the naturalist on the river amazons-第56部分

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f　a　peaty　nature。　The　higher　grassy；　undulating　parts　of　the　campo　had　a　lighter　and　more　sandy　soil。　Leaving　our　friends；　Jose　and　I　took　our　guns　and　dived　into　the　woods　in　search　of　the　monkeys。　As　we　walked　rapidly　along　I　was　very　near　treading　on　a　rattlesnake；　which　lay　stretched　out　nearly　in　a　straight　line　on　the　bare　sandy　pathway。　It　made　no　movement　to　get　out　of　the　way；　and　I　escaped　the　danger　by　a　timely　and　sudden　leap；　being　unable　to　check　my　steps　in　the　hurried　walk。　We　tried　to　excite　the　sluggish　reptile　by　throwing　handfulls　of　sand　and　sticks　at　it；　but　the　only　notice　it　took　was　to　raise　its　ugly　horny　tail　and　shake　its　rattle。　At　length　it　began　to　move　rather　nimbly；when　we　despatched　it　by　a　blow　on　the　head　with　a　pole；　not　wishing　to　fire　on　account　of　alarming　our　game。

We　saw　nothing　of　the　white　Caiarara；　we　met；　however；　with　a　flock　of　the　common　light…brown　allied　species　（Cebus　albifrons？）；　and　killed　one　as　a　specimen。　A　resident　on　this　side　of　the　river　told　us　that　the　white　kind　was　found　further　to　the　south；　beyond　Santa　Cruz。　The　light…brown　Caiarara　is　pretty　generally　distributed　over　the　forests　of　the　level　country。　I　saw　it　very　frequently　on　the　banks　of　the　Upper　Amazons；　where　it　was　always　a　treat　to　watch　a　flock　leaping　amongst　the　trees；　for　it　is　the　most　wonderful　performer　in　this　line　of　the　whole　tribe。　The　troops　consist　of　thirty　or　more　individuals；　which　travel　in　single　file。　When　the　foremost　of　the　flock　reaches　the　outermost　branch　of　an　unusually　lofty　tree；　he　springs　forth　into　the　air　without　a　moment's　hesitation　and　alights　on　the　dome　of　yielding　foliage　belonging　to　the　neighbouring　tree；　maybe　fifty　feet　beneath　all　the　rest　following　the　example。　They　grasp；　upon　falling；　with　hands　and　tail；　right　themselves　in　a　moment；　and　then　away　they　go　along　branch　and　bough　to　the　next　tree。

The　Caiarara　owes　its　name　in　the　Tupi　language；　macaw　or　large…　headed　（Acain；　head　and　Arara　macaw）；　to　the　disproportionate　size　of　the　head　compared　with　the　rest　of　the　body。　It　is　very　frequently　kept　as　a　pet　in　houses　of　natives。　I　kept　one　myself　for　about　a　year；　which　accompanied　me　in　my　voyages　and　became　very　familiar；　coming　to　me　always　on　wet　nights　to　share　my　blanket。　It　is　a　most　restless　creature；　but　is　not　playful　like　most　of　the　American　monkeys；　the　restlessness　of　its　disposition　seeming　to　arise　from　great　nervous　irritability　and　discontent。　The　anxious；　painful；　and　changeable　expression　of　its　countenance；　and　the　want　of　purpose　in　its　movements；　betray　this。　Its　actions　are　like　those　of　a　wayward　child；　it　does　not　seem　happy　even　when　it　has　plenty　of　its　favourite　food；　bananas；　but　will　leave　its　own　meal　to　snatch　the　morsels　out　of　the　hands　of　its　companions。　It　differs　in　these　mental　traits　from　its　nearest　kindred；　for　another　common　Cebus；　found　in　the　same　parts　of　the　forest；　the　Prego　monkey　（Cebus　cirrhifer？）；　is　a　much　quieter　and　better…tempered　animal；　it　is　full　of　tricks；　but　these　are　generally　of　a　playful　character。

The　Caiarara　keeps　the　house　in　a　perpetual　uproar　where　it　is　kept　when　alarmed；　or　hungry；　or　excited　by　envy；　it　screams　piteously；　it　is　always；　however；　making　some　noise　or　other；　often　screwing　up　its　mouth　and　uttering　a　succession　of　loud　notes　resembling　a　whistle。　My　little　pet；　when　loose；　used　to　run　after　me；　supporting　itself　for　some　distance　on　its　hind　legs；　without；　however；　having　been　taught　to　do　it。　He　offended　me　greatly　one　day；　by　killing；　in　one　of　his　jealous　fits；　another　and　much　choicer　petthe　nocturnal　owl…faced　monkey　（Nyctipithecus　trivirgatus）。　Someone　had　given　this　a　fruit；　which　the　other　coveted；　so　the　two　got　to　quarrelling。　The　Nyctipithecus　fought　only　with　its　paws；　clawing　out　and　hissing　like　a　cat；　the　other　soon　obtained　the　mastery；　and　before　I　could　interfere；　finished　his　rival　by　cracking　its　skull　with　his　teeth。　Upon　this；　I　got　rid　of　him。

On　recrossing　the　river　to　Aveyros　in　the　evening；　a　pretty　little　parrot　fell　from　a　great　height　headlong　into　the　water　near　the　boat；　having　dropped　from　a　flock　which　seemed　to　be　fighting　in　the　air。　One　of　the　Indians　secured　it　for　me；　and　I　was　surprised　to　find　the　bird　uninjured。　There　had　probably　been　a　quarrel　about　mates；　resulting　in　our　little　stranger　being　temporarily　stunned　by　a　blow　on　the　head　from　the　beak　of　a　jealous　comrade。　The　species　was　the　Conurus　guianensis；　called　by　the　natives　Maracana　the　plumage　green；　with　a　patch　of　scarlet　under　the　wings。　I　wished　to　keep　the　bird　alive　and　tame　it；　but　all　our　efforts　to　reconcile　it　to　captivity　were　vain；　it　refused　food；　bit　everyone　who　went　near　it；　and　damaged　its　plumage　in　its　exertions　to　free　itself。　My　friends　in　Aveyros　said　that　this　kind　of　parrot　never　became　domesticated。　After　trying　nearly　a　week　I　was　recommended　to　lend　the　intractable　creature　to　an　old　Indian　woman；　living　in　the　village；　who　was　said　to　be　a　skillful　bird…tamer。　In　two　days　she　brought　it　back　almost　as　tame　as　the　familiar　love…birds　of　our　aviaries。　I　kept　my　little　pet　for　upwards　of　two　years；　it　learned　to　talk　pretty　well；　and　was　considered　quite　a　wonder　as　being　a　bird　usually　so　difficult　of　domestication。　I　do　not　know　what　arts　the　old　woman　used　Captain　Antonio　said　she　fed　it　with　her　saliva。　The　chief　reason　why　almost　all　animals　become　so　wonderfully　tame　in　the　houses　of　the　natives　is；　I　believe；　their　being　treated　with　uniform　gentleness；　and　allowed　to　run　at　large　about　the　rooms。　Our　Maracana　used　to　accompany　us　sometimes　in　our　rambles；　one　of　the　lads　carrying　it　on　his　head。　One　day；　in　the　middle　of　a　long　forest　road；　it　was　missed；　having　clung　probably　to　an　overhanging　bough　and　escaped　into　the　thicket　without　the　boy　perceiving　it。　Three　hours　afterwards；　on　our　return　by　the　same　path；　a　voice　greeted　using　a　colloquial　tone　as　we　passed　〃Maracana！〃　We　looked　about　for　some　time；　but　could　not　see　anything；　until　the　word　was　repeated　with　emphasis　〃Maracana…　a！〃　When　we　espied　the　little　truant　half　concealed　in　the　foliage　of　a　tree；　he　came　down　and　delivered　himself　up；　evidently　as　much　rejoiced　at　the　meeting　as　we　were。

After　I　had　obtained　the　two　men　promised；　stout　young　Indians；　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　of　age；　one　named　Ricardo　and　the　other　Alberto；　I　paid　a　second　visit　to　the　western　side　of　the　river　in　my　own　canoe；　being　determined；　if　possible；　to　obtain　specimens　of　the　White　Cebus。　We　crossed　over　first　to　the　mission　village；　Santa　Cruz；　which　consists　of　thirty　or　forty　wretched…looking　mud　huts；　closely　built　together　in　three　straight　ugly　rows　on　a　high　gravelly　bank。　The　place　was　deserted；　with　the　exception　of　two　or　three　old　men　and　women　and　a　few　children。　A　narrow　belt　of　wood　runs　behind　the　village；　beyond　this　is　an　elevated；　barren　campo　with　a　clayey　and　gravelly　soil。　To　the　south；　the　coast　country　is　of　a　similar　description；　a　succession　of　scantily…wooded　hills；　bare　grassy　spaces；　and　richly…timbered　hollows。　We　traversed　forest　and　campo　in　various　directions　during　three　days　without　meeting　with　monkeys；　or　indeed　with　anything　that　repaid　us　the　time　and　trouble。　The　soil　of　the　district　appeared　too　dry；　at　this　season　of　the　year　I　had　noticed；　in　other　parts　of　the　country；　that　mammals　and　birds　resorted　to　the　more　humid　areas　of　forest；　we　therefore　proceeded　to　explore　carefully　the　low　and　partly　swampy　tract　along　the　coast　to　the　north　of　Santa　Cruz。

We　spent　two　days　in　this　way　landing　at　many　places；　and　penetrating　a　good　distance　in　the　interior。　Although　unsuccessful　with　regard　to　the　White　Cebus；　the　time　was　not　wholly　lost；　as　I　added　several　small　birds　of　species　new　to　my　collection。　On　the　second　evening　we　surprised　a　large　flock；　composed　of　about　fifty　individuals；　of　a　curious　eagle　with　a　very　long　and　slender　hooked　beak；　the　Rostrhamus　hamatus。　They　were　perched　on　the　bushes　which　surrounded　a　shallow　lagoon；　separated　from　the　river　by　a　belt　of　floating　grass；　my　men　said　they　fed　on　toads　and　lizards　found　at　the　margins　of　pools。　They　formed　a　beautiful　sight　as　they　flew　up　and　wheeled　about　at　a　great　height　in　the　air。　We　obtained　only　one　specimen。

Before　returning　to　Aveyros；　we　paid　another　visit　to　the　Jacare　inlet　leading　to　Captain　Antonio's　cattle　farm；　for　the　sake　of　securing　further　specimens　of　the　many　rare　and　handsome　insects　found　there　landing　at　the　port　of　one　of　the　settlers。　The　owner　of　the　house　was　not　at　home；　and　the　wife；　a　buxom　young　woman；　a　dark　mameluca；　with　clear　though　dark　complexion　and　fine　rosy　cheeks；　was　preparing；　in　company　with　another　stout…　built　Amazon；　her　rod　and　lines　to　go　out　fishing　for　the　day's　dinner。　It　was　now　the　season　for　Tucunares；　and　Senora　Joaquina　showed　us　the　fly　baits　used　to　take　this　kind　of　fish；　which　she　had　made　with　her　own　hands　of　parrots'　feathers。　The　rods　used　are　slender　bamboos；　and　the　lines　made　from　the　fibres　of　pine…　apple　leaves。　It　is　not　very　common　for　the　Indian　and　half…caste　women　to　provide　for　themselves　in　the　way　these　spirited　dames　were　doing；　although　they　are　all　expert　paddlers；　and　very　frequently　cross　wide　rivers　in　their　frail　boats　without　the　aid　of　men。　It　is　possible　that　parties　of　Indian　women；　seen　travelling　alone　in　this　manner；　may　have　given　rise　to　the　fable　of　a　nation　of　Amazons；　invented　by　the　first　Spanish　explorers　of　the　country。

Senora　Joaquina　invited　me　and　Jose　to　a　Tucunare　dinner　for　the　afternoon；　and　then　shouldering　their　paddles　and　tucking　up　their　skirts；　the　two　dusky　fisherwomen　marched　down　to　their　canoe。　We　sent　the　two　Indians　into　the　woods　to　cut　palm…leaves　to　mend　the　thatch　of　our　cuberta；　while　Jose　and　I　rambled　through　the　woods　which　skirted　the　campo。　On　our　return；　we　found　a　most　bountiful　spread　in　the　house　of　our　hostess。　A　spotless　white　cloth　was　laid　on　the　mat；　with　a　plate　for　each　guest　and　a　pile　of　fragrant；　newly…made　farinha　by　the　side　of　it。　The　boiled　Tucunares　were　soon　taken　from　the　kettles　and　set　before　us。　I　thought　the　men　must　be　happy　husbands　who　owned　such　wives　as　these。　The　Indian　and　mameluco　women　certainly　do　make　excellent　m