　are　one　of　those　tribes　which　do　not　plant　mandioca；　and　indeed　have　no　settled　habitations。　They　are　very　similar　in　stature　and　other　physical　features　to　the　Mundurucus；　although　differing　from　them　so　widely　in　habits　and　social　condition。　They　paint　their　chins　red　with　Urucu　（Anatto）；　and　have　usually　a　black　tattooed　streak　on　each　side　of　the　face；　running　from　the　corner　of　the　mouth　to　the　temple。　They　have　not　yet　learned　the　use　of　firearms；　have　no　canoes；　and　spend　their　lives　roaming　over　the　interior　of　the　country；　living　on　game　and　wild　fruits。　When　they　wish　to　cross　a　river；　they　make　a　temporary　canoe　with　the　thick　bark　of　trees；　which　they　secure　in　the　required　shape　of　a　boat　by　means　of　lianas。　I　heard　it　stated　by　a　trader　of　Santarem；　who　narrowly　escaped　being　butchered　by　them　in　1854；　that　the　Araras　numbered　2000　fighting　men。　The　number　I　think　must　be　exaggerated；　as　it　generally　is　with　regard　to　Brazilian　tribes。　When　the　Indians　show　a　hostile　disposition　to　the　whites；　I　believe　it　is　most　frequently　owing　to　some　provocation　they　have　received　at　their　hands；　for　the　first　impulse　of　the　Brazilian　red…man　is　to　respect　Europeans；　they　have　a　strong　dislike　to　be　forced　into　their　service；　but　if　strangers　visit　them　with　a　friendly　intention　they　are　well　treated。　It　is　related；　however；　that　the　Indians　of　the　Madeira　were　hostile　to　the　Portuguese　from　the　first；　it　was　then　the　tribes　of　Muras　and　Torazes　who　attacked　travellers。　In　1855　I　met　with　an　American；　an　odd　character　named　Kemp；　who　had　lived　for　many　years　amongst　the　Indians　on　the　Madeira；　near　the　abandoned　settlement　of　Crato。　He　told　me　his　neighbours　were　a　kindly…disposed　and　cheerful　people；　and　that　the　onslaught　of　the　Araras　was　provoked　by　a　trader　from　Bara；　who　wantonly　fired　into　a　family　of　them；　killing　the　parents；　and　carrying　off　their　children　to　be　employed　as　domestic　servants。

We　remained　nine　days　at　the　sitio　of　Senor　John　Trinidade。　It　is　situated　on　a　tract　of　high　Ygapo　land；　which　is　raised；　however；　only　a　few　inches　above　high…water　mark。　This　skirts　the　northern　shore　for　a　long　distance；　the　soil　consisting　of　alluvium　and　rich　vegetable　mould；　and　exhibiting　the　most　exuberant　fertility。　Such　districts　are　the　first　to　be　settled　on　in　this　country；　and　the　whole　coast　for　many　miles　was　dotted　with　pleasant…looking　sitios　like　that　of　our　friend。　The　establishment　was　a　large　one；　the　house　and　out…buildings　covering　a　large　space　of　ground。　The　industrious　proprietor　seemed　to　be　Jack…of…all…trades；　he　was　planter；　trader；　fisherman；　and　canoe…builder；　and　a　large　igarite　was　now　on　the　stocks　under　a　large　shed。　There　was　great　pleasure　in　contemplating　this　prosperous　farm；　from　its　being　worked　almost　entirely　by　free　labour；　in　fact；　by　one　family；　and　its　dependents。　John　Trinidade　had　only　one　female　slave；　his　other　workpeople　were　a　brother　and　sister…in…law；　two　godsons；　a　free　negro；　one　or　two　Indians；　and　a　family　of　Muras。　Both　he　and　his　wife　were　mamelucos；　the　negro　children　called　them　always　father　and　mother。　The　order；　abundance；　and　comfort　about　the　place　showed　what　industry　and　good　management　could　effect　in　this　country　without　slave…labour。　But　the　surplus　produce　of　such　small　plantations　is　very　trifling。　All　we　saw　had　been　done　since　the　disorders　of　1835…6；　during　which　John　Trinidade　was　a　great　sufferer；　he　was　obliged　to　fly；　and　the　Mura　Indians　destroyed　his　house　and　plantations。　There　was　a　large；　well…　weeded　grove　of　cacao　along　the　banks　of　the　river；　comprising　about　8000　trees；　and　further　inland　considerable　plantations　of　tobacco；　mandioca；　Indian　corn；　fields　of　rice；　melons；　and　watermelons。　Near　the　house　was　a　kitchen　garden；　in　which　grew　cabbages　and　onions；　introduced　from　Europe；　besides　a　wonderful　variety　of　tropical　vegetables。　It　must　not　be　supposed　that　these　plantations　and　gardens　were　enclosed　or　neatly　kept；　such　is　never　the　case　in　this　country　where　labour　is　so　scarce；　but　it　was　an　unusual　thing　to　see　vegetables　grown　at　all；　and　the　ground　tolerably　well　weeded。　The　space　around　the　house　was　plentifully　planted　with　fruit…trees；　some；　belonging　to　the　Anonaceous　order；　yielding　delicious　fruits　large　as　a　child's　head；　and　full　of　custardy　pulp　which　it　is　necessary　to　eat　with　a　spoonbesides　oranges；　lemons；　guavas；　alligator　pears；　Abius　（Achras　cainito）；　Genipapas；　and　bananas。　In　the　shade　of　these；　coffee　trees　grew　in　great　luxuriance。

The　table　was　always　well　supplied　with　fish；　which　the　Mura　who　was　attached　to　the　household　as　fisherman　caught　every　morning　a　few　hundred　yards　from　the　port。　The　chief　kinds　were　the　Surubim；　Pira…peeua；　and　Piramutaba；　three　species　of　Siluridae；　belonging　to　the　genus　Pimelodus。　To　these　we　used　a　sauce　in　the　form　of　a　yellow　paste；　quite　new　to　me；　called　Arube；　which　is　made　of　the　poisonous　juice　of　the　mandioca　root；　boiled　down　before　the　starch　or　tapioca　is　precipitated；　and　seasoned　with　capsicum　peppers。　It　is　kept　in　stone　bottles　several　weeks　before　using；　and　is　a　most　appetising　relish　to　fish。　Tucupi；　another　sauce　made　also　from　mandioca　juice；　is　much　more　common　in　the　interior　of　the　country　than　Arube。　This　is　made　by　boiling　or　heating　the　pure　liquid；　after　the　tapioca　has　been　separated；　daily　for　several　days　in　succession；　and　seasoning　it　with　peppers　and　small　fishes；　when　old；　it　has　the　taste　of　essence　of　anchovies。　It　is　generally　made　as　a　liquid；　but　the　Juri　and　Miranha　tribes　on　the　Japura　make　it　up　in　the　form　of　a　black　paste　by　a　mode　of　preparation　I　could　not　learn；　it　is　then　called　Tucupi…pixuna；　or　black　Tucupi　I　have　seen　the　Indians　on　the　Tapajos；　where　fish　is　scarce；　season　Tucupi　with　Sauba　ants。　It　is　there　used　chiefly　as　a　sauce　to　Tacaca；　another　preparation　from　mandioca；　consisting　of　the　starch　beaten　up　in　boiling　water。

I　thoroughly　enjoyed　the　nine　days　we　spent　at　this　place。　Our　host　and　hostess　took　an　interest　in　my　pursuit；　one　of　the　best　chambers　in　the　house　was　given　up　to　me；　and　the　young　men　took　me　on　long　rambles　in　the　neighbouring　forests。　I　saw　very　little　hard　work　going　forward。　Everyone　rose　with　the　daw；　and　went　down　to　the　river　to　bathe；　then　came　the　never…failing　cup　of　rich　and　strong　coffee；　after　which　all　proceeded　to　their　avocations。　At　this　time；　nothing　was　being　done　at　the　plantations；　the　cacao　and　tobacco　crops　were　not　ripe；　weeding　time　was　over；　and　the　only　work　on　foot　was　the　preparation　of　a　little　farinha　by　the　women。　The　men　dawdled　about　went　shooting　and　fishing；　or　did　trifling　jobs　about　the　house。　The　only　laborious　work　done　during　the　year　in　these　establishments　is　the　felling　of　timber　for　new　clearings；　this　happens　at　the　beginning　of　the　dry　season；　namely；　from　July　to　September。　Whatever　employment　the　people　were　engaged　in；　they　did　not　intermit　it　during　the　hot　hours　of　the　day。　Those　who　went　into　the　woods　took　their　dinners　with　thema　small　bag　of　farinha；　and　a　slice　of　salt　fish。　About　sunset　all　returned　to　the　house；　they　then　had　their　frugal　suppers；　and　towards　eight　o'clock；　after　coming　to　ask　a　blessing　of　the　patriarchal　head　of　the　household；　went　off　to　their　hammocks　to　sleep。

There　was　another　visitor　besides　ourselves；　a　negro；　whom　John　Trinidade　introduced　to　me　as　his　oldest　and　dearest　friend；　who　had　saved　his　life　during　the　revolt　of　1835。　I　have；　unfortunately；　forgotten　his　name；　he　was　a　freeman；　and　had　a　sitio　of　his　own　situated　about　a　day's　journey　from　this。　There　was　the　same　manly　bearing　about　him　that　I　had　noticed　with　pleasure　in　many　other　free　negroes；　but　his　quiet；　earnest　manner；　and　the　thoughtful　and　benevolent　expression　of　his　countenance；　showed　him　to　be　a　superior　man　of　his　class。　He　told　me　he　had　been　intimate　with　our　host　for　thirty　years；　and　that　a　wry　word　had　never　passed　between　them。　At　the　commencement　of　the　disorders　of　1835；　he　got　into　the　secret　of　a　plot　for　assassinating　his　friend；　hatched　by　some　villains　whose　only　cause　of　enmity　was　their　owing　him　money　and　envying　his　prosperity。　It　was　such　as　these　who　aroused　the　stupid　and　brutal　animosity　of　the　Muras　against　the　whites。　The　negro；　on　obtaining　this　news；　set　off　alone　in　a　montaria　on　a　six　hour　journey　in　the　dead　of　night　to　warn　his　〃compadre〃　of　the　fate　in　store　for　him；　and　thus　gave　him　time　to　fly。　It　was　a　pleasing　sight　to　notice　the　cordiality　of　feeling　and　respect　for　each　other　shown　by　these　two　old　men；　for　they　used　to　spend　hours　together　enjoying　the　cool　breeze；　seated　under　a　shed　which　overlooked　the　broad　river；　and　talking　of　old　times。

John　Trinidade　was　famous　for　his　tobacco　and　cigarettes；　as　he　took　great　pains　in　preparing　the　Tauari；　or　envelope；　which　is　formed　of　the　inner　bark　of　a　tree；　separated　into　thin　papery　layers。　Many　trees　yield　it；　among　them　the　Courataria　Guianensis　and　the　Sapucaya　nut…tree；　both　belonging　to　the　same　natural　order。　The　bark　is　cut　into　long　strips；　of　a　breadth　suitable　for　folding　the　tobacco；　the　inner　portion　is　then　separated；　boiled；　hammered　with　a　wooden　mallet；　and　exposed　to　the　air　for　a　few　hours。　Some　kinds　have　a　reddish　colour　and　an　astringent　taste；　but　the　sort　prepared　by　our　host　was　of　a　beautiful　satiny…white　hue；　and　perfectly　tasteless。　He　obtained　sixty；　eighty；　and　sometimes　a　hundred　layers　from　the　same　strip　of　bark。　The　best　tobacco　in　Brazil　is　grown　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Borba；　on　the　Madeira；　where　the　soil　is　a　rich　black　loam；　but　tobacco　of　very　good　quality　was　grown　by　John　Trinidade　and　his　neighbours　along　this　coast；　on　similar　soil。　It　is　made　up　into　slender　rolls；　an　inch　and　a　half　in　diameter　and　six　feet　in　length；　tapering　at　each　end。　When　the　leaves　are　gathered　and　partially　dried；　layers　of　them；　after　the　mid…ribs　are　pl