the naturalist on the river amazons-第61部分

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orrupted　by　too　close　contact　with　the　inferior　whites　and　half…breeds　of　the　civilised　settlements。　The　manners　are　simpler；　the　demeanour　more　gentle；　cheerful；　and　frank；　than　amongst　the　Indians　who　live　near　the　towns。　I　could　not　help　contrasting　their　well…fed　condition；　and　the　signs　of　orderly；　industrious　habits；　with　the　poverty　and　laziness　of　the　semi…civilised　people　of　Altar　do　Chao。　I　do　not　think　that　the　introduction　of　liquors　has　been　the　cause　of　much　harm　to　the　Brazilian　Indian。　He　has　his　drinking　bout　now　and　then；　like　the　common　working　people　of　other　countries。　It　was　his　habit　in　his　original　state；　before　Europeans　visited　his　country；　but　he　is　always　ashamed　of　it　afterwards；　and　remains　sober　during　the　pretty　long　intervals。　The　harsh；　slave…driving　practices　of　the　Portuguese　and　their　descendants　have　been　the　greatest　curses　to　the　Indians；　the　Mundurucus　of　the　Cupari；　however；　have　been　now　for　many　years　protected　against　ill…treatment。　This　is　one　of　the　good　services　rendered　by　the　missionaries；　who　take　care　that　the　Brazilian　laws　in　favour　of　the　aborigines　shall　be　respected　by　the　brutal　and　unprincipled　traders　who　go　amongst　them。　I　think　no　Indians　could　be　in　a　happier　position　than　these　simple；　peaceful；　and　friendly　people　on　the　banks　of　the　Cupari。　The　members　of　each　family　live　together；　and　seem　to　be　much　attached　to　each　other；　and　the　authority　of　the　chief　is　exercised　in　the　mildest　manner。　Perpetual　summer　reigns　around　them；　the　land　is　of　the　highest　fertility；　and　a　moderate　amount　of　light　work　produces　them　all　the　necessessities　of　their　simple　life。

It　is　difficult　to　get　at　their　notions　on　subjects　that　require　a　little　abstract　thought；　but；　the　mind　of　the　Indian　is　in　a　very　primitive　condition。　I　believe　he　thinks　of　nothing　except　the　matters　that　immediately　concern　his　daily　material　wants。　There　is　an　almost　total　absence　of　curiosity　in　his　mental　disposition；　consequently；　he　troubles　himself　very　little　concerning　the　causes　of　the　natural　phenomena　around　him。　He　has　no　idea　of　a　Supreme　Being；　but；　at　the　same　time；　he　is　free　from　revolting　superstitionshis　religious　notions　going　no　farther　than　the　belief　in　an　evil　spirit；　regarded　merely　as　a　kind　of　hobgoblin；　who　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　his　little　failures；　troubles　in　fishing；　hunting；　and　so　forth。　With　so　little　mental　activity；　and　with　feelings　and　passions　slow　of　excitement；　the　life　of　these　people　is　naturally　monotonous　and　dull；　and　their　virtues　are；　properly　speaking；　only　negative；　but　the　picture　of　harmless；　homely　contentment　they　exhibit　is　very　pleasing；　compared　with　the　state　of　savage　races　in　many　other　parts　of　the　world。

The　men　awoke　me　at　four　o'clock　with　the　sound　of　their　oars　on　leaving　the　port　of　the　Tushaua。　I　was　surprised　to　find　a　dense　fog　veiling　all　surrounding　objects；　and　the　air　quite　cold。　The　lofty　wall　of　forest；　with　the　beautiful　crowns　of　Assai　palms　standing　out　from　it　on　their　slender；　arching　stems；　looked　dim　and　strange　through　the　misty　curtain。　The　sudden　change　a　little　after　sunrise　had　quite　a　magical　effect；　for　the　mist　rose　up　like　the　gauze　veil　before　the　transformation　scene　at　a　pantomime；　and　showed　the　glorious　foliage　in　the　bright　glow　of　morning；　glittering　with　dew　drops。　We　arrived　at　the　falls　about　ten　o'clock。　The　river　here　is　not　more　than　forty　yards　broad；　and　falls　over　a　low　ledge　of　rock　stretching　in　a　nearly　straight　line　across。

We　had　now　arrived　at　the　end　of　the　navigation　for　large　vesselsa　distance　from　the　mouth　of　the　river；　according　to　our　rough　calculation；　of　a　little　over　seventy　miles。　I　found　it　the　better　course　now　to　send　Jose　and　one　of　the　men　forward　in　the　montaria　with　John　Aracu；　and　remain　myself　with　the　cuberta　and　our　other　man　to　collect　in　the　neighbouring　forest。　We　stayed　here　four　days；　one　of　the　boats　returning　each　evening　from　the　upper　river　with　the　produce　of　the　day's　chase　of　my　huntsmen。　I　obtained　six　good　specimens　of　the　hyacinthine　macaw；　besides　a　number　of　smaller　birds；　a　species　new　to　me　of　Guariba；　or　howling　monkey；　and　two　large　lizards。　The　Guariba　was　an　old　male；　with　the　hair　much　worn　from　his　rump　and　breast；　and　his　body　disfigured　with　large　tumours　made　by　the　grubs　of　a　gad…fly　（Oestrus）。　The　back　and　tail　were　of　a　ruddy…brown　colour；　the　limbs；　and　underside　of　the　body；　black。　The　men　ascended　to　the　second　falls；　which　form　a　cataract　several　feet　in　height；　about　fifteen　miles　beyond　our　anchorage。　The　macaws　were　found　feeding　in　small　flocks　on　the　fruit　of　the　Tucuma　palm　（Astryocaryum　Tucuma）；　the　excessively　hard　nut　of　which　is　crushed　into　pulp　by　the　powerful　beak　of　the　bird。　I　found　the　craws　of　all　the　specimens　filled　with　the　sour　paste　to　which　the　stone…like　fruit　had　been　reduced。　Each　bird　took　me　three　hours　to　skin；　and　I　was　occupied　with　these　and　my　other　specimens　every　evening　until　midnight；　after　my　own　laborious　day's　hunt　working　on　the　roof　of　my　cabin　by　the　light　of　a　lamp。

The　place　where　the　cuberta　was　anchored　formed　a　little　rocky　haven；　with　a　sandy　beach　sloping　to　the　forest；　within　which　were　the　ruins　of　an　Indian　Maloca；　and　a　large　weed…grown　plantation。　The　port　swarmed　with　fishes；　whose　movements　it　was　amusing　to　watch　in　the　deep；　clear　water。　The　most　abundant　were　the　Piranhas。　One　species；　which　varied　in　length；　according　to　age；　from　two　to　six　inches；　but　was　recognisable　by　a　black　spot　at　the　root　of　the　tail；　was　always　the　quickest　to　seize　any　fragment　of　meat　thrown　into　the　water。　When　nothing　was　being　given　to　them；　a　few　only　were　seen　scattered　about；　their　heads　all　turned　one　way　in　an　attitude　of　expectation；　but　as　soon　as　any　offal　fell　from　the　canoe；　the　water　was　blackened　with　the　shoals　that　rushed　instantaneously　to　the　spot。　Those　who　did　not　succeed　in　securing　a　fragment；　fought　with　those　who　had　been　more　successful；　and　many　contrived　to　steal　the　coveted　morsels　from　their　mouths。　When　a　bee　or　fly　passed　through　the　air　near　the　water；　they　all　simultaneously　darted　towards　it　as　if　roused　by　an　electric　shock。　Sometimes　a　larger　fish　approached；　and　then　the　host　of　Piranhas　took　the　alarm　and　flashed　out　of　sight。

The　population　of　the　water　varied　from　day　to　day。　Once　a　small　shoal　of　a　handsome　black…banded　fish；　called　by　the　natives　Acara　bandeira　（Mesonauta　insignis；　of　Gunther）；　came　gliding　through　at　a　slow　pace；　forming　a　very　pretty　sight。　At　another　time；　little　troops　of　needle…fish；　eel…like　animals　with　excessively　long　and　slender　toothed　jaws；　sailed　through　the　field；　scattering　before　them　the　hosts　of　smaller　fry；　and　at　the　rear　of　the　needle…fishes；　a　strangely…shaped　kind　called　Sarapo　came　wriggling　along；　one　by　one；　with　a　slow　movement。　We　caught　with　hook　and　line；　baited　with　pieces　of　banana；　several　Curimata　（Anodus　Amazonum）；　a　most　delicious　fish；　which；　next　to　the　Tucunare　and　the　Pescada；　is　most　esteemed　by　the　natives。　The　Curimata　seemed　to　prefer　the　middle　of　the　stream；　where　the　waters　were　agitated　beneath　the　little　cascade。

The　weather　was　now　settled　and　dry；　and　the　river　sank　rapidly　six　inches　in　twenty…four　hours。　In　this　remote　and　solitary　spot　I　can　say　that　I　heard　for　the　first　and　almost　the　only　time　the　uproar　of　life　at　sunset；　which　Humboldt　describes　as　having　witnessed　towards　the　sources　of　the　Orinoco；　but　which　is　unknown　on　the　banks　of　the　larger　rivers。　The　noises　of　animals　began　just　as　the　sun　sank　behind　the　trees　after　a　sweltering　afternoon；　leaving　the　sky　above　of　the　intensest　shade　of　blue。　Two　flocks　of　howling　monkeys；　one　close　to　our　canoe；　the　other　about　a　furlong　distant；　filled　the　echoing　forests　with　their　dismal　roaring。　Troops　of　parrots；　including　the　hyacinthine　macaw　we　were　in　search　of；　began　then　to　pass　over；　the　different　styles　of　cawing　and　screaming　of　the　various　species　making　a　terrible　discord。　Added　to　these　noises　were　the　songs　of　strange　Cicadas；　one　large　kind　perched　high　on　the　trees　around　our　little　haven　setting　up　a　most　piercing　chirp。　it　began　with　the　usual　harsh　jarring　tone　of　its　tribe；　but　this　gradually　and　rapidly　became　shriller；　until　it　ended　in　a　long　and　loud　note　resembling　the　steam…whistle　of　a　locomotive　engine。　Half…a…dozen　of　these　wonderful　performers　made　a　considerable　item　in　the　evening　concert。　I　had　heard　the　same　species　before　at　Para；　but　it　was　there　very　uncommon；　we　obtained　one　of　them　here　for　my　collection　by　a　lucky　blow　with　a　stone。　The　uproar　of　beasts；　birds；　and　insects　lasted　but　a　short　time：　the　sky　quickly　lost　its　intense　hue；　and　the　night　set　in。　Then　began　the　tree…frogsquack…quack；　drum…drum；　hoo…　hoo；　these；　accompanied　by　a　melancholy　night…jar；　kept　up　their　monotonous　cries　until　very　late。

My　men　encountered　on　the　banks　of　the　stream　a　Jaguar　and　a　black　Tiger；　and　were　very　much　afraid　of　falling　in　with　the　Pararauates；　so　that　I　could　not；　after　their　return　on　the　fourth　day；　induce　them　to　undertake　another　journey。　We　began　our　descent　of　the　river　in　the　evening　of　the　26th　of　August。　At　night　forest　and　river　were　again　enveloped　in　mist；　and　the　air　before　sunrise　was　quite　cold。　There　is　a　considerable　current　from　the　falls　to　the　house　of　John　Aracu；　and　we　accomplished　the　distance；　with　its　aid　and　by　rowing；　in　seventeen　hours。

September　21st。…At　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　we　emerged　from　the　confined　and　stifling　gully　through　which　the　Cupari　flows；　into　the　broad　Tapajos；　and　breathed　freely　again。　How　I　enjoyed　the　extensive　view　after　being　so　long　pent　up：　the　mountainous　coasts；　the　grey　distance；　the　dark　waters　tossed　by　a　refreshing　breeze！　Heat；　mosquitoes；　insufficient　and　bad　food；　hard　work　and　anxiety；　had　brought　me　to　a　very　low　state　of　health；　and　I　was　now　anxious　to　make　all　speed　back　to　Santarem。

We　touched　at　Aveyros；　to　embark　some　chests　I　had　left　there　and　to　settle　accounts　with　Captain　Antonio；　and　found　nearly　all　the　people　sick　with　fever　and　vomit；　against　which　the　Padre's　homoeopathic　globules　were　of　no　avail。　The　Tapajos　had　been　pretty　free　from　epidemics　for　some　years　past；　although　it　was　formerly　a　very