the naturalist on the river amazons-第60部分

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reat　size　and　the　length　of　the　stride。　A　small　necklace　made　of　scarlet　beans　was　the　only　trophy　of　the　expedition；　and　this　the　Tushaua　gave　to　me。

I　saw　very　little　of　the　other　male　Indians；　as　they　were　asleep　in　their　huts　all　the　afternoon。　There　were　two　other　tattooed　men　lying　under　an　open　shed；　besides　the　old　man　already　mentioned。　One　of　them　presented　a　strange　appearance；　having　a　semicircular　black　patch　in　the　middle　of　his　face；　covering　the　bottom　of　the　nose　and　mouth；　crossed　lines　on　his　back　and　breast；　and　stripes　down　his　arms　and　legs。　It　is　singular　that　the　graceful　curved　patterns　used　by　the　South　Sea　Islanders　are　quite　unknown　among　the　Brazilian　red　men；　they　being　all　tattooed　either　in　simple　lines　or　patches。　　The　nearest　approach　to　elegance　of　design　which　I　saw　was　amongst　the　Tucunas　of　the　Upper　Amazons；　some　of　whom　have　a　scroll…like　mark　on　each　cheek；　proceeding　from　the　corner　of　the　mouth。　The　taste；　as　far　as　form　is　concerned；　of　the　American　Indian；　would　seem　to　be　far　less　refined　than　that　of　the　Tahitian　and　New　Zealander。

To　amuse　the　Tushaua；　I　fetched　from　the　canoe　the　two　volumes　of　Knight's　Pictorial　Museum　of　Animated　Nature。　The　engravings　quite　took　his　fancy；　and　he　called　his　wives；　of　whom；　as　I　afterwards　learned　from　Aracu；　he　had　three　or　four；　to　look　at　them；　one　of　them　was　a　handsome　girl；　decorated　with　necklace　and　bracelets　of　blue　beads。　In　a　short　time；　others　left　their　work；　and　I　then　had　a　crowd　of　women　and　children　around　me；　who　all　displayed　unusual　curiosity　for　Indians。　It　was　no　light　task　to　go　through　the　whole　of　the　illustrations；　but　they　would　not　allow　me　to　miss　a　page；　making　me　turn　back　when　I　tried　to　skip。　The　pictures　of　the　elephant；　camels；　orangutangs；　and　tigers；　seemed　most　to　astonish　them；　but　they　were　interested　in　almost　everything；　down　even　to　the　shells　and　insects。　They　recognised　the　portraits　of　the　most　striking　birds　and　mammals　which　are　found　in　their　own　country　the　jaguar；　howling　monkeys；　parrots；　trogons；　and　toucans。　The　elephant　was　settled　to　be　a　large　kind　of　Tapir；　but　they　made　but　few　remarks；　and　those　in　the　Mundurucu　language；　of　which　I　understood　only　two　or　three　words。　Their　way　of　expressing　surprise　was　a　clicking　sound　made　with　the　teeth；　similar　to　the　one　we　ourselves　use；　or　a　subdued　exclamation；　Hm！　hm！　Before　I　finished；　from　fifty　to　sixty　had　assembled；　there　was　no　pushing　or　rudeness；　the　grown…up　women　letting　the　young　girls　and　children　stand　before　them；　and　all　behaved　in　the　most　quiet　and　orderly　manner　possible。

The　Mundurucus　are　perhaps　the　most　numerous　and　formidable　tribe　of　Indians　now　surviving　in　the　Amazons　region。　They　inhabit　the　shores　of　the　Tapajos　（chiefly　the　right　bank）；　from　3　to　7　south　latitude；　and　the　interior　of　the　country　between　that　part　of　the　river　and　the　Madeira。　On　the　Tapajos　alone　they　can　muster；　I　was　told；　2000　fighting　men；　the　total　population　of　the　tribe　may　be　about　20；000。　They　were　not　heard　of　until　about　ninety　years　ago；　when　they　made　war　on　the　Portuguese　settlements；　their　hosts　crossing　the　interior　of　the　country　eastward　of　the　Tapajos；　and　attacking　the　establishments　of　the　whites　in　the　province　of　Maranham。　The　Portuguese　made　peace　with　them　in　the　beginning　of　the　present　century；　the　event　being　brought　about　by　the　common　cause　of　quarrel　entertained　by　the　two　peoples　against　the　hated　Muras。　They　have　ever　since　been　firm　friends　of　the　whites。　It　is　remarkable　how　faithfully　this　friendly　feeling　has　been　handed　down　amongst　the　Mundurucus；　and　spread　to　the　remotest　of　the　scattered　hordes。　Wherever　a　white　man　meets　a　family；　or　even　an　individual　of　the　tribe；　he　is　almost　sure　to　be　reminded　of　this　alliance。　They　are　the　most　warlike　of　the　Brazilian　tribes；　and　are　considered　also　the　most　settled　and　industrious；　they　are　not；　however；　superior　in　this　latter　respect　to　the　Juris　and　Passes　on　the　Upper　Amazons；　or　the　Uapes　Indians　near　the　headwaters　of　the　Rio　Negro。　They　make　very　large　plantations　of　mandioca；　and　sell　the　surplus　produce；　which　amounts　to；　on　the　Tapajos；　from　3000　to　5000　baskets　（60　lbs。　each）　annually；　to　traders　who　ascend　the　river　from　Santarem　between　the　months　of　August　and　January。　They　also　gather　large　quantities　of　sarsaparilla；　India…rubber；　and　Tonka　beans；　in　the　forests。　The　traders；　on　their　arrival　at　the　Campinas　（the　scantily　wooded　region　inhabited　by　the　main　body　of　Mundurucus　beyond　the　cataracts）　have　first　to　distribute　their　warescheap　cotton　cloths；　iron　hatchets；　cutlery；　small　wares；　and　cashacaamongst　the　minor　chiefs；　and　then　wait　three　or　four　months　for　repayment　in　produce。

A　rapid　change　is　taking　place　in　the　habits　of　these　Indians　through　frequent　intercourse　with　the　whites；　and　those　who　dwell　on　the　banks　of　the　Tapajos　now　seldom　tattoo　their　children。　The　principal　Tushaua　of　the　whole　tribe　or　nation；　named　Joaquim；　was　rewarded　with　a　commission　in　the　Brazilian　army；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　assistance　he　gave　to　the　legal　authorities　during　the　rebellion　of　1835…6。　It　would　be　a　misnomer　to　call　the　Mundurucus　of　the　Cupari　and　many　parts　of　the　Tapajos　savages；　their　regular　mode　of　life；　agricultural　habits；　loyalty　to　their　chiefs；　fidelity　to　treaties；　and　gentleness　of　demeanour；　give　them　a　right　to　a　better　title。　Yet　they　show　no　aptitude　for　the　civilised　life　of　towns；　and；　like　the　rest　of　the　Brazilian　tribes；　seem　incapable　of　any　further　advance　in　culture。

In　their　former　wars　they　exterminated　two　of　the　neighbouring　peoples；　the　Jumas　and　the　Jacares；　and　make　now　an　annual　expedition　against　the　Pararauates；　and　one　or　two　other　similar　wild　tribes　who　inhabit　the　interior　of　the　land。　Additionally　they　are　sometimes　driven　by　hunger　towards　the　banks　of　the　great　rivers　to　rob　the　plantations　of　the　agricultural　Indians。　These　campaigns　begin　in　July；　and　last　throughout　the　dry　months；　the　women　generally　accompanying　the　warriors　to　carry　their　arrows　and　javelins。　They　had　the　diabolical　custom；　in　former　days；　of　cutting　off　the　heads　of　their　slain　enemies；　and　preserving　them　as　trophies　around　their　houses。　I　believe　this；　together　with　other　savage　practices；　has　been　relinquished　in　those　parts　where　they　have　had　long　intercourse　with　the　Brazilians；　for　I　could　neither　see　nor　hear　anything　of　these　preserved　heads。　They　used　to　sever　the　head　with　knives　made　of　broad　bamboo；　and　then；　after　taking　out　the　brain　and　fleshy　parts；　soak　it　in　bitter　vegetable　oil　（andiroba）；　and　expose　it　for　several　days　over　the　smoke　of　a　fire　or　in　the　sun。　In　the　tract　of　country　between　the　Tapajos　and　the　Madeira；　a　deadly　war　has　been　for　many　years　carried　on　between　the　Mundurucus　and　the　Araras。　I　was　told　by　a　Frenchman　at　Santarem；　who　had　visited　that　part；　that　all　the　settlements　there　have　a　military　organisation。　A　separate　shed　is　built　outside　each　village；　where　the　fighting　men　sleep　at　night；　sentinels　being　stationed　to　give　the　alarm　with　blasts　of　the　Ture　on　the　approach　of　the　Araras；　who　choose　the　night　for　their　onslaughts。

Each　horde　of　Mundurucus　has　its　paje　or　medicine　man；　who　is　the　priest　and　doctor；　he　fixes　upon　the　time　most　propitious　for　attacking　the　enemy；　exorcises　evil　spirits；　and　professes　to　cure　the　sick。　All　illness　whose　origin　is　not　very　apparent　is　supposed　to　be　caused　by　a　worm　in　the　part　affected。　This　the　paje　pretends　to　extract；　he　blows　on　the　seat　of　pain　the　smoke　from　a　large　cigar；　made　with　an　air　of　great　mystery　by　rolling　tobacco　in　folds　of　Tauari；　and　then　sucks　the　place；　drawing　from　his　mouth；　when　he　has　finished；　what　he　pretends　to　be　the　worm。　It　is　a　piece　of　very　clumsy　conjuring。　One　of　these　pajes　was　sent　for　by　a　woman　in　John　Aracu's　family；　to　operate　on　a　child　who　suffered　much　from　pains　in　the　head。　Senor　John　contrived　to　get　possession　of　the　supposed　worm　after　the　trick　was　performed　in　our　presence；　and　it　turned　out　to　be　a　long　white　airroot　of　some　plant。　The　paje　was　with　difficulty　persuaded　to　operate　while　Senor　John　and　I　were　present。　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　he；　as　well　as　all　others　of　the　same　profession；　are　conscious　impostors；　handing　down　the　shallow　secret　of　their　divinations　and　tricks　from　generation　to　generation。　The　institution　seems　to　be　common　to　all　tribes　of　Indians；　and　to　be　held　to　more　tenaciously　than　any　other。

I　bought　of　the　Tushaua　two　beautiful　feather　sceptres；　with　their　bamboo　cases。　These　are　of　cylindrical　shape；　about　three　feet　in　length　and　three　inches　in　diameter；　and　are　made　by　gluing　with　wax　the　fine　white　and　yellow　feathers　from　the　breast　of　the　toucan　on　stout　rods；　the　tops　being　ornamented　with　long　plumes　from　the　tails　of　parrots；　trogons；　and　other　birds。　The　Mundurucus　are　considered　to　be　the　most　expert　workers　in　feathers　of　all　the　South　American　tribes。　It　is　very　difficult；　however；　to　get　them　to　part　with　the　articles；　as　they　seem　to　have　a　sort　of　superstitious　regard　for　them。　They　manufacture　headdresses；　sashes；　and　tunics；　besides　sceptres；　the　feathers　being　assorted　with　a　good　eye　to　the　proper　contrast　of　colours；　and　the　quills　worked　into　strong　cotton　webs；　woven　with　knitting　sticks　in　the　required　shape。　The　dresses　are　worn　only　during　their　festivals；　which　are　celebrated；　not　at　stated　times；　but　whenever　the　Tushaua　thinks　fit。　Dancing；　singing；　sports；　and　drinking；　appear　to　be　the　sole　objects　of　these　occasional　holidays。　When　a　day　is　fixed　upon；　the　women　prepare　a　great　quantity　of　taroba；　and　the　monotonous　jingle　is　kept　up；　with　little　intermission；　night　and　day；　until　the　stimulating　beverage　is　finished。

We　left　the　Tushaua's　house　early　the　next　morning。　The　impression　made　upon　me　by　the　glimpse　of　Indian　life　in　its　natural　state　obtained　here；　and　at　another　cluster　of　houses　visited　higher　up；　was　a　pleasant　one；　notwithstanding　the　disagreeable　incident　of　the　Pararauate　visit。　The　Indians　are　here　seen　to　the　best　advantage；　having　relinquished　many　of　their　most　barbarous　practices；　without　being　corrupted　by　too　close　contact　with　the　inferior　whites　and　half…breeds　of　the　civilised　settlements。