the naturalist on the river amazons-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ach　end。　When　the　leaves　are　gathered　and　partially　dried；　layers　of　them；　after　the　mid…ribs　are　plucked　out；　are　placed　on　a　mat　and　rolled　up　into　the　required　shape。　This　is　done　by　the　women　and　children；　who　also　manage　the　planting；　weeding；　and　gathering　of　the　tobacco。　The　process　of　tightening　the　rolls　is　a　long　and　heavy　task；　and　can　be　done　only　by　men。　The　cords　used　for　this　purpose　are　of　very　great　strength。　They　are　made　of　the　inner　bark　of　a　peculiar　light…　wooded　and　slender　tree；　called　Uaissima；　which　yields；　when　beaten　out；　a　great　quantity　of　most　beautiful　silky　fibre；　many　feet　in　length。　I　think　this　might　be　turned　to　some　use　by　English　manufacturers；　if　they　could　obtain　it　in　large　quantity。　The　tree　is　abundant　on　light　soils　on　the　southern　side　of　the　Lower　Amazons；　and　grows　very　rapidly。　When　the　rolls　are　sufficiently　well　pressed；　they　are　bound　round　with　narrow　thongs　of　remarkable　toughness；　cut　from　the　bark　of　the　climbing　Jacitara　palm　tree　（Desmoncus　macracanthus）；　and　are　then　ready　for　sale　or　use。

It　was　very　pleasant　to　roam　in　our　host's　cacaoal。　The　ground　was　clear　of　underwood；　the　trees　were　about　thirty　feet　in　height；　and　formed　a　dense　shade。　Two　species　of　monkey　frequented　the　trees；　and　I　was　told　committed　great　depredations　when　the　fruit　was　ripe。　One　of　these；　the　macaco　prego　（Cebus　cirrhifer？）；　is　a　most　impudent　thief；　it　destroys　more　than　it　eats　by　its　random；　hasty　way　of　plucking　and　breaking　the　fruits；　and　when　about　to　return　to　the　forest；　carries　away　all　it　can　in　its　hands　or　under　its　arms。　The　other　species；　the　pretty　little　Chrysothrix　sciureus；　contents　itself　with　devouring　what　it　can　on　the　spot。　A　variety　of　beautiful　insects　basked　on　the　foliage　where　stray　gleams　of　sunlight　glanced　through　the　canopy　of　broad　soft…green　leaves；　and　numbers　of　an　elegant；　long…legged　tiger　beetle　（Odontocheila　egregia）　ran　and　flew　about　over　the　herbage。

We　left　this　place　on　the　8th　of　January；　and　on　the　afternoon　of　the　9th；　arrived　at　Matari；　a　miserable　little　settlement　of　Mura　Indians。　Here　we　again　anchored　and　went　ashore。　The　place　consisted　of　about　twenty　slightly…built　mud…hovels；　and　had　a　most　forlorn　appearance；　notwithstanding　the　luxuriant　forest　in　its　rear。　A　horde　of　these　Indians　settled　here　many　years　ago；　on　the　site　of　an　abandoned　missionary　station；　and　the　government　had　lately　placed　a　resident　director　over　them；　with　the　intention　of　bringing　the　hitherto　intractable　savages　under　authority。　This；　however；　seemed　to　promise　no　other　result　than　that　of　driving　them　to　their　old　solitary　haunts　on　the　banks　of　the　interior　waters；　for　many　families　had　already　withdrawn　themselves。　The　absence　of　the　usual　cultivated　trees　and　plants　gave　the　place　a　naked　and　poverty…stricken　aspect。　I　entered　one　of　the　hovels　where　several　women　were　employed　cooking　a　meal。　Portions　of　a　large　fish　were　roasting　over　a　fire　made　in　the　middle　of　the　low　chamber；　and　the　entrails　were　scattered　about　the　floor；　on　which　the　women　with　their　children　were　squatted。　These　had　a　timid；　distrustful　expression　of　countenance；　and　their　bodies　were　begrimed　with　black　mud；　which　is　smeared　over　the　skin　as　a　protection　against　mosquitoes。　The　children　were　naked；　the　women　wore　petticoats　of　coarse　cloth；　ragged　round　the　edges；　and　stained　in　blotches　with　murixi；　a　dye　made　from　the　bark　of　a　tree。　One　of　them　wore　a　necklace　of　monkey's　teeth。　There　were　scarcely　any　household　utensils；　the　place　was　bare　with　the　exception　of　two　dirty　grass　hammocks　hung　in　the　corners。　I　missed　the　usual　mandioca　sheds　behind　the　house；　with　their　surrounding　cotton；　cacao；　coffee；　and　lemon　trees。　Two　or　three　young　men　of　the　tribe　were　lounging　about　the　low　open　doorway。　They　were　stoutly…built　fellows；　but　less　well…　proportioned　than　the　semi…civilised　Indians　of　the　Lower　Amazons　generally　are。　Their　breadth　of　chest　was　remarkable；　and　their　arms　were　wonderfully　thick　and　muscular。　The　legs　appeared　short　in　proportion　to　the　trunk；　the　expression　of　their　countenances　was　unmistakably　more　sullen　and　brutal；　and　the　skin　of　a　darker　hue　than　is　common　in　the　Brazilian　red　man。　Before　we　left　the　hut；　an　old　couple　came　in；　the　husband　carrying　his　paddle；　bow；　arrows；　and　harpoon；　the　woman　bent　beneath　the　weight　of　a　large　basket　filled　with　palm　fruits。　The　man　was　of　low　stature　and　had　a　wild　appearance　from　the　long　coarse　hair　which　hung　over　his　forehead。　Both　his　lips　were　pierced　with　holes；　as　is　usual　with　the　older　Muras　seen　on　the　river。　They　used　formerly　to　wear　tusks　of　the　wild　hog　in　these　holes　whenever　they　went　out　to　encounter　strangers　or　their　enemies　in　war。　The　gloomy　savagery；　filth；　and　poverty　of　the　people　in　this　place　made　me　feel　quite　melancholy；　and　I　was　glad　to　return　to　the　canoe。　They　offered　us　no　civilities；　they　did　not　even　pass　the　ordinary　salutes；　which　all　the　semi…civilised　and　many　savage　Indians　proffer　on　a　first　meeting。　The　men　persecuted　Penna　for　cashaca；　which　they　seemed　to　consider　the　only　good　thing　the　white　man　brings　with　him。　As　they　had　nothing　whatever　to　give　in　exchange；　Penna　declined　to　supply　them。　They　followed　us　as　we　descended　to　the　port；　becoming　very　troublesome　when　about　a　dozen　had　collected　together。　They　brought　their　empty　bottles　with　them　and　promised　fish　and　turtle；　if　we　would　only　trust　them　first　with　the　coveted　aguardente；　or　cau…im；　as　they　called　it。　Penna　was　inexorable；　he　ordered　the　crew　to　weigh　anchor；　and　the　disappointed　savages　remained　hooting　after　us　with　all　their　might　from　the　top　of　the　bank　as　we　glided　away。

The　Muras　have　a　bad　reputation　all　over　this　part　of　the　Amazons；　the　semi…civilised　Indians　being　quite　as　severe　upon　them　as　the　white　settlers。　Everyone　spoke　of　them　as　lazy；　thievish；　untrustworthy；　and　cruel。　They　have　a　greater　repugnance　than　any　other　class　of　Indians　to　settled　habits；　regular　labour；　and　the　service　of　the　whites；　their　distaste；　in　fact；　to　any　approximation　towards　civilised　life　is　invincible。　Yet　most　of　these　faults　are　only　an　exaggeration　of　the　fundamental　defects　of　character　in　the　Brazilian　red　man。　There　is　nothing；　I　think；　to　show　that　the　Muras　had　a　different　origin　from　the　nobler　agricultural　tribes　belonging　to　the　Tupi　nation；　to　some　of　whom　they　are　close　neighbours；　although　the　very　striking　contrast　in　their　characters　and　habits　would　suggest　the　conclusion　that　their　origin　had　been　different；　in　the　same　way　as　the　Semangs　of　Malacca；　for　instance；　with　regard　to　the　Malays。　They　are　merely　an　offshoot　from　them；　a　number　of　segregated　hordes　becoming　degraded　by　a　residence　most　likely　of　very　many　centuries　in　Ygapo　lands；　confined　to　a　fish　diet；　and　obliged　to　wander　constantly　in　search　of　food。　Those　tribes　which　are　supposed　to　be　more　nearly　related　to　the　Tupis　are　distinguished　by　their　settled　agricultural　habits；　their　living　in　well…constructed　houses；　their　practice　of　many　arts；　such　as　the　manufacture　of　painted　earthenware；　weaving；　and　their　general　custom　of　tattooing；　social　organisation；　obedience　to　chiefs；　and　so　forth。　The　Muras　have　become　a　nation　of　nomade　fishermen；　ignorant　of　agriculture　and　all　other　arts　practised　by　their　neighbours。　They　do　not　build　substantial　and　fixed　dwellings；　but　live　in　separate　families　or　small　hordes；　wandering　from　place　to　place　along　the　margins　of　those　rivers　and　lakes　which　most　abound　in　fish　and　turtle。　At　each　resting…　place　they　construct　temporary　huts　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　shifting　them　higher　or　lower　on　the　banks；　as　the　waters　advance　or　recede。　Their　canoes　originally　were　made　simply　of　the　thick　bark　of　trees；　bound　up　into　a　semi…cylindrical　shape　by　means　of　woody　lianas；　these　are　now　rarely　seen；　as　most　families　possess　montarias；　which　they　have　contrived　to　steal　from　the　settlers　from　time　to　time。　Their　food　is　chiefly　fish　and　turtle；　which　they　are　very　expert　in　capturing。　It　is　said　by　their　neighbours　that　they　dive　after　turtles；　and　succeed　in　catching　them　by　the　legs；　which　I　believe　is　true　in　the　shallow　lakes　where　turtles　are　imprisoned　in　the　dry　season。　They　shoot　fish　with　bow　and　arrow；　and　have　no　notion　of　any　other　method　of　cooking　it　than　by　roasting。

It　is　not　quite　clear　whether　the　whole　tribe　were　originally　quite　ignorant　of　agriculture；　as　some　families　on　the　banks　of　the　streams　behind　Villa　Nova；　who　could　scarcely　have　acquired　the　art　in　recent　times；　plant　mandioca；　but；　as　a　general　rule；　the　only　vegetable　food　used　by　the　Muras　is　bananas　and　wild　fruits。　The　original　home　of　this　tribe　was　the　banks　of　the　Lower　Madeira。　It　appears　they　were　hostile　to　the　European　settlers　from　the　beginning　plundering　their　sitios；　waylaying　their　canoes；　and　massacring　all　who　fell　into　their　power。　About　fifty　years　ago；　the　Portuguese　succeeded　in　turning　the　warlike　propensities　of　the　Mundurucus　against　them　and　these；　in　the　course　of　many　years'　persecution；　greatly　weakened　the　power　of　the　tribe；　and　drove　a　great　part　of　them　from　their　seats　on　the　banks　of　the　Madeira。　The　Muras　are　now　scattered　in　single　hordes　and　families　over　a　wide　extent　of　country　bordering　the　main　river　from　Villa　Nova　to　Catua；　near　Ega；　a　distance　of　800　miles。　Since　the　disorders　of　1835…6；　when　they　committed　great　havoc　amongst　the　peaceable　settlements　from　Santarem　to　the　Rio　Negro；　and　were　pursued　and　slaughtered　in　great　numbers　by　the　Mundurucus　in　alliance　with　the　Brazilians；　they　have　given　no　serious　trouble。

There　is　one　curious　custom　of　the　Muras　which　requires　noticing　before　concluding　this　digression；　this　is　the　practice　of　snuff…　taking　with　peculiar　ceremonies。　The　snuff　is　called　Parica；　and　is　a　highly　stimulating　powder　made　from　the　seeds　of　a　species　of　Inga；　belonging　to　the　Leguminous　order　of　plants。　The　seeds　are　dried　in　the　sun；　pounded　in　wooden　mortars；　and　kept　in　bamboo　tubes。　When　they　are　ripe；　and　the　snuff…making　season　sets　in；　they　have　a　fuddling…bout；　lasting　many　days；　which　the　Brazilians　call　a　Quarentena；　and　which　forms　a　kind　of　festival　of　a　semi…religious　character。　They　begin　by　drinking　large　quantities　of　ca