the naturalist on the river amazons-第57部分

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　husbands　who　owned　such　wives　as　these。　The　Indian　and　mameluco　women　certainly　do　make　excellent　managers；　they　are　more　industrious　than　the　men；　and　most　of　them　manufacture　farinha　for　sale　on　their　own　account；　their　credit　always　standing　higher　with　the　traders　on　the　river　than　that　of　their　male　connections。　I　was　quite　surprised　at　the　quantity　of　fish　they　had　taken　there　being　sufficient　for　the　whole　party　which　included　several　children；　two　old　men　from　a　neighbouring　hut；　and　my　Indians。　I　made　our　good…natured　entertainers　a　small　present　of　needles　and　sewing…　cotton；　articles　very　much　prized；　and　soon　after　we　reembarked；　and　again　crossed　the　river　to　Aveyros。

August　2ndLeft　Aveyros；　having　resolved　to　ascend　a　branch　river；　the　Cupari；　which　enters　the　Tapajos　about　eight　miles　above　this　village；　instead　of　going　forward　along　the　main　stream。　I　should　have　liked　to　visit　the　settlements　of　the　Mundurucu　tribe　which　lie　beyond　the　first　cataract　of　the　Tapajos；　if　it　had　been　compatible　with　the　other　objects　I　had　in　view。　But　to　perform　this　journey　a　lighter　canoe　than　mine　would　have　been　necessary；　and　six　or　eight　Indian　paddlers；　which　in　my　case　it　was　utterly　impossible　to　obtain。　There　would　be；　however；　an　opportunity　of　seeing　this　fine　race　of　people　on　the　Cupari；　as　a　horde　was　located　towards　the　head　waters　of　this　stream。　The　distance　from　Aveyros　to　the　last　civilised　settlement　on　the　Tapajos；　Itaituba；　is　about　forty　miles。　The　falls　commence　a　short　distance　beyond　this　place。　Ten　formidable　cataracts　or　rapids　then　succeed　each　other　at　intervals　of　a　few　miles；　the　chief　of　which　are　the　Coaita；　the　Bubure；　the　Salto　Grande　（about　thirty　feet　high）；　and　the　Montanha。　The　canoes　of　Cuyaba　tradesmen　which　descend　annually　to　Santarem　are　obliged　to　be　unloaded　at　each　of　these；　and　the　cargoes　carried　by　land　on　the　backs　of　Indians；　while　the　empty　vessels　are　dragged　by　ropes　over　the　obstruction。　The　Cupari　was　described　to　me　as　flowing　through　a　rich；　moist　clayey　valley　covered　with　forests　and　abounding　in　game；　while　the　banks　of　the　Tapajos　beyond　Aveyros　were　barren　sandy　campos；　with　ranges　of　naked　or　scantily…wooded　hills；　forming　a　kind　of　country　which　I　had　always　found　very　unproductive　in　Natural　History　objects　in　the　dry　season；　which　had　now　set　in。

We　entered　the　mouth　of　the　Cupari　on　the　evening　of　the　following　day　（August　3rd）。　It　was　not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　wide；　but　very　deep：　we　found　no　bottom　in　the　middle　with　a　line　of　eight　fathoms。　The　banks　were　gloriously　wooded；　the　familiar　foliage　of　the　cacao　growing　abundantly　amongst　the　mass　of　other　trees；　reminding　me　of　the　forests　of　the　main　Amazons。　We　rowed　for　five　or　six　miles；　generally　in　a　south…easterly　direction；　although　the　river　had　many　abrupt　bends；　and　stopped　for　the　night　at　a　settler's　house；　situated　on　a　high　bank；　accessible　only　by　a　flight　of　rude　wooden　steps　fixed　in　the　clayey　slope。　The　owners　were　two　brothers；　half…breeds；　who；　with　their　families；　shared　the　large　roomy　dwelling；　one　of　them　was　a　blacksmith；　and　we　found　him　working　with　two　Indian　lads　at　his　forge　in　an　open　shed　under　the　shade　of　mango　trees。　They　were　the　sons　of　a　Portuguese　immigrant　who　had　settled　here　forty　years　previously；　and　married　a　Mundurucu　woman。　He　must　have　been　a　far　more　industrious　man　than　the　majority　of　his　countrymen　who　emigrate　to　Brazil　nowadays；　for　there　were　signs　of　former　extensive　cultivation　at　the　back　of　the　house　in　groves　of　orange；　lemon；　and　coffee　trees；　and　a　large　plantation　of　cacao　occupied　the　lower　grounds。

The　next　morning　one　of　the　brothers　brought　me　a　beautiful　opossum；　which　had　been　caught　in　the　fowl…house　a　little　before　sunrise。　It　was　not　so　large　as　a　rat；　and　had　soft　brown　fur；　paler　beneath　and　on　the　face；　with　a　black　stripe　on　each　cheek。　This　made　the　third　species　of　marsupial　rat　I　had　so　far　obtained　but　the　number　of　these　animals　is　very　considerable　in　Brazil；　where　they　take　the　place　of　the　shrews　of　Europe；　shrew　mice　and；　indeed；　the　whole　of　the　insectivorous　order　of　mammals；　being　entirely　absent　from　Tropical　America。　One　kind　of　these　rat…like　opossums　is　aquatic；　and　has　webbed　feet。　The　terrestrial　species　are　nocturnal　in　their　habits；　sleeping　during　the　day　in　hollow　trees；　and　coming　forth　at　night　to　prey　on　birds　in　their　roosting　places。　It　is　very　difficult　to　rear　poultry　in　this　country　on　account　of　these　small　opossums；　scarcely　a　night　passing；　in　some　parts；　in　which　the　fowls　are　not　attacked　by　them。

August　5th。The　river　reminds　me　of　some　parts　of　the　Jaburu　channel；　being　hemmed　in　by　two　walls　of　forest　rising　to　the　height　of　at　least　a　hundred　feet；　and　the　outlines　of　the　trees　being　concealed　throughout　by　a　dense　curtain　of　leafy　creepers。　The　impression　of　vegetable　profusion　and　overwhelming　luxuriance　increases　at　every　step。　The　deep　and　narrow　valley　of　the　Cupari　has　a　moister　climate　than　the　banks　of　the　Tapajos。　We　have　now　frequent　showers；　whereas　we　left　everything　parched　up　by　the　sun　at　Aveyros。

After　leaving　the　last　sitio　we　advanced　about　eight　miles；　and　then　stopped　at　the　house　of　Senor　Antonio　Malagueita；　a　mameluco　settler；　whom　we　had　been　recommended　to　visit。　His　house　and　outbuildings　were　extensive；　the　grounds　well　weeded；　and　the　whole　wore　an　air　of　comfort　and　well…being　which　is　very　uncommon　in　this　country。　A　bank　of　indurated　white　clay　sloped　gently　up　from　the　tree…shaded　port　to　the　house；　and　beds　of　kitchen　herbs　extended　on　each　side；　with　（rare　sight！）　rose　and　jasmine　trees　in　full　bloom。　Senor　Antonio；　a　rather　tall　middle…　aged　man；　with　a　countenance　beaming　with　good　nature；　came　down　to　the　port　as　soon　as　we　anchored。　I　was　quite　a　stranger　to　him；　but　he　had　heard　of　my　coming；　and　seemed　to　have　made　preparations。　I　never　met　with　a　heartier　welcome。　On　entering　the　house；　the　wife；　who　had　more　of　the　Indian　tint　and　features　than　her　husband；　was　equally　warm　and　frank　in　her　greeting。　Senor　Antonio　had　spent　his　younger　days　at　Para；　and　had　acquired　a　profound　respect　for　Englishmen。　I　stayed　here　two　days。　My　host　accompanied　me　in　my　excursions；　in　fact；　his　attentions；　with　those　of　his　wife；　and　the　host　of　relatives　of　all　degrees　who　constituted　his　household；　were　quite　troublesome；　as　they　left　me　not　a　moment's　privacy　from　morning　till　night。

We　had；　together；　several　long　and　successful　rambles　along　a　narrow　pathway　which　extended　several　miles　into　the　forest。　I　here　met　with　a　new　insect　pest；　one　which　the　natives　may　be　thankful　is　not　spread　more　widely　over　the　country：　it　was　a　large　brown　fly　of　the　Tabanidae　family　（genus　Pangonia）；　with　a　proboscis　half　an　inch　long　and　sharper　than　the　finest　needle。　It　settled　on　our　backs　by　twos　and　threes　at　a　time；　and　pricked　us　through　our　thick　cotton　shirts；　making　us　start　and　cry　out　with　the　sudden　pain。　I　secured　a　dozen　or　two　as　specimens。　As　an　instance　of　the　extremely　confined　ranges　of　certain　species；　it　may　be　mentioned　that　I　did　not　find　this　insect　in　any　other　part　of　the　country　except　along　half　a　mile　or　so　of　this　gloomy　forest　road。

We　were　amused　at　the　excessive　and　almost　absurd　tameness　of　a　fine　Mutum　or　Curassow　turkey；　that　ran　about　the　house。　It　was　a　large　glossy…black　species　（the　Mitu　tuberosa）；　having　an　orange…　coloured　beak；　surmounted　by　a　bean…shaped　excrescence　of　the　same　hue。　It　seemed　to　consider　itself　as　one　of　the　family：　attending　all　the　meals；　passing　from　one　person　to　another　round　the　mat　to　be　fed；　and　rubbing　the　sides　of　its　head　in　a　coaxing　way　against　their　cheeks　or　shoulders。　At　night　it　went　to　roost　on　a　chest　in　a　sleeping…room　beside　the　hammock　of　one　of　the　little　girls　to　whom　it　seemed　particularly　attached　（regularlyfollowing　her　wherever　she　went　about　the　grounds）。　I　found　this　kind　of　Curassow　bird　was　very　common　in　the　forest　of　the　Cupari；　but　it　is　rare　on　the　Upper　Amazons；　where　an　allied　species；　which　has　a　round　instead　of　a　bean…shaped　waxen　excrescence　on　the　beak　（Crax　globicera）；　is　the　prevailing　kind。　These　birds　in　their　natural　state　never　descend　from　the　tops　of　the　loftiest　trees；　where　they　live　in　small　flocks　and　build　their　nests。　The　Mitu　tuberosa　lays　two　rough…shelled；　white　eggs；　it　is　fully　as　large　a　bird　as　the　common　turkey；　but　the　flesh　when　cooked　is　drier　and　not　so　well　flavoured。　It　is　difficult　to　find　the　reason　why　these　superb　birds　have　not　been　reduced　to　domestication　by　the　Indians；　seeing　that　they　so　readily　become　tame。　The　obstacle　offered　by　their　not　breeding　in　confinement；　which　is　probably　owing　to　their　arboreal　habits；　might　perhaps　be　overcome　by　repeated　experiment；　but　for　this　the　Indians　probably　had　not　sufficient　patience　or　intelligence。　The　reason　cannot　lie　in　their　insensibility　to　the　value　of　such　birds；　for　the　common　turkey；　which　has　been　introduced　into　the　country；　is　much　prized　by　them。

We　had　an　unwelcome　visitor　while　at　anchor　in　the　port　of　Antonio　Malagueita。　I　was　awakened　a　little　after　midnight；　as　I　lay　in　my　little　cabin；　by　a　heavy　blow　struck　at　the　sides　of　the　canoe　close　to　my　head；　which　was　succeeded　by　the　sound　of　a　weighty　body　plunging　into　the　water。　I　got　up；　but　all　was　again　quiet；　except　the　cackle　of　fowls　in　our　hen…coop；　which　hung　over　the　side　of　the　vessel　about　three　feet　from　the　cabin　door。　I　could　find　no　explanation　of　the　circumstance；　and；　my　men　being　all　ashore；　I　turned　in　again　and　slept　until　morning。　I　then　found　my　poultry　loose　about　the　canoe；　and　a　large　rent　in　the　bottom　of　the　hen…coop；　which　was　about　two　feet　from　the　surface　of　the　water　a　couple　of　fowls　were　missing。　Senor　Antonio　said　the　depredator　was　a　Sucuruju　（the　Indian　name　for　the　Anaconda；　or　great　water　serpentEunectes　murinus）；　which　had　for　months　past　been　haunting　this　part　of　the　river；　and　had　carried　off　many　ducks　and　fowls　from　the　ports　of　various　houses。　I　was　inclined　to　doubt　the　fact　of　a　serpent　striking　at　its　prey　from　the　water；　and　thought　an　alligator　more　likely　to　be　the　culprit；　although　we　had　not　yet　met　with　alligators　in　the　river。

Some　days　afterwards；　the　young　men　be