the naturalist on the river amazons-第67部分

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his　time；　200　of　the　Japura　Indians　in　his　employ。　He　was　half　Indian　himself；　but　was　a　far　worse　master　to　the　redskins　than　the　whites　usually　are。

We　finished　our　rounds　by　paying　our　respects　to　a　venerable　native　merchant；　Senor　Romao　de　Oliveira；　a　tall；　corpulent；　fine…looking　old　man；　who　received　us　with　a　naive　courtesy　quite　original　in　its　way。　He　had　been　an　industrious；　enterprising　man　in　his　younger　days；　and　had　built　a　substantial　range　of　houses　and　warehouses。　The　shrewd　and　able　old　gentleman　knew　nothing　of　the　world　beyond　the　wilderness　of　the　Solimoens　and　its　few　thousands　of　isolated　inhabitants；　yet　he　could　converse　well　and　sensibly；　making　observations　on　men　and　things　as　sagaciously　as　though　he　had　drawn　them　from　long　experience　of　life　in　a　European　capital。　The　semi…civilised　Indians　respected　old　Romao；　and　he　had；　consequently；　a　great　number　in　his　employ　in　different　parts　of　the　river　his　vessels　were　always　filled　quicker　with　produce　than　those　of　his　neighbours。　On　our　leaving；　he　placed　his　house　and　store　at　my　disposal。　This　was　not　a　piece　of　empty　politeness；　for　some　time　afterwards；　when　I　wished　to　settle　for　the　goods　I　had　had　of　him；　he　refused　to　take　any　payment。

I　made　Ega　my　headquarters　during　the　whole　of　the　time　I　remained　on　the　Upper　Amazons　（four　years　and　a　half）。　My　excursions　into　the　neighbouring　region　extended　sometimes　as　far　as　300　and　400　miles　from　the　place。　An　account　of　these　excursions　will　be　given　in　subsequent　chapters；　in　the　intervals　between　them　I　led　a　quiet；　uneventful　life　in　the　settlement；　following　my　pursuit　in　the　same　peaceful；　regular　way　as　a　Naturalist　might　do　in　a　European　village。　For　many　weeks　in　succession　my　journal　records　little　more　than　the　notes　made　on　my　daily　captures。　I　had　a　dry　and　specious　cottage；　the　principal　room　of　which　was　made　a　workshop　and　study；　here　a　large　table　was　placed；　and　my　little　library　of　reference　arranged　on　shelves　in　rough　wooden　boxes。　Cages　for　drying　specimens　were　suspended　from　the　rafters　by　cords　well　anointed；　to　prevent　ants　from　descending；　with　a　bitter　vegetable　oil；　rats　and　mice　were　kept　from　them　by　inverted　cuyas；　placed　half　way　down　the　cords。　I　always　kept　on　hand　a　large　portion　of　my　private　collection；　which　contained　a　pair　of　each　species　and　variety；　for　the　sake　of　comparing　the　old　with　the　new　acquisitions。　My　cottage　was　whitewashed　inside　and　out　about　once　a　year　by　the　proprietor；　a　native　trader；　the　floor　was　of　earth；　the　ventilation　was　perfect；　for　the　outside　air；　and　sometimes　the　rain　as　well；　entered　freely　through　gaps　at　the　top　of　the　walls　under　the　eaves　and　through　wide　crevices　in　the　doorways。　Rude　as　the　dwelling　was；　I　look　back　with　pleasure　on　the　many　happy　months　I　spent　in　it。　I　rose　generally　with　the　sun；　when　the　grassy　streets　were　wet　with　dew；　and　walked　down　to　the　river　to　bathe；　five　or　six　hours　of　every　morning　were　spent　in　collecting　in　the　forest；　whose　borders　lay　only　five　minutes'　walk　from　my　house；　the　hot　hours　of　the　afternoon；　between　three　and　six　o'clock；　and　the　rainy　days；　were　occupied　in　preparing　and　ticketing　the　specimens；　making　notes；　dissecting；　and　drawing。　I　frequently　had　short　rambles　by　water　in　a　small　montaria；　with　an　Indian　lad　to　paddle。　The　neighbourhood　yielded　me；　up　to　the　last　day　of　my　residence；　an　uninterrupted　succession　of　new　and　curious　forms　in　the　different　classes　of　the　animal　kingdom；　and　especially　insects。

I　lived；　as　may　already　have　been　seen；　on　the　best　of　terms　with　the　inhabitants　of　Ega。　Refined　society；　of　course；　there　was　none；　but　the　score　or　so　of　decent　quiet　families　which　constituted　the　upper　class　of　the　place　were　very　sociable；　their　manners　offered　a　curious　mixture　of　naive　rusticity　and　formal　politeness；　the　great　desire　to　be　thought　civilised　leads　the　most　ignorant　of　these　people　（and　they　are　all　very　ignorant；　although　of　quick　intelligence）　to　be　civil　and　kind　to　strangers　from　Europe。　I　was　never　troubled　with　that　impertinent　curiosity　on　the　part　of　the　people　in　these　interior　places　which　some　travellers　complain　of　in　other　countries。　The　Indians　and　lower　half…castesat　least　such　of　them　who　gave　any　thought　to　the　subjectseemed　to　think　it　natural　that　strangers　should　collect　and　send　abroad　the　beautiful　birds　and　insects　of　their　country。　The　butterflies　they　universally　concluded　to　be　wanted　as　patterns　for　bright…coloured　calico…prints。　As　to　the　better　sort　of　people；　I　had　no　difficulty　in　making　them　understand　that　each　European　capital　had　a　public　museum；　in　which　were　sought　to　be　stored　specimens　of　all　natural　productions　in　the　mineral；　animal；　and　vegetable　kingdoms。　They　could　not　comprehend　how　a　man　could　study　science　for　its　own　sake；　but　I　told　them　I　was　collecting　for　the　〃Museo　de　Londres；〃　and　was　paid　for　it；　that　was　very　intelligible。　One　day；　soon　after　my　arrival；　when　I　was　explaining　these　things　to　a　listening　circle　seated　on　benches　in　the　grassy　street；　one　of　the　audience；　a　considerable　tradesman；　a　Mameluco　native　of　Ega；　got　suddenly　quite　enthusiastic；　and　exclaimed；　〃How　rich　are　these　great　nations　of　Europe！　　We　half…civilised　creatures　know　nothing。　Let　us　treat　this　stranger　well；　that　he　may　stay　amongst　us　and　teach　our　children。〃　We　very　frequently　had　social　parties；　with　dancing　and　so　forth；　of　these　relaxations　I　shall　have　more　to　say　presently。　The　manners　of　the　Indian　population　also　gave　me　some　amusement　for　a　long　time。　During　the　latter　part　of　my　residence；　three　wandering　Frenchmen；　and　two　Italians；　some　of　them　men　of　good　education；　on　their　road　one　after　the　other　from　the　Andes　down　the　Amazons；　became　enamoured　of　this　delightfully　situated　and　tranquil　spot；　and　made　up　their　minds　to　settle　here　for　the　remainder　of　their　lives。　Three　of　them　ended　by　marrying　native　women。　I　found　the　society　of　these　friends　a　very　agreeable　change。

There　were；　of　course；　many　drawbacks　to　the　amenities　of　the　place　as　a　residence　for　a　European；　but　these　were　not　of　a　nature　that　my　readers　would　perhaps　imagine。　There　was　scarcely　any　danger　from　wild　animals　it　seems　almost　ridiculous　to　refute　the　idea　of　danger　from　the　natives　in　a　country　where　even　incivility　to　an　unoffending　stranger　is　a　rarity。　A　jaguar；　however；　paid　us　a　visit　one　night。　It　was　considered　an　extraordinary　event；　and　so　much　uproar　was　made　by　the　men　who　turned　out　with　guns　and　bows　and　arrows；　that　the　animal　scampered　off　and　was　heard　of　no　more。　Alligators　were　rather　troublesome　in　the　dry　season。　During　these　months　there　was　almost　always　one　or　two　lying　in　wait　near　the　bathing　place　for　anything　that　might　turn　up　at　the　edge　of　the　water　dog；　sheep；　pig；　child；　or　drunken　Indian。　When　this　visitor　was　about　every　one　took　extra　care　whilst　bathing。　I　used　to　imitate　the　natives　in　not　advancing　far　from　the　bank；　and　in　keeping　my　eye　fixed　on　that　of　the　monster；　which　stares　with　a　disgusting　leer　along　the　surface　of　the　water；　the　body　being　submerged　to　the　level　of　the　eyes；　and　the　top　of　the　head；　with　part　of　the　dorsal　crest　the　only　portions　visible。　When　a　little　motion　was　perceived　in　the　water　behind　the　reptile's　tail；　bathers　were　obliged　to　beat　a　quick　retreat。　I　was　never　threatened　myself；　but　I　often　saw　the　crowds　of　women　and　children　scared　while　bathing　by　the　beast　making　a　movement　towards　them　　a　general　scamper　to　the　shore　and　peals　of　laughter　were　always　the　result　in　these　cases。　The　men　can　always　destroy　these　alligators　when　they　like　to　take　the　trouble　to　set　out　with　montarias　and　harpoons　for　the　purpose；　but　they　never　do　it　unless　one　of　the　monsters；　bolder　than　usual；　puts　some　one's　life　in　danger。　This　arouses　them；　and　they　then　track　the　enemy　with　the　greatest　pertinacity；　when　half…killed；　they　drag　it　ashore　and　dispatch　it　amid　loud　execrations。　Another；　however；　is　sure　to　appear　some　days　or　weeks　afterwards　and　take　the　vacant　place　on　the　station。　Besides　alligators；　the　only　animals　to　be　feared　are　the　poisonous　serpents。　These　are　certainly　common　enough　in　the　forest；　but　no　fatal　accident　happened　during　the　whole　time　of　my　residence。

I　suffered　most　inconvenience　from　the　difficulty　of　getting　news　from　the　civilised　world　down　river；　from　the　irregularity　of　receipt　of　letters；　parcels　of　books　and　periodicals；　and　towards　the　latter　part　of　my　residence　from　ill　health　arising　from　bad　and　insufficient　food。　The　want　of　intellectual　society；　and　of　the　varied　excitement　of　European　life；　was　also　felt　most　acutely；　and　this；　instead　of　becoming　deadened　by　time；　increased　until　it　became　almost　insupportable。　I　was　obliged；　at　last；　to　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　contemplation　of　Nature　alone　is　not　sufficient　to　fill　the　human　heart　and　mind。　I　got　on　pretty　well　when　I　received　a　parcel　from　England　by　the　steamer；　once　in　two　or　four　months。　I　used　to　be　very　economical　with　my　stock　of　reading　lest　it　should　be　finished　before　the　next　arrival；　and　leave　me　utterly　destitute。　I　went　over　the　periodicals；　the　Athenaeum；　for　instance；　with　great　deliberation；　going　through　every　number　three　times；　the　first　time　devouring　the　more　interesting　articles；　the　second；　the　whole　of　the　remainder；　and　the　third；　reading　all　the　advertisements　from　beginning　to　end。　If　four　months　（two　steamers）　passed　without　a　fresh　parcel；　I　felt　discouraged　in　the　extreme。　I　was　worst　off　in　the　first　year；　1850；　when　twelve　months　elapsed　without　letters　or　remittances。　Towards　the　end　of　this　time　my　clothes　had　worn　to　rags；　I　was　barefoot；　a　great　inconvenience　in　tropical　forests；　notwithstanding　statements　to　the　contrary　that　have　been　published　by　travellers；　my　servant　ran　away；　and　I　was　robbed　of　nearly　all　my　copper　money。　I　was　obliged　then　to　descend　to　Para；　but　returned；　after　finishing　the　examination　of　the　middle　part　of　the　Lower　Amazons　and　the　Tapajos；　in　1855；　with　my　Santarem　assistant　and　better　provided　for　making　collections　on　the　upper　river。　This　second　visit　was　in　pursuit　of　the　plan　before　mentioned；　of　exploring　in　detail　the　whole　valley　of　the　Amazons；　which　I　formed　in　Para　in　the　year　1