the naturalist on the river amazons-第45部分

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s　make　picnic　excursions　to　this　spot；　and　the　gentlemenit　is　said　the　ladies　alsospend　the　sultry　hours　of　midday　bathing　in　the　cold　and　bracing　waters。　The　place　is　classic　ground　to　the　Naturalist　from　having　been　a　favourite　spot　with　the　celebrated　travellers　Spix　and　Martius；　during　their　stay　at　Barra　in　1820。　Von　Martins　was　so　much　impressed　by　its　magical　beauty　that　he　commemorated　the　visit　by　making　a　sketch　of　the　scenery　serve　as　background　in　one　of　the　plates　of　his　great　work　on　the　palms。

Birds　and　insects；　however；　were　scarce　amidst　these　charming　sylvan　scenes。　I　have　often　traversed　the　whole　distance　from　Barra　to　the　waterfall；　about　two　miles　by　the　forest　road；　without　seeing　or　hearing　a　bird；　or　meeting　with　so　many　as　a　score　of　Lepidopterous　and　Coleopterous　insects。　In　the　thinner　woods　near　the　borders　of　the　forest　many　pretty　little　blue　and　green　creepers　of　the　Dacnidae　group；　were　daily　seen　feeding　on　berries；　and　a　few　very　handsome　birds　occurred　in　the　forest。　But　the　latter　were　so　rare　that　we　could　obtain　them　only　by　employing　a　native　hunter；　who　used　to　spend　a　whole　day；　and　go　a　great　distance　to　obtain　two　or　three　specimens。　In　this　way　I　obtained；　amongst　others；　specimens　of　the　Trogon　pavoninus　（the　Suruqua　grande　of　the　natives）；　a　most　beautiful　creature；　having　soft　golden　green　plumage；　red　breast；　and　an　orange…coloured　beak；　also　the　Ampelis　Pompadoura；　a　rich　glossy…purple　chatterer　with　wings　of　a　snowy…white　hue。

After　we　had　rested　some　weeks　in　Barra；　we　arranged　our　plans　for　further　explorations　in　the　interior　of　the　country。　Mr。　Wallace　chose　the　Rio　Negro　for　his　next　trip；　and　I　agreed　to　take　the　Solimoens。　My　colleague　has　already　given　to　the　world　an　account　of　his　journey　on　the　Rio　Negro；　and　his　adventurous　ascent　of　its　great　tributary　the　Uapes。　I　left　Barra　for　Ega；　the　first　town　of　any　importance　on　the　Solimoens；　on　the　26th　of　March；　1850。　The　distance　is　nearly　400　miles；　which　we　accomplished　in　a　small　cuberta；　manned　by　ten　stout　Cucama　Indians；　in　thirty…five　days。　On　this　occasion；　I　spent　twelve　months　in　the　upper　region　of　the　Amazons；　circumstances　then　compelled　me　to　return　to　Para。　I　revisited　the　same　country　in　1855；　and　devoted　three　years　and　a　half　to　a　fuller　exploration　of　its　natural　productions。　The　results　of　both　journeys　will　be　given　together　in　subsequent　chapters　of　this　work；　in　the　meantime；　I　will　proceed　to　give　an　account　of　Santarem　and　the　river　Tapajos；　whose　neighbourhoods　I　investigated　in　the　years　1851…4。

A　few　words　on　my　visit　to　Para　in　1851　may　be　here　introduced。　I　descended　the　river　from　Ega；　to　the　capital；　a　distance　of　1400　miles；　in　a　heavily…laden　schooner　belonging　to　a　trader　of　the　former　place。　The　voyage　occupied　no　less　than　twenty…nine　days；　although　we　were　favoured　by　the　powerful　currents　of　the　rainy　season。　The　hold　of　the　vessel　was　filled　with　turtle　oil　contained　in　large　jars；　the　cabin　was　crammed　with　Brazil　nuts；　and　a　great　pile　of　sarsaparilla；　covered　with　a　thatch　of　palm　leaves；　occupied　the　middle　of　the　deck。　We　had；　therefore；　（the　master　and　two　passengers）　but　rough　accommodation；　having　to　sleep　on　deck；　exposed　to　the　wet　and　stormy　weather；　under　little　toldos　or　arched　shelters；　arranged　with　mats　of　woven　lianas　and　maranta　leaves。　I　awoke　many　a　morning　with　clothes　and　bedding　soaked　through　with　the　rain。　With　the　exception；　however；　of　a　slight　cold　at　the　commencement；　I　never　enjoyed　better　health　than　during　this　journey。　When　the　wind　blew　from　up　river　or　off　the　land；　we　sped　away　at　a　great　rate；　but　it　was　often　squally　from　those　quarters；　and　then　it　was　not　safe　to　hoist　the　sails。　The　weather　was　generally　calm；　a　motionless　mass　of　leaden　clouds　covering　the　sky；　and　the　broad　expanse　of　waters　flowing　smoothly　down　with　no　other　motion　than　the　ripple　of　the　current。　When　the　wind　came　from　below；　we　tacked　down　the　stream；　sometimes　it　blew　very　strong；　and　then　the　schooner；　having　the　wind　abeam；　laboured　through　the　waves；　shipping　often　heavy　seas　which　washed　everything　that　was　loose　from　one　side　of　the　deck　to　the　other。

On　arriving　at　Para；　I　found　the　once　cheerful　and　healthy　city　desolated　by　two　terrible　epidemics。　The　yellow　fever；　which　visited　the　place　the　previous　year　（1850）　for　the　first　time　since　the　discovery　of　the　country；　still　lingered　after　having　carried　off　nearly　5　percent　of　the　population。　The　number　of　persons　who　were　attacked；　namely；　three…fourths　of　the　entire　population；　showed　how　general　the　onslaught　is　of　an　epidemic　on　its　first　appearance　in　a　place。　At　the　heels　of　this　plague　came　the　smallpox。　The　yellow　fever　had　fallen　most　severely　on　the　whites　and　mamelucos；　the　negroes　wholly　escaping；　but　the　smallpox　attacked　more　especially　the　Indians；　negroes；　and　people　of　mixed　colour；　sparing　the　whites　almost　entirely；　and　taking　off　about　a　twentieth　part　of　the　population　in　the　course　of　the　four　months　of　its　stay。　I　heard　many　strange　accounts　of　the　yellow　fever。　I　believe　Para　was　the　second　port　in　Brazil　attacked　by　it。　The　news　of　its　ravages　in　Bahia；　where　the　epidemic　first　appeared；　arrived　some　few　days　before　the　disease　broke　out。　The　government　took　all　the　sanitary　precautions　that　could　be　thought　of；　amongst　the　rest　was　the　singular　one　of　firing　cannon　at　the　street　corners；　to　purify　the　air。　Mr。　Norris；　the　American　consul；　told　me　the　first　cases　of　fever　occurred　near　the　port　and　that　it　spread　rapidly　and　regularly　from　house　to　house；　along　the　streets　which　run　from　the　waterside　to　the　suburbs；　taking　about　twenty…four　hours　to　reach　the　end。　Some　persons　related　that　for　several　successive　evenings　before　the　fever　broke　out　the　atmosphere　was　thick；　and　that　a　body　of　murky　vapour；　accompanied　by　a　strong　stench；　travelled　from　street　to　street。　This　moving　vapour　was　called　the　〃Mai　da　peste〃　（〃the　mother　or　spirit　of　the　plague〃）；　and　it　was　useless　to　attempt　to　reason　them　out　of　the　belief　that　this　was　the　forerunner　of　the　pestilence。　The　progress　of　the　disease　was　very　rapid。　It　commenced　in　April；　in　the　middle　of　the　wet　season。　In　a　few　days；　thousands　of　persons　lay　sick；　dying　or　dead。　The　state　of　the　city　during　the　time　the　fever　lasted　may　be　easily　imagined。　Towards　the　end　of　June　it　abated；　and　very　few　cases　occurred　during　the　dry　season　from　July　to　December。

As　I　said　before；　the　yellow　fever　still　lingered　in　the　place　when　I　arrived　from　the　interior　in　April。　I　was　in　hopes　I　should　escape　it；　but　was　not　so　fortunate；　it　seemed　to　spare　no　newcomer。　At　the　time　I　fell　ill；　every　medical　man　in　the　place　was　worked　to　the　utmost　in　attending　the　victims　of　the　other　epidemic；　it　was　quite　useless　to　think　of　obtaining　their　aid；　so　I　was　obliged　to　be　my　own　doctor；　as　I　had　been　in　many　former　smart　attacks　of　fever。　I　was　seized　with　shivering　and　vomit　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。　While　the　people　of　the　house　went　down　to　the　town　for　the　medicines　I　ordered；　I　wrapped　myself　in　a　blanket　and　walked　sharply　to　and　fro　along　the　veranda；　drinking　at　intervals　a　cup　of　warm　tea；　made　of　a　bitter　herb　in　use　amongst　the　natives；　called　Pajemarioba；　a　leguminous　plant　growing　in　all　waste　places。　About　an　hour　afterwards；　I　took　a　good　draught　of　a　decoction　of　elder　blossoms　as　a　sudorific；　and　soon　after　fell　insensible　into　my　hammock。　Mr。　Philipps；　an　English　resident　with　whom　I　was　then　lodging；　came　home　in　the　afternoon　and　found　me　sound　asleep　and　perspiring　famously。　I　did　not　wake　until　almost　midnight；　when　I　felt　very　weak　and　aching　in　every　bone　of　my　body。　I　then　took　as　a　purgative；　a　small　dose　of　Epsom　salts　and　manna。　In　forty…　eight　hours　the　fever　left　me；　and　in　eight　days　from　the　first　attack；　I　was　able　to　get　about　my　work。　Little　else　happened　during　my　stay；　which　need　be　recorded　here。　I　shipped　off　all　my　collections　to　England；　and　received　thence　a　fresh　supply　of　funds。　It　took　me　several　weeks　to　prepare　for　my　second　and　longest　journey　into　the　interior。　My　plan　now　was　first　to　make　Santarem　headquarters　for　some　time；　and　ascend　from　that　place　the　river　Tapajos　as　far　as　practicable。　Afterwards　I　intended　to　revisit　the　marvellous　country　of　the　Upper　Amazons；　and　work　well　its　natural　history　at　various　stations　I　had　fixed　upon；　from　Ega　to　the　foot　of　the　Andes。


CHAPTER　VIII

SANTAREM

Situation　of　SantaremManners　and　Customs　of　the　Inhabitants　ClimateGrassy　Campos　and　WoodsExcursions　to　Mapiri；　Mahica；　and　Irura；　with　Sketches　of　their　Natural　History　Palms；　Wild　Fruit　Trees；　Mining　Wasps；　Mason　Wasps；　Bees；　and　Sloths

I　have　already　given　a　short　account　of　the　size；　situation；　and　general　appearance　of　Santarem。　Although　containing　not　more　than　2500　inhabitants；　it　is　the　most　civilised　and　important　settlement　on　the　banks　of　the　main　river　from　Peru　to　the　Atlantic。　The　pretty　little　town；　or　city　as　it　is　called；　with　its　rows　of　tolerably　uniform；　white…washed　and　red…tiled　houses　surrounded　by　green　gardens　and　woods；　stands　on　gently　sloping　ground　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　Tapajos；　close　to　its　point　of　junction　with　the　Amazons。　A　small　eminence　on　which　a　fort　has　been　erected；　but　which　is　now　in　a　dilapidated　condition；　overlooks　the　streets；　and　forms　the　eastern　limit　of　the　mouth　of　the　tributary。　The　Tapajos　at　Santarem　is　contracted　to　a　breadth　of　about　a　mile　and　a　half　by　an　accretion　of　low　alluvial　land；　which　forms　a　kind　of　delta　on　the　western　side；　fifteen　miles　further　up　the　river　is　seen　at　its　full　width　of　from　ten　to　a　dozen　miles；　and　the　magnificent　hilly　country；　through　which　it　flows　from　the　south；　is　then　visible　on　both　shores。　This　high　land；　which　appears　to　be　a　continuation　of　the　central　table…lands　of　Brazil；　stretches　almost　without　interruption　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　river　down　to　its　mouth　at　Santarem。　The　scenery　as　well　as　the　soil；　vegetation；　and　animal　tenants　of　this　region；　are　widely　different　from　those　of　the　flat　and　uniform　country　which　borders　the　Amazons　along　most　part　of　its　course。　After　travelling　week　after　week　on　the　main　river；　the　aspect　of　Santarem　with　its　broad　white　sandy　beach；　limpid　dark…g