the naturalist on the river amazons-第59部分

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tirred　in　the　tree…tops。　On　stepping　out　of　the　bushes　I　met　face　to　face　a　huge　serpent　coming　down　a　slope；　making　the　dry　twigs　crack　and　fly　with　his　weight　as　he　moved　over　them。　I　had　very　frequently　met　with　a　smaller　boa；　the　Cutim…boia；　in　a　similar　way；　and　knew　from　the　habits　of　the　family　that　there　was　no　danger；　so　I　stood　my　ground。　On　seeing　me　the　reptile　suddenly　turned　and　glided　at　an　accelerated　pace　down　the　path。　Wishing　to　take　a　note　of　his　probable　size　and　the　colours　and　markings　of　his　skin；　I　set　off　after　him；　but　he　increased　his　speed；　and　I　was　unable　to　get　near　enough　for　the　purpose。　There　was　very　little　of　the　serpentine　movement　in　his　course。　The　rapidly　moving　and　shining　body　looked　like　a　stream　of　brown　liquid　flowing　over　the　thick　bed　of　fallen　leaves；　rather　than　a　serpent　with　skin　of　varied　colours。　He　descended　towards　the　lower　and　moister　parts　of　the　Ygapo。　The　huge　trunk　of　an　uprooted　tree　here　lay　across　the　road；　this　he　glided　over　in　his　undeviating　course　and　soon　after　penetrated　a　dense　swampy　thicket；　where　of　course　I　did　not　choose　to　follow　him。

I　suffered　terribly　from　heat　and　mosquitoes　as　the　river　sank　with　the　increasing　dryness　of　the　season；　although　I　made　an　awning　of　the　sails　to　work　under；　and　slept　at　night　in　the　open　air　with　my　hammock　slung　between　the　masts。　But　there　was　no　rest　in　any　part；　the　canoe　descended　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　gulley　through　which　the　river　flows　between　high　clayey　banks；　as　the　water　subsided；　and　with　the　glowing　sun　overhead　we　felt　at　midday　as　if　in　a　furnace。　I　could　bear　scarcely　any　clothes　in　the　daytime　between　eleven　in　the　morning　and　five　in　the　afternoon；　wearing　nothing　but　loose　and　thin　cotton　trousers　and　a　light　straw　hat；　and　could　not　be　accommodated　in　John　Aracu's　house；　as　it　was　a　small　one　and　full　of　noisy　children。　One　night　we　had　a　terrific　storm。　The　heat　in　the　afternoon　had　been　greater　than　ever；　and　at　sunset　the　sky　had　a　brassy　glare；　the　black　patches　of　cloud　which　floated　in　it　being　lighted　up　now　and　then　by　flashes　of　sheet　lightning。　The　mosquitoes　at　night　were　more　than　usually　troublesome；　and　I　had　just　sunk　exhausted　into　a　doze　towards　the　early　hours　of　morning　when　the　storm　began　a　complete　deluge　of　rain；　with　incessant　lightning　and　rattling　explosions　of　thunder。　It　lasted　for　eight　hours；　the　grey　dawn　opening　amidst　the　crash　of　the　tempest。　The　rain　trickled　through　the　seams　of　the　cabin　roof　on　to　my　collections；　the　late　hot　weather　having　warped　the　boards；　and　it　gave　me　immense　trouble　to　secure　them　in　the　midst　of　the　confusion。　Altogether　I　had　a　bad　night　of　it；　but　what　with　storms；　heat；　mosquitoes；　hunger；　and；　towards　the　last；　ill　health；　I　seldom　had　a　good　night's　rest　on　the　Cupari。

A　small　creek　traversed　the　forest　behind　John　Aracu's　house；　and　entered　the　river　a　few　yards　from　our　anchoring　place；　I　used　to　cross　it　twice　a　day；　on　going　and　returning　from　my　hunting　ground。　One　day　early　in　September；　I　noticed　that　the　water　was　two　or　three　inches　higher　in　the　afternoon　than　it　had　been　in　the　morning。　This　phenomenon　was　repeated　the　next　day；　and　in　fact　daily；　until　the　creek　became　dry　with　the　continued　subsidence　of　the　Cupari；　the　time　of　rising　shifting　a　little　from　day　to　day。　I　pointed　out　the　circumstance　to　John　Aracu；　who　had　not　noticed　it　before　（it　was　only　his　second　year　of　residence　in　the　locality）；　but　agreed　with　me　that　it　must　be　the　〃mare〃；　yes；　the　tide！　the　throb　of　the　great　oceanic　pulse　felt　in　this　remote　corner；　530　miles　distant　from　the　place　where　it　first　strikes　the　body　of　fresh　water　at　the　mouth　of　the　Amazons。　I　hesitated　at　first　at　this　conclusion；　but　in　reflecting　that　the　tide　was　known　to　be　perceptible　at　Obydos；　more　than　400　miles　from　the　sea；　that　at　high　water　in　the　dry　season　a　large　flood　from　the　Amazons　enters　the　mouth　of　the　Tapajos；　and　that　there　is　but　a　very　small　difference　of　level　between　that　point　and　the　Cupari；　a　fact　shown　by　the　absence　of　current　in　the　dry　season。　I　could　have　no　doubt　that　this　conclusion　was　a　correct　one。

The　fact　of　the　tide　being　felt　530　miles　up　the　Amazons；　passing　from　the　main　stream　to　one　of　its　affluents　380　miles　from　its　mouth；　and　thence　to　a　branch　in　the　third　degree；　is　a　proof　of　the　extreme　flatness　of　the　land　which　forms　the　lower　part　of　the　Amazonian　valley。　This　uniformity　of　level　is　shown　also　in　the　broad　lake…like　expanses　of　water　formed　near　their　mouths　by　the　principal　affluents　which　cross　the　valley　to　join　the　main　river。

August　21st。John　Aracu　consented　to　accompany　me　to　the　falls　with　one　of　his　men　to　hunt　and　fish　for　me。　One　of　my　objects　was　to　obtain　specimens　of　the　hyacinthine　macaw；　whose　range　commences　on　all　the　branch　rivers　of　the　Amazons　which　flow　from　the　south　through　the　interior　of　Brazil；　with　the　first　cataracts。　We　started　on　the　19th；　our　direction　on　that　day　being　generally　southwest。　On　the　20th；　our　course　was　southerly　and　southeasterly。　This　morning　（August　21st）　we　arrived　at　the　Indian　settlement；　the　first　house　of　which　lies　about　thirty…one　miles　above　the　sitio　of　John　Aracu。　The　river　at　this　place　is　from　sixty　to　seventy　yards　wide；　and　runs　in　a　zigzag　course　between　steep　clayey　banks；　twenty　to　fifty　feet　in　height。　The　houses　of　the　Mundurucus；　to　the　number　of　about　thirty；　are　scattered　along　the　banks　for　a　distance　of　six　or　seven　miles。　The　owners　appear　to　have　chosen　all　the　most　picturesque　sites　tracts　of　level　ground　at　the　foot　of　wooded　heights；　or　little　havens　with　bits　of　white　sandy　beachas　if　they　had　an　appreciation　of　natural　beauty。　Most　of　the　dwellings　are　conical　huts；　with　walls　of　framework　filled　in　with　mud　and　thatched　with　palm　leaves；　the　broad　eaves　reaching　halfway　to　the　ground。　Some　are　quadrangular；　and　do　not　differ　in　structure　from　those　of　the　semi…civilised　settlers　in　other　parts；　others　are　open　sheds　or　ranchos。　They　seem　generally　to　contain　not　more　than　one　or　two　families　each。

At　the　first　house；　we　learned　that　all　the　fighting　men　had　this　morning　returned　from　a　two　days'　pursuit　of　a　wandering　horde　of　savages　of　the　Pararauate　tribe；　who　had　strayed　this　way　from　the　interior　lands　and　robbed　the　plantations。　A　little　further　on　we　came　to　the　house　of　the　Tushaua；　or　chief；　situated　on　the　top　of　a　high　bank；　which　we　had　to　ascend　by　wooden　steps。　There　were　four　other　houses　in　the　neighbourhood；　all　filled　with　people。　A　fine　old　fellow；　with　face；　shoulders；　and　breast　tattooed　all　over　in　a　cross…bar　pattern；　was　the　first　strange　object　that　caught　my　eye。　Most　of　the　men　lay　lounging　or　sleeping　in　their　hammocks。　The　women　were　employed　in　an　adjoining　shed　making　farinha；　many　of　them　being　quite　naked；　and　rushing　off　to　the　huts　to　slip　on　their　petticoats　when　they　caught　sight　of　us。　Our　entrance　aroused　the　Tushaua　from　a　nap；　after　rubbing　his　eyes　he　came　forward　and　bade　us　welcome　with　the　most　formal　politeness；　and　in　very　good　Portuguese。　He　was　a　tall；　broad…shouldered；　well…made　man；　apparently　about　thirty　years　of　age；　with　handsome　regular　features；　not　tattooed；　and　a　quiet　good…humoured　expression　of　countenance。　He　had　been　several　times　to　Santarem　and　once　to　Para；　learning　the　Portuguese　language　during　these　journeys。　He　was　dressed　in　shirt　and　trousers　made　of　blue…checked　cotton　cloth；　and　there　was　not　the　slightest　trace　of　the　savage　in　his　appearance　or　demeanour。　I　was　told　that　he　had　come　into　the　chieftainship　by　inheritance；　and　that　the　Cupari　horde　of　Mundurucus；　over　which　his　fathers　had　ruled　before　him；　was　formerly　much　more　numerous；　furnishing　300　bows　in　time　of　war。　They　could　now　scarcely　muster　forty；　but　the　horde　has　no　longer　a　close　political　connection　with　the　main　body　of　the　tribe；　which　inhabits　the　banks　of　the　Tapajos；　six　days'　journey　from　the　Cupari　settlement。

I　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　here；　sending　Aracu　and　the　men　to　fish；　while　I　amused　myself　with　the　Tushaua　and　his　people。　A　few　words　served　to　explain　my　errand　on　the　river；　he　comprehended　at　once　why　white　men　should　admire　and　travel　to　collect　the　beautiful　birds　and　animals　of　his　country；　and　neither　he　nor　his　people　spoke　a　single　word　about　trading；　or　gave　us　any　trouble　by　coveting　the　things　we　had　brought。　He　related　to　me　the　events　of　the　preceding　three　days。　The　Pararauates　were　a　tribe　of　intractable　savages；　with　whom　the　Mundurucus　have　been　always　at　war。　They　had　no　fixed　abode；　and　of　course　made　no　plantations；　but　passed　their　lives　like　the　wild　beasts；　roaming　through　the　forest；　guided　by　the　sun；　wherever　they　found　themselves　at　night…time　there　they　slept；　slinging　their　bast　hammocks；　which　are　carried　by　the　women；　to　the　trees。　They　cross　the　streams　which　lie　in　their　course　in　bark　canoes；　which　they　make　on　reaching　the　water；　and　cast　away　after　landing　on　the　opposite　side。　The　tribe　is　very　numerous；　but　the　different　hordes　obey　only　their　own　chieftains。　The　Mundurucus　of　the　upper　Tapajos　have　an　expedition　on　foot　against　them　at　the　present　time；　and　the　Tushaua　supposed　that　the　horde　which　had　just　been　chased　from　his　maloca　were　fugitives　from　that　direction。　There　were　about　a　hundred　of　themincluding　men；　women；　and　children。　Before　they　were　discovered；　the　hungry　savages　had　uprooted　all　the　macasheira；　sweet　potatoes；　and　sugarcane；　which　the　industrious　Mundurucus　had　planted　for　the　season；　on　the　east　side　of　the　river。　As　soon　as　they　were　seen　they　made　off；　but　the　Tushaua　quickly　got　together　all　the　young　men　of　the　settlement；　about　thirty　in　number；　who　armed　themselves　with　guns；　bows　and　arrows；　and　javelins；　and　started　in　pursuit。　They　tracked　them；　as　before　related；　for　two　days　through　the　forest；　but　lost　their　traces　on　the　further　bank　of　the　Cuparitinga；　a　branch　stream　flowing　from　the　northeast。　The　pursuers　thought；　at　one　time；　they　were　close　upon　them；　having　found　the　inextinguished　fire　of　their　last　encampment。　The　footmarks　of　the　chief　could　be　distinguished　from　the　rest　by　their　great　size　and　the　length　of　the　stride。　A　small　necklace　made　of　scarlet　beans　was　the　only　trophy　o