the naturalist on the river amazons-第53部分

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this　part　of　the　Amazons　country；　shaped　like　the　high　altar　in　Roman　Catholic　churches。　It　is　an　isolated　one；　and　much　lower　in　height　than　the　similarly　truncated　hills　and　ridges　near　Almeyrim；　being　elevated　probably　not　more　than　300　feet　above　the　level　of　the　river。　It　is　bare　of　trees；　but　covered　in　places　with　a　species　of　fern。　At　the　head　of　the　bay　is　an　inner　harbour；　which　communicates　by　a　channel　with　a　series　of　lakes　lying　in　the　valleys　between　hills；　and　stretching　far　into　the　interior　of　the　land。　The　village　is　peopled　almost　entirely　by　semi…civilised　Indians；　to　the　number　of　sixty　or　seventy　families；　and　the　scattered　houses　are　arranged　in　broad　streets　on　a　strip　of　greensward；　at　the　foot　of　a　high；　gloriously…wooded　ridge。

I　was　so　much　pleased　with　the　situation　of　this　settlement；　and　the　number　of　rare　birds　and　insects　which　tenanted　the　forest；　that　I　revisited　it　in　the　following　year；　and　spent　four　months　making　collections。　The　village　itself　is　a　neglected；　poverty…　stricken　place　the　governor　（Captain　of　Trabalhadores；　or　Indian　workmen）　being　an　old；　apathetic；　half…breed；　who　had　spent　all　his　life　here。　The　priest　was　a　most　profligate　character；　I　seldom　saw　him　sober；　he　was　a　white；　however；　and　a　man　of　good　ability。　I　may　as　well　mention　here；　that　a　moral　and　zealous　priest　is　a　great　rarity　in　this　province　the　only　ministers　of　religion　in　the　whole　country　who　appeared　sincere　in　their　calling　being　the　Bishop　of　Para　and　the　Vicars　of　Ega　on　the　Upper　Amazons　and　Obydos。　The　houses　in　the　village　swarmed　with　vermin；　bats　in　the　thatch；　fire…ants　（formiga　de　fogo）　under　the　floors；　cockroaches　and　spiders　on　the　walls。　Very　few　of　them　had　wooden　doors　and　locks。

Altar　de　Chao　was　originally　a　settlement　of　the　aborigines；　and　was　called　Burari。　The　Indians　were　always　hostile　to　the　Portuguese；　and　during　the　disorders　of　1835…6　joined　the　rebels　in　their　attack　on　Santarem。　Few　of　them　escaped　the　subsequent　slaughter；　and　for　this　reason　there　is　now　scarcely　an　old　or　middle…aged　man　in　the　place。　As　in　all　the　semi…civilised　villages；　where　the　original　orderly　and　industrious　habits　of　the　Indian　have　been　lost　without　anything　being　learned　from　the　whites　to　make　amends；　the　inhabitants　live　in　the　greatest　poverty。　The　scarcity　of　fish　in　the　clear　waters　and　rocky　bays　of　the　neighbourhood　is　no　doubt　partly　the　cause　of　the　poverty　and　perennial　hunger　which　reign　here。　When　we　arrived　in　the　port；　our　canoe　was　crowded　with　the　half…naked　villagersmen；　women；　and　children　who　came　to　beg　each　a　piece　of　salt　pirarucu　〃for　the　love　of　God。〃　They　are　not　quite　so　badly　off　in　the　dry　season。　The　shallow　lakes　and　bays　then　contain　plenty　of　fish；　and　the　boys　and　women　go　out　at　night　to　spear　them　by　torchlight　the　torches　being　made　of　thin　strips　of　green　bark　from　the　leaf…stalks　of　palms；　tied　in　bundles。　Many　excellent　kinds　of　fish　are　thus　obtained；　amongst　them　the　Pescada；　whose　white　and　flaky　flesh；　when　boiled；　has　the　appearance　and　flavour　of　cod…fish；　and　the　Tucunare　（Cichla　temensis）；　a　handsome　species；　with　a　large　prettily…coloured；　eye…like　spot　on　its　tail。　Many　small　Salmonidae　are　also　met　with；　and　a　kind　of　sole；　called　Aramassa；　which　moves　along　the　clear　sandy　bottom　of　the　bay。　At　these　times　a　species　of　sting…ray　is　common　on　the　sloping　beach；　and　bathers　are　frequently　stung　most　severely　by　it。　The　weapon　of　this　fish　is　a　strong　blade　with　jagged　edges；　about　three　inches　long；　growing　from　the　side　of　the　long　fleshy　tail。　I　once　saw　a　woman　wounded　by　it　whilse　bathing；　she　shrieked　frightfully；　and　was　obliged　to　be　carried　to　her　hammock；　where　she　lay　for　a　week　in　great　pain；　I　have　known　strong　men　to　be　lamed　for　many　months　by　the　sting。

There　was　a　mode　of　taking　fish　here　which　I　had　not　before　seen　employed；　but　found　afterwards　to　be　very　common　on　the　Tapajos。　This　is　by　using　a　poisonous　liana　called　Timbo　（Paullinia　pinnata）。　It　will　act　only　in　the　still　waters　of　creeks　and　pools。　A　few　rods；　a　yard　in　length；　are　mashed　and　soaked　in　the　water；　which　quickly　becomes　discoloured　with　the　milky　deleterious　juice　of　the　plant。　In　about　half　an　hour　all　the　smaller　fishes　over　a　rather　wide　space　around　the　spot；　rise　to　the　surface　floating　on　their　sides；　and　with　the　gills　wide　open。　Evidently；the　poison　acts　　by　suffocating　the　fishesit　spreads　slowly　in　the　water；　and　a　very　slight　mixture　seems　sufficient　to　stupefy　them。　I　was　surprised；　upon　beating　the　water　in　places　where　no　fishes　were　visible　in　the　clear　depths　for　many　yards　round；　to　find；　sooner　or　later；　sometimes　twenty…　four　hours　afterwards；　a　considerable　number　floating　dead　on　the　surface。

The　people　occupy　themselves　the　greater　part　of　the　year　with　their　small　plantations　of　mandioca。　All　the　heavy　work；　such　as　felling　and　burning　the　timber；　planting　and　weeding；　is　done　in　the　plantation　of　each　family　by　a　congregation　of　neighbours；　which　they　call　a　〃pucherum〃a　similar　custom　to　the　〃bee〃　in　the　backwood　settlements　of　North　America。　They　make　quite　a　holiday　of　each　pucherum。　When　the　invitation　is　issued；　the　family　prepares　a　great　quantity　of　fermented　drink；　called　in　this　part　Taroba；　made　from　soaked　mandioca　cakes；　and　porridge　of　Manicueira。　This　latter　is　a　kind　of　sweet　mandioca；　very　different　from　the　Yuca　of　the　Peruvians　and　Macasheira　of　the　Brazilians　（Manihot　Aypi）；　having　oblong　juicy　roots；　which　become　very　sweet　a　few　days　after　they　are　gathered。　With　these　simple　provisions　they　regale　their　helpers。　The　work　is　certainly　done；　but　after　a　very　rude　fashion；　all　become　soddened　with　Taroba；　and　the　day　finishes　often　in　a　drunken　brawl。

The　climate　is　rather　more　humid　than　that　of　Santarem。　I　suppose　this　is　to　be　attributed　to　the　neighbouring　country　being　densely　wooded　instead　of　an　open　campo。　In　no　part　of　the　country　did　I　enjoy　more　the　moonlit　nights　than　here；　in　the　dry　season。　After　the　day's　work　was　done；　I　used　to　go　down　to　the　shores　of　the　bay；　and　lie　at　full　length　on　the　cool　sand　for　two　or　three　hours　before　bedtime。　The　soft　pale　light；　resting　on　broad　sandy　beaches　and　palm…thatched　huts；　reproduced　the　effect　of　a　mid…winter　scene　in　the　cold　north　when　a　coating　of　snow　lies　on　the　landscape。　A　heavy　shower　falls　about　once　a　week；　and　the　shrubby　vegetation　never　becomes　parched　as　at　Santarem。　Between　the　rains；　the　heat　and　dryness　increase　from　day　to　day　the　weather　on　the　first　day　after　the　rain　is　gleamy；　with　intervals　of　melting　sunshine　and　passing　clouds；　the　next　day　is　rather　drier；　and　the　east　wind　begins　to　blow；　then　follow　days　of　cloudless　sky；　with　gradually　increasing　strength　of　breeze。　When　this　has　continued　about　a　week；　a　light　mistiness　begins　to　gather　about　the　horizon；　clouds　are　formed；　grumbling　thunder　is　heard；　and　then；　generally　in　the　night…　time；　down　falls　the　refreshing　rain。　The　sudden　chill　caused　by　the　rains　produces　colds；　which　are　accompanied　by　the　same　symptoms　as　in　our　own　climate；　with　this　exception；　the　place　is　very　healthy。

June　17thThe　two　young　men　returned　without　meeting　with　my　montaria；　and　I　found　it　impossible　here　to　buy　a　new　one。　Captain　Thomas　could　find　me　only　one　hand。　This　was　a　blunt…　spoken　but　willing　young　Indian；　named　Manoel。　He　came　on　board　this　morning　at　eight　o'clock；　and　we　then　got　up　our　anchor　and　resumed　our　voyage。

The　wind　was　light　and　variable　all　day；　and　we　made　only　about　fifteen　miles　by　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening。　The　coast　formed　a　succession　of　long；　shallow　bays　with　sandy　beaches；　upon　which　the　waves　broke　in　a　long　line　of　surf。　Ten　miles　above　Altar　de　Chao　is　a　conspicuous　headland；　called　Point　Cajetuba。　During　a　lull　of　the　wind；　towards　midday；　we　ran　the　cuberta　aground　in　shallow　water　and　waded　ashore；　but　the　woods　were　scarcely　penetrable；　and　not　a　bird　was　to　be　seen。　The　only　thing　observed　worthy　of　note　was　the　quantity　of　drowned　winged　ants　along　the　beach；　they　were　all　of　one　species；　the　terrible　formiga　de　fogo　（Myrmica　saevis　sima）；　the　dead；　or　half…dead　bodies　of　which　were　heaped　up　in　a　line　an　inch　or　two　in　height　and　breadth；　the　line　continuing　without　interruption　for　miles　at　the　edge　of　the　water。　The　countless　thousands　had　been　doubtless　cast　into　the　river　while　flying　during　a　sudden　squall　the　night　before；　and　afterwards；　cast　ashore　by　the　waves。　We　found　ourselves　at　seven　o'clock　near　the　mouth　of　a　creek　leading　to　a　small　lake；　called　Aramana…i；　and　the　wind　having　died　away；　we　anchored；　guided　by　the　lights　ashore；　near　the　house　of　a　settler　named　Jeronymo；　whom　I　knew；　and　who；　soon　after；　showed　us　a　snug　little　harbour　where　we　could　remain　in　safety　for　the　night。　The　river　here　cannot　be　less　than　ten　miles　broad；　it　is　quite　clear　of　islands　and　free　from　shoals　at　this　season　of　the　year。　The　opposite　coast　appeared　in　the　daytime　as　a　long　thin　line　of　forest；　with　dim　grey　hills　in　the　background。

Today　（19th）　we　had　a　good　wind；　which　carried　us　to　the　mouth　of　a　creek；　culled　Paquiatuba；　where　the　〃inspector〃　of　the　district　lived；　Senor　Cypriano；　for　whom　I　had　brought　an　order　from　Captain　Thomas　to　supply　me　with　another　hand。　We　had　great　difficulty　in　finding　a　place　to　land。　The　coast　in　this　part　was　a　tract　of　level；　densely…wooded　country；　through　which　flowed　the　winding　rivulet；　or　creek；　which　gives　its　name　to　a　small　scattered　settlement　hidden　in　the　wilderness；　the　hills　here　receding　two　or　three　miles　towards　the　interior。　A　large　portion　of　the　forest　was　flooded；　the　trunks　of　the　very　high　trees　near　the　mouth　of　the　creek　standing　eighteen　feet　deep　in　water。　We　lost　two　hours　working　our　way　with　poles　through　the　inundated　woods　in　search　of　the　port。　Every　inlet　we　tried　ended　in　a　labyrinth　choked　up　with　bushes；　but　we　were　at　length　guided　to　the　right　place　by　the　crowing　of　cocks。　On　shouting　for　a　montaria；　an　Indian　boy　made　his　appearance；　guiding　one　through　the　gloomy　thickets；　but　he　was　so　alarmed；　I　suppose　at　the　apparition　of　a　strange…looking　white　man　in　spectacles　bawling　from　the　brow　of　the　vessel；　that　he　shot　back　quickly　into　the　bushes。　He　returned　when　Manoe