the naturalist on the river amazons-第7部分

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The　city　is　built　on　the　best　available　site　for　a　port　of　entry　to　the　Amazons　region；　and　must　in　time　become　a　vast　emporium；　the　northern　shore　of　the　main　river；　where　alone　a　rival　capital　could　be　founded；　is　much　more　difficult　of　access　to　vessels；　and　is　besides　extremely　unhealthy。　Although　lying　so　near　the　equator　（1　28'　S。　lat。）　the　climate　is　not　excessively　hot。　The　temperature　during　three　years　only　once　reached　95　degrees　Fahrenheit。　The　greatest　heat　of　the　day；　about　2　p。m。；　ranges　generally　between　89　and　94；　but　on　the　other　hand；　the　air　is　never　cooler　than　73；　so　that　a　uniformly　high　temperature　exists；　and　the　mean　of　the　year　is　81。　North　American　residents　say　that　the　heat　is　not　so　oppressive　as　it　is　in　summer　in　New　York　and　Philadelphia。　The　humidity　is；　of　course；　excessive；　but　the　rains　are　not　so　heavy　and　continuous　in　the　wet　season　as　in　many　other　tropical　climates。　The　country　had　for　a　long　time　a　reputation　for　extreme　salubrity。　Since　the　small…pox　in　1819；　which　attacked　chiefly　the　Indians；　no　serious　epidemic　had　visited　the　province。　We　were　agreeably　surprised　to　find　no　danger　from　exposure　to　the　night　air　or　residence　in　the　low　swampy　lands。　A　few　English　residents；　who　had　been　established　here　for　twenty　or　thirty　years；　looked　almost　as　fresh　in　colour　as　if　they　had　never　left　their　native　country。　The　native　women；　too；　seemed　to　preserve　their　good　looks　and　plump　condition　until　late　in　life。　I　nowhere　observed　that　early　decay　of　appearance　in　Brazilian　ladies；　which　is　said　to　be　so　general　in　the　women　of　North　America。

Up　to　1848　the　salubrity　of　Para　was　quite　remarkable　for　a　city　lying　in　the　delta　of　a　great　river；　in　the　middle　of　the　tropics　and　half　surrounded　by　swamps。　It　did　not　much　longer　enjoy　its　immunity　from　epidemics。　In　1850　the　yellow　fever　visited　the　province　for　the　first　time；　and　carried　off　in　a　few　weeks　more　than　four　percent　of　the　population。　One　disease　after　another　succeeded；　until　in　1855　cholera　swept　through　the　country　and　caused　fearful　havoc。　Since　then；　the　healthfulness　of　the　climate　has　been　gradually　restored；　and　it　is　now　fast　recovering　its　former　good　reputation。　Para　is　free　from　serious　endemic　disorders；　and　was　once　a　resort　of　invalids　from　New　York　and　Massachusetts。　The　equable　temperature；　the　perpetual　verdure；　the　coolness　of　the　dry　season　when　the　sun's　heat　is　tempered　by　the　strong　sea…breezes　and　the　moderation　of　the　periodical　rains；　make　the　climate　one　of　the　most　enjoyable　on　the　face　of　the　earth。

The　province　is　governed；　like　all　others　in　the　empire；　by　a　President；　as　chief　civil　authority。　At　the　time　of　our　arrival　he　also　held；　exceptionally；　the　chief　military　command。　This　functionary；　together　with　the　head　of　the　police　administration　and　the　judges；　is　nominated　by　the　central　Government　at　Rio　Janeiro。　The　municipal　and　internal　affairs　are　managed　by　a　provincial　assembly　elected　by　the　people。　Every　villa　or　borough　throughout　the　province　also　possesses　its　municipal　council；　and　in　thinly…populated　districts　the　inhabitants　choose　every　four　years　a　justice　of　the　peace；　who　adjudicates　in　small　disputes　between　neighbours。　A　system　of　popular　education　exists；　and　every　village　has　its　school　of　first　letters；　the　master　being　paid　by　the　government；　the　salary　amounting　to　about　？0；　or　the　same　sum　as　the　priests　receive。　Besides　common　schools；　a　well…　endowed　classical　seminary　is　maintained　at　Para；　to　which　the　sons　of　most　of　the　planters　and　traders　in　the　interior　are　sent　to　complete　their　education。　The　province　returns　its　quota　of　members　every　four　years　to　the　lower　and　upper　houses　of　the　imperial　parliament。　Every　householder　has　a　vote。　Trial　by　jury　has　been　established；　the　jurymen　being　selected　from　householders；　no　matter　what　their　race　or　colour；　and　I　have　seen　the　white　merchant；　the　negro　husbandman；　the　mameluco；　the　mulatto；　and　the　Indian；　all　sitting　side　by　side　on　the　same　bench。　Altogether　the　constitution　of　government　in　Brazil　seems　to　combine　happily　the　principles　of　local　self…government　and　centralisation；　and　only　requires　a　proper　degree　of　virtue　and　intelligence　in　the　people　to　lead　the　nation　to　great　prosperity。

The　province　of　Para；　or；　as　we　may　now　say；　the　two　provinces　of　Para　and　the　Amazons；　contain　an　area　of　800；000　square　miles；　the　population　of　which　is　only　about　230；000；　or　in　the　ratio　of　one　person　to　four　square　miles！　The　country　is　covered　with　forests；　and　the　soil　is　fertile　in　the　extreme；　even　for　a　tropical　country。　It　is　intersected　throughout　by　broad　and　deep　navigable　rivers。　It　is　the　pride　of　the　Paraenses　to　call　the　Amazons　the　Mediterranean　of　South　America。　The　colossal　stream　perhaps　deserves　the　name；　for　not　only　have　the　main　river　and　its　principal　tributaries　an　immense　expanse　of　water　bathing　the　shores　of　extensive　and　varied　regions；　but　there　is　also　throughout　a　system　of　back　channels；　connected　with　the　main　rivers　by　narrow　outlets　and　linking　together　a　series　of　lakes；　some　of　which　are　fifteen；　twenty；　and　thirty　miles　in　length。　The　whole　Amazons　valley　is　thus　covered　by　a　network　of　navigable　waters；　forming　a　vast　inland　freshwater　sea　with　endless　ramifications　rather　than　a　river。

The　city　of　Para　was　founded　in　1615；　and　was　a　place　of　considerable　importance　towards　the　latter　half　of　the　eighteenth　century；　under　the　government　of　the　brother　of　Pombal；　the　famous　Portuguese　statesman。　The　province　was　the　last　in　Brazil　to　declare　its　independence　of　the　mother…country　and　acknowledge　the　authority　of　the　first　emperor；　Don　Pedro。　This　was　owing　to　the　great　numbers　and　influence　of　the　Portuguese；　and　the　rage　of　the　native　party　was　so　great　in　consequence；　that　immediately　after　independence　was　proclaimed　in　1823；　a　counter　revolution　broke　out；　during　which　many　hundred　lives　were　lost　and　much　hatred　engendered。　The　antagonism　continued　for　many　years；　partial　insurrections　taking　place　when　the　populace　thought　that　the　immigrants　from　Portugal　were　favoured　by　the　governors　sent　from　the　capital　of　the　empire。　At　length；　in　1835；　a　serious　revolt　took　place　which　in　a　short　time　involved　the　entire　province。　It　began　by　the　assassination　of　the　President　and　the　leading　members　of　the　government；　the　struggle　was　severe；　and　the　native　party　in　an　evil　hour　called　to　their　aid　the　ignorant　and　fanatic　part　of　the　mongrel　and　Indian　population。　The　cry　of　death　to　the　Portuguese　was　soon　changed　to　death　to　the　freemasons；　then　a　powerfully　organised　society　embracing　the　greater　part　of　the　male　white　inhabitants。　The　victorious　native　party　endeavoured　to　establish　a　government　of　their　own。

After　this　state　of　things　had　endured　six　months；　they　accepted　a　new　President　sent　from　Rio　Janeiro；　who；　however；　again　irritated　them　by　imprisoning　their　favourite　leader；　Vinagre。　The　revenge　which　followed　was　frightful。　A　vast　host　of　half…　savage　coloured　people　assembled　in　the　retired　creeks　behind　Para；　and　on　a　day　fixed；　after　Vinagre's　brother　had　sent　a　message　three　times　to　the　President　demanding；　in　vain；　the　release　of　their　leader；　the　whole　body　poured　into　the　city　through　the　gloomy　pathways　of　the　forest　which　encircles　it。　A　cruel　battle；　lasting　nine　days；　was　fought　in　the　streets；　an　English；　French；　and　Portuguese　man…of…war；　from　the　side　of　the　river；　assisting　the　legal　authorities。　All　the　latter；　however；　together　with　every　friend　of　peace　and　order；　were　finally　obliged　to　retire　to　an　island　a　few　miles　distant。　The　city　and　province　were　given　up　to　anarchy；　the　coloured　people；　elated　with　victory；　proclaimed　the　slaughter　of　all　whites；　except　the　English；　French；　and　American　residents。　The　mistaken　principals　who　had　first　aroused　all　this　hatred　of　races　were　obliged　now　to　make　their　escape。　In　the　interior；　the　supporters　of　lawful　authority　including；　it　must　be　stated；　whole　tribes　of　friendly　Indians　and　numbers　of　the　better　disposed　negroes　and　mulattos；　concentrated　themselves　in　certain　strong　positions　and　defended　themselves；　until　the　reconquest　of　the　capital　and　large　towns　of　the　interior　in　1836　by　a　force　sent　from　Rio　Janeiro　after　ten　months　of　anarchy。

Years　of　conciliatory　government；　the　lesson　learned　by　the　native　party　and　the　moderation　of　the　Portuguese；　aided　by　the　indolence　and　passive　goodness　of　the　Paraenses　of　all　classes　and　colours；　were　only　beginning　to　produce　their　good　effects　about　the　time　I　am　speaking　of。　Life；　however；　was　now　and　had　been　for　some　time　quite　safe　throughout　the　country。　Some　few　of　the　worst　characters　had　been　transported　or　imprisoned；　and　the　remainder；　after　being　pardoned；　were　converted　once　more　into　quiet　and　peaceable　citizens。

I　resided　at　Para　nearly　a　year　and　a　half　altogether；　returning　thither　and　making　a　stay　of　a　few　months　after　each　of　my　shorter　excursions　into　the　interior；　until　the　6th　of　November；　1851；　when　I　started　on　my　long　voyage　to　the　Tapajos　and　the　Upper　Amazons；　which　occupied　me　seven　years　and　a　half。　I　became　during　this　time　tolerably　familiar　with　the　capital　of　the　Amazons　region；　and　its　inhabitants。　Compared　with　other　Brazilian　seaport　towns；　I　was　always　told；　Para　shone　to　great　advantage。　It　was　cleaner；　the　suburbs　were　fresher；　more　rural　and　much　pleasanter　on　account　of　their　verdure；　shade；　and　magnificent　vegetation。　The　people　were　simpler；　more　peaceable　and　friendly　in　their　manners　and　dispositions；　and　assassinations；　which　give　the　southern　provinces　so　ill　a　reputation；　were　almost　unknown。　At　the　same　time　the　Para　people　were　much　inferior　to　Southern　Brazilians　in　energy　and　industry。　Provisions　and　house　rents　being　cheap　and　the　wants　of　the　people　fewfor　they　were　content　with　food　and　lodging　of　a　quality　which　would　be　spurned　by　paupers　in　Englandthey　spent　the　greater　part　of　their　time　in　sensual　indulgences　and　in　amusements　which　the　government　and　wealthier　citizens　provided　for　them　gratis。

The　trade；　wholesale　and　retail；　was　in　the　hands　of　the　Portuguese；　of　whom　there　were　about　2500　in　the　place。　Many　handicrafts　were　exercised　by　coloured　people；　mulattos；　mamelucos；　free　ne