the naturalist on the river amazons-第43部分

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orms　a　kind　of　festival　of　a　semi…religious　character。　They　begin　by　drinking　large　quantities　of　caysuma　and　cashiri；　fermented　drinks　made　of　various　fruits　and　mandioca；　but　they　prefer　cashaca；　or　rum；　when　they　can　get　it。　In　a　short　time　they　drink　themselves　into　a　soddened　semi…intoxicated　state；　and　then　commence　taking　the　Parica。　For　this　purpose　they　pair　off；　and　each　of　the　partners；　taking　a　reed　containing　a　quantity　of　the　snuff；　after　going　through　a　deal　of　unintelligible　mummery；　blows　the　contents　with　all　his　force　into　the　nostrils　of　his　companion。　The　effect　on　the　usually　dull　and　taciturn　savages　is　wonderful；　they　become　exceedingly　talkative；　sing；　shout；　and　leap　about　in　the　wildest　excitement。　A　reaction　soon　follows；　more　drinking　is　then　necessary　to　rouse　them　from　their　stupor；　and　thus　they　carry　on　for　many　days　in　succession。

The　Mauhes　also　use　the　Parica；　although　it　is　not　known　among　their　neighbours　the　Mundurucus。　Their　manner　of　taking　it　is　very　different　from　that　of　the　swinish　Muras；　it　being　kept　in　the　form　of　a　paste；　and　employed　chiefly　as　a　preventive　against　ague　in　the　months　between　the　dry　and　wet　seasons；　when　the　disease　prevails。　When　a　dose　is　required；　a　small　quantity　of　the　paste　is　dried　and　pulverised　on　a　flat　shell；　and　the　powder；　then　drawn　up　into　both　nostrils　at　once　through　two　vulture　quills　secured　together　by　cotton　thread。　The　use　of　Parica　was　found　by　the　early　travellers　amongst　the　Omaguas；　a　section　of　the　Tupis　who　formerly　lived　on　the　Upper　Amazons；　a　thousand　miles　distant　from　the　homes　of　the　Mauhes　and　Muras。　This　community　of　habits　is　one　of　those　facts　which　support　the　view　of　the　common　origin　and　near　relationship　of　the　Amazonian　Indians。

After　leaving　Matari；　we　continued　our　voyage　along　the　northern　shore。　The　banks　of　the　river　were　of　moderate　elevation　during　several　days'　journey；　the　terra　firma　lying　far　in　the　interior；　and　the　coast　being　either　lowland　or　masked　with　islands　of　alluvial　formation。　On　the　14th　we　passed　the　upper　mouth　of　the　Parana…mirim　de　Eva；　an　arm　of　the　river　of　small　breadth；　formed　by　a　straggling　island　some　ten　miles　in　length；　lying　parallel　to　the　northern　bank。　On　passing　the　western　end　of　this；　the　main　land　again　appeared；　a　rather　high　rocky　coast；　clothed　with　a　magnificent　forest　of　rounded　outline；　which　continues　hence　for　twenty　miles　to　the　mouth　of　the　Rio　Negro；　and　forms　the　eastern　shore　of　that　river。　Many　houses　of　settlers；　built　at　a　considerable　elevation　on　the　wooded　heights；　now　enlivened　the　riverbanks。　One　of　the　first　objects　which　greeted　us　here　was　a　beautiful　bird　we　had　not　hitherto　met　with；　namely；　the　scarlet　and　black　tanager　（Ramphoccelus　nigrogularis）；　flocks　of　which　were　seen　sporting　about　the　trees　on　the　edge　of　the　water；　their　flame…coloured　liveries　lighting　up　the　masses　of　dark…　green　foliage。

The　weather；　from　the　14th　to　the　i8th；　was　wretched；　it　rained　sometimes　for　twelve　hours　in　succession；　not　heavily；　but　in　a　steady　drizzle；　such　as　we　are　familiar　with　in　our　English　climate。　We　landed　at　several　places　on　the　coast；　Penna　to　trade　as　usual；　and　I　to　ramble　in　the　forest　in　search　of　birds　and　insects。　In　one　spot　the　wooded　slope　enclosed　a　very　picturesque　scene：　a　brook；　flowing　through　a　ravine　in　the　high　bank；　fell　in　many　little　cascades　to　the　broad　river　beneath；　its　margins　decked　out　with　an　infinite　variety　of　beautiful　plants。　Wild　bananas　arched　over　the　watercourse；　and　the　trunks　of　the　trees　in　its　vicinity　were　clothed　with　ferns；　large…leaved　species　belonging　to　the　genus　Lygodium；　which；　like　Osmunda；　have　their　spore…cases　collected　together　on　contracted　leaves。　On　the　18th；　we　arrived　at　a　large　fazenda　（plantation　and　cattle　farm）；　called　Jatuarana。　A　rocky　point　here　projects　into　the　stream；　and　as　we　found　it　impossible　to　stem　the　strong　current　which　whirled　around　it；　we　crossed　over　to　the　southern　shore。　Canoes；　in　approaching　the　Rio　Negro；　generally　prefer　the　southern　side　on　account　of　the　slackness　of　the　current　near　the　banks。　Our　progress；　however；　was　most　tediously　slow；　for　the　regular　east　wind　had　now　entirely　ceased；　and　the　vento　de　cima　or　wind　from　up　river；　having　taken　its　place；　blew　daily　for　a　few　hours　dead　against　us。　The　weather　was　oppressively　close；　and　every　afternoon　a　squall　arose；　which；　however；　as　it　came　from　the　right　quarter　and　blew　for　an　hour　or　two；　was　very　welcome。　We　made　acquaintance　on　this　coast　with　a　new　insect　pest；　the　Pium；　a　minute　fly；　two　thirds　of　a　line　in　length；　which　here　commences　its　reign；　and　continues　henceforward　as　a　terrible　scourge　along　the　upper　river；　or　Solimoens；　to　the　end　of　the　navigation　on　the　Amazons。　It　comes　forth　only　by　day；　relieving　the　mosquito　at　sunrise　with　the　greatest　punctuality；　and　occurs　only　near　the　muddy　shores　of　the　stream；　not　one　ever　being　found　in　the　shade　of　the　forest。　In　places　where　it　is　abundant；　it　accompanies　canoes　in　such　dense　swarms　as　to　resemble　thin　clouds　of　smoke。　It　made　its　appearance　in　this　way　the　first　day　after　we　crossed　the　river。　Before　I　was　aware　of　the　presence　of　flies；　I　felt　a　slight　itching　on　my　neck；　wrist；　and　ankles；　and；　on　looking　for　the　cause；　saw　a　number　of　tiny　objects　having　a　disgusting　resemblance　to　lice；　adhering　to　the　skin。　This　was　my　introduction　to　the　much…talked…of　Pium。　On　close　examination；　they　are　seen　to　be　minute　two…winged　insects；　with　dark　coloured　body　and　pale　legs　and　wings；　the　latter　closed　lengthwise　over　the　back。　They　alight　imperceptibly；　and　squatting　close；　fall　at　once　to　work；　stretching　forward　their　long　front　legs；　which　are　in　constant　motion　and　seem　to　act　as　feelers；　and　then　applying　their　short；　broad　snouts　to　the　skin。　Their　abdomens　soon　become　distended　and　red　with　blood；　and　then；　their　thirst　satisfied；　they　slowly　move　off；　sometimes　so　stupefied　with　their　potations　that　they　can　scarcely　fly。　No　pain　is　felt　while　they　are　at　work；　but　they　each　leave　a　small　circular　raised　spot　on　the　skin　and　a　disagreeable　irritation。　The　latter　may　be　avoided　in　great　measure　by　pressing　out　the　blood　which　remains　in　the　spot；　but　this　is　a　troublesome　task　when　one　has　several　hundred　punctures　in　the　course　of　a　day。　I　took　the　trouble　to　dissect　specimens　to　ascertain　the　way　in　which　the　little　pests　operate。　The　mouth　consists　of　a　pair　of　thick　fleshy　lips；　and　two　triangular　horny　lancets；　answering　to　the　upper　lip　and　tongue　of　other　insects。　This　is　applied　closely　to　the　skin；　a　puncture　is　made　with　the　lancets；　and　the　blood　then　sucked　through　between　these　into　the　oesophagus；　the　circular　spot　which　results　coinciding　with　the　shape　of　the　lips。　In　the　course　of　a　few　days　the　red　spots　dry　up；　and　the　skin　in　time　becomes　blackened　with　the　endless　number　of　discoloured　punctures　that　are　crowded　together。　The　irritation　they　produce　is　more　acutely　felt　by　some　persons　than　others。　I　once　travelled　with　a　middle…aged　Portuguese；　who　was　laid　up　for　three　weeks　from　the　attacks　of　Pium；　his　legs　being　swelled　to　an　enormous　size；　and　the　punctures　aggravated　into　spreading　sores。

A　brisk　wind　from　the　east　sprang　tip　early　in　the　morning　of　the　22nd　we　then　hoisted　all　sail；　and　made　for　the　mouth　of　the　Rio　Negro。　This　noble　stream　at　its　junction　with　the　Amazons；　seems；　from　its　position；　to　be　a　direct　continuation　of　the　main　river；　while　the　Solimoens　which　joins　at　an　angle　and　is　somewhat　narrower　than　its　tributary；　appears　to　be　a　branch　instead　of　the　main　trunk　of　the　vast　water　system。　One　sees　at　once；therefore；how　the　early　explorers　came　to　give　a　separate　name　to　this　upper　part　of　the　Amazons。　The　Brazilians　have　lately　taken　to　applying　the　convenient　term　Alto　Amazonas　（High　or　Upper　Amazons）　to　the　Solimoens；　and　it　is　probable　that　this　will　gradually　prevail　over　the　old　name。　The　Rio　Negro　broadens　considerably　from　its　mouth　upwards；　and　presents　the　appearance　of　a　great　lake；　its　black…dyed　waters　having　no　current；　and　seeming　to　be　dammed　up　by　the　impetuous　flow　of　the　yellow；　turbid　Solimoens；　which　here　belches　forth　a　continuous　line　of　uprooted　trees　and　patches　of　grass；　and　forms　a　striking　contrast　with　its　tributary。　In　crossing；　we　passed　the　line；　a　little　more　than　halfway　over；　where　the　waters　of　the　two　rivers　meet　and　are　sharply　demarcated　from　each　other。　On　reaching　the　opposite　shore；　we　found　a　remarkable　change。　All　our　insect　pests　had　disappeared；　as　if　by　magic；　even　from　the　hold　of　the　canoe；　the　turmoil　of　an　agitated；　swiftly　flowing　river；　and　its　torn；　perpendicular；　earthy　banks；　had　given　place　to　tranquil　water　and　a　coast　indented　with　snug　little　bays　fringed　with　sloping；　sandy　beaches。　The　low　shore　and　vivid　light…green；　endlessly…varied　foliage；　which　prevailed　on　the　south　side　of　the　Amazons；　were　exchanged　for　a　hilly　country；　clothed　with　a　sombre；　rounded；　and　monotonous　forest。　Our　tedious　voyage　now　approached　its　termination；　a　light　wind　carried　us　gently　along　the　coast　to　the　city　of　Barra；　which　lies　about　seven　or　eight　miles　within　the　mouth　of　the　river。　We　stopped　for　an　hour　in　a　clean　little　bay；　to　bathe　and　dress；　before　showing　ourselves　again　among　civilised　people。　The　bottom　was　visible　at　a　depth　of　six　feet；　the　white　sand　taking　a　brownish　tinge　from　the　stained　but　clear　water。　In　the　evening　I　went　ashore；　and　was　kindly　received　by　Senor　Henriques　Antony；　a　warm…hearted　Italian；　established　here　in　a　high　position　as　merchant；　who　was　the　never…failing　friend　of　stray　travellers。　He　placed　a　couple　of　rooms　at　my　disposal；　and　in　a　few　hours　I　was　comfortably　settled　in　my　new　quarters；　sixty…four　days　after　leaving　Obydos。

The　town　of　Barra　is　built　on　a　tract　of　elevated；　but　very　uneven　land；　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Rio　Negro；　and　contained；　in　1850；　about　3000　inhabitants。　There　was　originally　a　small　fort　here；　erected　by　the　Portuguese；　to　protect　their　slave…hunting　expeditions　amongst　the　numerous　tribes　of　Indians　which　peopled　the　banks　of　the　river。　The　most　distinguished　and　warlike　of　these　were　the　Manaos；　who　were　continually　at　war　with　the　neighbouring　tribes；　and　had　the　custom　o