the naturalist on the river amazons-第51部分

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of　oil　of　similar　fragrance　to　that　of　the　ordinary　cacao…nut；　and　make　up　very　well　into　paste；　but　the　beverage　has　a　repulsive　clayey　colour　and　an　inferior　flavour。

My　excursions　to　the　Irura　had　always　a　picnic　character。　A　few　rude　huts　are　scattered　through　the　valley；　but　they　are　tenanted　only　for　a　few　days　in　the　year；　when　their　owners　come　to　gather　and　roast　the　mandioca　of　their　small　clearings。　We　used　generally　to　take　with　us　two　boysone　negro；　the　other　Indian　to　carry　our　provisions　for　the　day；　a　few　pounds　of　beef　or　dried　fish；　farinha　and　bananas；　with　plates；　and　a　kettle　for　cooking。　Jose　carried　the　guns；　ammunition　and　game…bags；　and　I　the　apparatus　for　entomologisingthe　insect　net；　a　large　leathern　bag　with　compartments　for　corked　boxes；　phials；　glass　tubes；　and　so　forth。　It　was　our　custom　to　start　soon　after　sunrise；　when　the　walk　over　the　campos　was　cool　and　pleasant；　the　sky　without　a　cloud；　and　the　grass　wet　with　dew。　The　paths　are　mere　faint　tracks；　in　our　early　excursions　it　was　difficult　to　avoid　missing　our　way。　We　were　once　completely　lost；　and　wandered　about　for　several　hours　over　the　scorching　soil　without　recovering　the　road。　A　fine　view　is　obtained　of　the　country　from　the　rising　ground　about　half　way　across　the　waste。　Thence　to　the　bottom　of　the　valley　is　a　long；　gentle；　grassy　slope；　bare　of　trees。　The　strangely…shaped　hills；　the　forest　at　their　feet；　richly　varied　with　palms；　the　bay　of　Mapiri　on　the　right；　with　the　dark　waters　of　the　Tapajos　and　its　white　glistening　shores；　are　all　spread　out　before　one；　as　if　depicted　on　canvas。　The　extreme　transparency　of　the　atmosphere　gives　to　all　parts　of　the　landscape　such　clearness　of　outline　that　the　idea　of　distance　is　destroyed；　and　one　fancies　the　whole　to　be　almost　within　reach　of　the　hand。　Descending　into　the　valley；　a　small　brook　has　to　be　crossed；　and　then　half　a　mile　of　sandy　plain；　whose　vegetation　wears　a　peculiar　aspect；　owing　to　the　predominance　of　a　stemless　palm；　the　Curua　（Attalea　spectabilis）；　whose　large；　beautifully　pinnated；　rigid　leaves　rise　directly　from　the　soil。　The　fruit　of　this　species　is　similar　to　the　coconut；　containing　milk　in　the　interior　of　the　kernel；　but　it　is　much　inferior　to　it　in　size。　Here；　and　indeed　all　along　the　road；　we　saw；　on　most　days　in　the　wet　season；　tracks　of　the　jaguar。　We　never；　however；　met　with　the　animal；　although　we　sometimes　heard　his　loud　〃hough〃　in　the　night　while　lying　in　our　hammocks　at　home；　in　Santarem；　and　knew　he　must　he　lurking　somewhere　near　us。

My　best　hunting　ground　was　a　part　of　the　valley　sheltered　on　one　side　by　a　steep　hill　whose　declivity；　like　the　swampy　valley　beneath；　was　clothed　with　magnificent　forest。　We　used　to　make　our　halt　in　a　small　cleared　place；　tolerably　free　from　ants　and　close　to　the　water。　Here　we　assembled　after　our　toilsome　morning's　hunt　in　different　directions　through　the　woods；　took　our　well…earned　meal　on　the　groundtwo　broad　leaves　of　the　wild　banana　serving　us　for　a　tableclothand　rested　for　a　couple　of　hours　during　the　great　heat　of　the　afternoon。　The　diversity　of　animal　productions　was　as　wonderful　as　that　of　the　vegetable　forms　in　this　rich　locality。　It　was　pleasant　to　lie　down　during　the　hottest　part　of　the　day；　when　my　people　lay　asleep；　and　watch　the　movements　of　animals。　Sometimes　a　troop　of　Anus　（Crotophaga）；　a　glossy　black…　plumaged　bird；　which　lives　in　small　societies　in　grassy　places；　would　come　in　from　the　campos；　one　by　one；　calling　to　each　other　as　they　moved　from　tree　to　tree。　Or　a　Toucan　（Rhamphastos　ariel）　silently　hopped　or　ran　along　and　up　the　branches；　peeping　into　chinks　and　crevices。　Notes　of　solitary　birds　resounded　from　a　distance　through　the　wilderness。　Occasionally　a　sulky　Trogon　would　be　seen；　with　its　brilliant　green　back　and　rose…coloured　breast；　perched　for　an　hour　without　moving　on　a　low　branch。　A　number　of　large；　fat　lizards　two　feet　long；　of　a　kind　called　by　the　natives　Jacuaru　（Teius　teguexim）　were　always　observed　in　the　still　hours　of　midday　scampering　with　great　clatter　over　the　dead　leaves；　apparently　in　chase　of　each　other。　The　fat　of　this　bulky　lizard　is　much　prized　by　the　natives；　who　apply　it　as　a　poultice　to　draw　palm　spines　or　even　grains　of　shot　from　the　flesh。　Other　lizards　of　repulsive　aspect；　about　three　feet　in　length　when　full　grown；　splashed　about　and　swam　in　the　water；　sometimes　emerging　to　crawl　into　hollow　trees　on　the　banks　of　the　stream；　where　I　once　found　a　female　and　a　nest　of　eggs。　The　lazy　flapping　flight　of　large　blue　and　black　morpho　butterflies　high　in　the　air；　the　hum　of　insects；　and　many　inanimate　sounds；　contributed　their　share　to　the　total　impression　this　strange　solitude　produced。　Heavy　fruits　from　the　crowns　of　trees　which　were　mingled　together　at　a　giddy　height　overhead；　fell　now　and　then　with　a　startling　〃plop〃　into　the　water。　The　breeze；　not　felt　below；　stirred　in　the　topmost　branches；　setting　the　twisted　and　looped　sipos　in　motion；　which　creaked　and　groaned　in　a　great　variety　of　notes。　To　these　noises　were　added　the　monotonous　ripple　of　the　brook；　which　had　its　little　cascade　at　every　score　or　two　yards　of　its　course。

We　frequently　fell　in　with　an　old　Indian　woman；　named　Cecilia；　who　had　a　small　clearing　in　the　woods。　She　had　the　reputation　of　being　a　witch　（feiticeira）；　and　I　found；　on　talking　with　her；　that　she　prided　herself　on　her　knowledge　of　the　black　art。　Her　slightly　curled　hair　showed　that　she　was　not　a　pureblood　Indian　I　was　told　her　father　was　a　dark　mulatto。　She　was　always　very　civil　to　our　party；　showing　us　the　best　paths；　explaining　the　virtues　and　uses　of　different　plants；　and　so　forth。　I　was　much　amused　at　the　accounts　she　gave　of　the　place。　Her　solitary　life　and　the　gloom　of　the　woods　seemed　to　have　filled　her　with　superstitious　fancies。　She　said　gold　was　contained　in　the　bed　of　the　brook；　and　that　the　murmur　of　the　water　over　the　little　cascades　was　the　voice　of　the　〃water…mother〃　revealing　the　hidden　treasure。　A　narrow　pass　between　two　hillsides　was　the　portao　or　gate；　and　all　within；　along　the　wooded　banks　of　the　stream；　was　enchanted　ground。　The　hill　underneath　which　we　were　encamped　was　the　enchanter's　abode；　and　she　gravely　told　us　she　often　had　long　conversations　with　him。　These　myths　were　of　her　own　invention；　and　in　the　same　way　an　endless　number　of　other　similar　ones　have　originated　in　the　childish　imaginations　of　the　poor　Indian　and　half…breed　inhabitants　of　different　parts　of　the　country。　It　is　to　be　remarked；　however；　that　the　Indian　men　all　become　sceptics　after　a　little　intercourse　with　the　whites。　The　witchcraft　of　poor　Cecilia　was　of　a　very　weak　quality。　It　consisted　of　throwing　pinches　of　powdered　bark　of　a　certain　tree；　and　other　substances；　into　the　fire　while　muttering　a　spella　prayer　repeated　backwardsand　adding　the　name　of　the　person　on　whom　she　wished　the　incantation　to　operate。　Some　of　the　feiticeiras；　however；　play　more　dangerous　tricks　than　this　harmless　mummery。　They　are　acquainted　with　many　poisonous　plants；　and　although　they　seldom　have　the　courage　to　administer　a　fatal　dose；　sometimes　contrive　to　convey　to　their　victim　sufficient　to　cause　serious　illness。　The　motive　by　which　they　are　actuated　is　usually　jealousy　of　other　women　in　love　matters。　While　I　resided　in　Santarem；　a　case　of　what　was　called　witchcraft　was　tried　by　the　sub…delegado；　in　which　a　highly　respectable　white　lady　was　the　complainant。　It　appeared　that　some　feiticeira　had　sprinkled　a　quantity　of　the　acrid　juice　of　a　large　arum　on　her　linen　as　it　was　hanging　out　to　dry；　and　it　was　thought　this　had　caused　a　serious　eruption　under　which　the　lady　suffered。

I　seldom　met　with　any　of　the　larger　animals　in　these　excursions。　We　never　saw　a　mammal　of　any　kind　on　the　campos；　but　tracks　of　three　species　were　seen　occasionally　besides　those　of　the　jaguar；　these　belonged　to　a　small　tiger　cat；　a　deer；　and　an　opossum；　all　of　which　animals　must　have　been　very　rare；　and　probably　nocturnal　in　their　habits；　with　the　exception　of　the　deer。　I　saw　in　the　woods；　on　one　occasion；　a　small　flock　of　monkeys；　and　once　had　an　opportunity　of　watching　the　movements　of　a　sloth。　The　latter　was　of　the　kind　called　by　Cuvier　Bradypus　tridactylus；　which　is　clothed　with　shaggy　grey　hair。　The　natives　call　it；　in　the　Tupi　language；　Al　ybyrete　（in　Portuguese；　Preguica　da　terra　firme）；　or　sloth　of　the　mainland；　to　distinguish　it　from　the　Bradypus　infuscatus；　which　has　a　long；　black　and　tawny　stripe　between　the　shoulders；　and　is　called　Al　Ygapo　（Preguica　das　vargens）；　or　sloth　of　the　flooded　lands。　Some　travellers　in　South　America　have　described　the　sloth　as　very　nimble　in　its　native　woods；　and　have　disputed　the　justness　of　the　name　which　has　been　bestowed　upon　it。　The　inhabitants　of　the　Amazons　region；　however；　both　Indians　and　descendants　of　the　Portuguese；　hold　to　the　common　opinion；　and　consider　the　sloth　as　the　type　of　laziness。　It　is　very　common　for　one　native　to　call　another；　in　reproaching　him　for　idleness；　〃bicho　do　Embauba〃　（beast　of　the　Cecropia　tree）；　the　leaves　of　the　Cecropia　being　the　food　of　the　sloth。　It　is　a　strange　sight　to　watch　the　uncouth　creature；　fit　production　of　these　silent　shades；　lazily　moving　from　branch　to　branch。　Every　movement　betrays；　not　indolence　exactly；　but　extreme　caution。　He　never　looses　his　hold　from　one　branch　without　first　securing　himself　to　the　next；　and　when　he　does　not　immediately　find　a　bough　to　grasp　with　the　rigid　hooks　into　which　his　paws　are　so　curiously　transformed；　he　raises　his　body；　supported　on　his　hind　legs；　and　claws　around　in　search　of　a　fresh　foothold。　After　watching　the　animal　for　about　half　an　hour　I　gave　him　a　charge　of　shot。　He　fell　with　a　terrific　crash；　but　caught　a　bough；　in　his　descent；　with　his　powerful　claws；　and　remained　suspended。　Our　Indian　lad　tried　to　climb　the　tree；　but　was　driven　back　by　swarms　of　stinging　ants；　the　poor　little　fellow　slid　down　in　a　sad　predicament；　and　plunged　into　the　brook　to　free　himself。　Two　days　afterwards　I　found　the　body　of　the　sloth　on　the　ground；　the　animal　having　dropped　on　the　relaxation　of　the　muscles　a　few　hours　after　death。　In　one　of　our　voyages；　Mr。　Wallace　and　I　saw　a　sloth　（B。　infuscatus）　swimming　across　a　river；　at　a　place　where　it　was　probably　300　yards　broad。　I　believe　it　is　not　generally　known　that　t