the naturalist on the river amazons-第72部分

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al；　and　brought　with　them　in　their　original　migration　to　Brazil。　It　is　only；　however；　the　more　advanced　tribes　who　have　kept　up　the　cultivation。　The　superiority　of　the　fruit　on　the　Solimoens　to　that　grown　on　the　Lower　Amazons　and　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Para　is　very　striking。　At　Ega　it　is　generally　as　large　as　a　full…sized　peach；　and　when　boiled；　almost　as　mealy　as　a　potato；　while　at　Para　it　is　no　bigger　than　a　walnut；　and　the　pulp　is　fibrous。　Bunches　of　sterile　or　seedless　fruits　sometimes　occur　in　both　districts。　It　is　one　of　the　principal　articles　of　food　at　Ega　when　in　season；　and　is　boiled　and　eaten　with　treacle　or　salt。　A　dozen　of　the　seedless　fruits　makes　a　good　nourishing　meal　for　a　grown…up　person。　It　is　the　general　belief　that　there　is　more　nutriment　in　Pupunha　than　in　fish　or　Vacca　marina。

The　seasons　in　the　Upper　Amazons　region　offer　some　points　of　difference　from　those　of　the　lower　river　and　the　district　of　Para；　which　two　sections　of　the　country　we　have　already　seen　also　differ　considerably。　The　year　at　Ega　is　divided　according　to　the　rises　and　falls　of　the　river；　with　which　coincide　the　wet　and　dry　periods。　All　the　principal　transactions　of　life　of　the　inhabitants　are　regulated　by　these　yearly　recurring　phenomena。　The　peculiarity　of　this　upper　region　consists　in　there　being　two　rises　and　two　falls　within　the　year。　The　great　annual　rise　commences　about　the　end　of　February　and　continues　to　the　middle　of　June；　during　which　the　rivers　and　lakes；　confined　during　the　dry　periods　to　their　ordinary　beds；　gradually　swell　and　overflow　all　the　lower　lands。　The　inundation　progresses　gently　inch　by　inch；　and　is　felt　everywhere；　even　in　the　interior　of　the　forests　of　the　higher　lands；　miles　away　from　the　river；　as　these　are　traversed　by　numerous　gullies；　forming　in　the　fine　season　dry；　spacious　dells；　which　become　gradually　transformed　by　the　pressure　of　the　flood　into　broad　creeks　navigable；　by　small　boats　under　the　shade　of　trees。　All　the　countless　swarms　of　turtle　of　various　species　then　leave　the　main　river　for　the　inland　pools；　the　sand…banks　go　under　water；　and　the　flocks　of　wading　birds　migrate　north　to　the　upper　waters　of　the　tributaries　which　flow　from　that　direction；　or　to　the　Orinoco；　which　streams　during　the　wet　period　of　the　Amazons　are　enjoying　the　cloudless　skies　of　their　dry　season。　The　families　of　fishermen　who　have　been　employed　during　the　previous　four　or　five　months　in　harpooning　and　salting　pirarucu　and　shooting　turtle　in　the　great　lakes；　now　return　to　the　towns　and　villages　their　temporarily　constructed　fishing　establishments　becoming　gradually　submerged　with　the　sand　islets　or　beaches　on　which　they　were　situated。　This　is　the　season；　however；　in　which　the　Brazil　nut　and　wild　cacao　ripen；　and　many　persons　go　out　to　gather　these　harvests；　remaining　absent　generally　throughout　the　months　of　March　and　April。　The　rains　during　this　time　are　not　continuous；　they　fall　very　heavily　at　times；　but　rarely　last　so　long　at　a　stretch　as　twenty…four　hours；　and　many　days　intervene　of　pleasant；　sunny　weather。　The　sky；　however；　is　generally　overcast　and　gloomy；　and　sometimes　a　drizzling　rain　falls。

About　the　first　week　in　June　the　flood　is　at　its　highest；　the　water　being　then　about　forty…five　feet　above　its　lowest　point；　but　it　varies　in　different　years　to　the　extent　of　about　fifteen　feet。　The　〃enchente；〃　or　flow；　as　it　is　called　by　the　natives；　who　believe　this　great　annual　movement　of　the　waters　to　be　of　the　same　nature　as　the　tide　towards　the　mouth　of　the　Amazons；　is　then　completed；　and　all　begin　to　look　forward　to　the　〃vasante；〃　or　ebb。　The　provision　made　for　the　dearth　of　the　wet　season　is　by　this　time　pretty　nearly　exhausted；　fish　is　difficult　to　procure　and　many　of　the　less　provident　inhabitants　have　become　reduced　to　a　diet　of　fruits　and　farinha　porridge。

The　fine　season　begins　with　a　few　days　of　brilliant　weather　furious；　hot　sun；　with　passing　clouds。　Idle　men　and　women；　tired　of　the　dullness　and　confinement　of　the　flood　season；　begin　to　report；　on　returning　from　their　morning　bath；　the　cessation　of　the　flow　as　agoas　estao　paradas；　〃the　waters　have　stopped。〃　The　muddy　streets；　in　a　few　days；　dry　up；　groups　of　young　fellows　are　now　seen　seated　on　the　shady　sides　of　the　cottages　making　arrows　and　knitting　fishing…nets　with　tucum　twine；　others　are　busy　patching　up　and　caulking　their　canoes；　large　and　small；　in　fact；　preparations　are　made　on　all　sides　for　the　much　longed…for　〃verao；〃　or　summer；　and　the　〃migration；〃　as　it　is　called；　of　fish　and　turtle　that　is；　their　descent　from　the　inaccessible　pools　in　the　forest　to　the　main　river。　Towards　the　middle　of　July；　the　sand…banks　begin　to　reappear　above　the　surface　of　the　waters；　and　with　this　change　come　flocks　of　sandpipers　and　gulls；　which　latter　make　known　the　advent　of　the　fine　season；　as　the　cuckoo　does　of　the　European　spring　uttering　almost　incessantly　their　plaintive　cries　as　they　fly　about　over　the　shallow　waters　of　sandy　shores。　Most　of　the　gaily…plumaged　birds　have　now　finished　moulting；　and　begin　to　be　more　active　in　the　forest。

The　fall　continues　to　the　middle　of　October；　with　the　interruption　of　a　partial　rise　called　〃repiquet〃　of　a　few　inches　in　the　midst　of　very　dry　weather　in　September；　caused　by　the　swollen　contribution　of　some　large　affluent　higher　up　the　river。　The　amount　of　subsidence　also　varies　considerably；　but　it　is　never　so　great　as　to　interrupt　navigation　by　large　vessels。　The　greater　it　is　the　more　abundant　is　the　season。　Everyone　is　prosperous　when　the　waters　are　low；　the　shallow　bays　and　pools　being　then　crowded　with　the　concentrated　population　of　fish　and　turtle。　All　the　people　men；　women；　and　children　leave　the　villages　and　spend　the　few　weeks　of　glorious　weather　rambling　over　the　vast　undulating　expanses　of　sand　in　the　middle　of　the　Solimoens；　fishing；　hunting；　collecting　eggs　of　turtle　and　plovers　and　thoroughly　enjoying　themselves。　The　inhabitants　pray　always　for　a　〃vasante　grande；〃　or　great　ebb。

From　the　middle　of　October　to　the　beginning　of　January；　the　second　wet　season　prevails。　The　rise　is　sometimes　not　more　than　about　fifteen　feet；　but　it　is；　in　some　years；　much　more　extensive；　laying　the　large　sand　islands　under　water　before　the　turtle　eggs　are　hatched。　In　one　year；　while　I　resided　at　Ega；　this　second　annual　inundation　reached　to　within　ten　feet　of　the　highest　water　point　as　marked　by　the　stains　on　the　trunks　of　trees　by　the　river　side。

The　second　dry　season　comes　on　in　January；　and　lasts　throughout　February。　The　river　sinks　sometimes　to　the　extent　of　a　few　feet　only；　but　one　year　（1856）　I　saw　it　ebb　to　within　about　five　feet　of　its　lowest　point　in　September。　This　is　called　the　summer　of　the　Umari；　〃Verao　do　Umari；〃　after　the　fruit　of　this　name　already　described；　which　ripens　at　this　season。　When　the　fall　is　great；　this　is　the　best　time　to　catch　turtles。　In　the　year　above　mentioned；　nearly　all　the　residents　who　had　a　canoe；　and　could　work　a　paddle；　went　out　after　them　in　the　month　of　February；　and　about　2000　were　caught　in　the　course　of　a　few　days。　It　appears　that　they　had　been　arrested　in　their　migration　towards　the　interior　pools　of　the　forest　by　the　sudden　drying　up　of　the　water…courses；　and　so　had　become　easy　prey。

Thus　the　Ega　year　is　divided　into　four　seasons；　two　of　dry　weather　and　falling　waters；　and　two　of　the　reverse。　Besides　this　variety；　there　is；　in　the　month　of　May；　a　short　season　of　very　cold　weather；　a　most　surprising　circumstance　in　this　otherwise　uniformly　sweltering　climate。　This　is　caused　by　the　continuance　of　a　cold　wind；　which　blows　from　the　south　over　the　humid　forests　that　extend　without　interruption　from　north　of　the　equator　to　the　eighteenth　parallel　of　latitude　in　Bolivia。　I　had；　unfortunately；　no　thermometer　with　me　at　Ega　the　only　one　I　brought　with　me　from　England　having　been　lost　at　Para。　The　temperature　is　so　much　lowered　that　fishes　die　in　the　river　Teffe；　and　are　cast　in　considerable　quantities　on　its　shores。　The　wind　is　not　strong；　but　it　brings　cloudy　weather；　and　lasts　from　three　to　five　or　six　days　in　each　year。　The　inhabitants　all　suffer　much　from　the　cold；　many　of　them　wrapping　themselves　up　with　the　warmest　clothing　they　can　get　（blankets　are　here　unknown）；　and　shutting　themselves　indoors　with　a　charcoal　fire　lighted。　I　found；　myself；　the　change　of　temperature　most　delightful；　and　did　not　require　extra　clothing。　It　was　a　bad　time；　however；　for　my　pursuit；　as　birds　and　insects　all　betook　themselves　to　places　of　concealment；　and　remained　inactive。　The　period　during　which　this　wind　prevails　is　called　the　〃tempo　da　friagem；〃　or　the　season　of　coldness。　The　phenomenon；　I　presume；　is　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　in　May　it　is　winter　in　the　southern　temperate　zone；　and　that　the　cool　currents　of　air　travelling　thence　northwards　towards　the　equator　become　only　moderately　heated　in　their　course；　owing　to　the　intermediate　country　being　a　vast；　partially…flooded　plain　covered　with　humid　forests。


CHAPTER　XI

EXCURSIONS　IN　THE　NEIGHBOURHOOD　OF　EGA

The　River　TeffeRambles　through　Groves　on　the　BeachExcursion　to　the　House　of　a　Passe　ChieftainCharacter　and　Customs　of　the　Passe　TribeFirst　Excursion：　Sand　Islands　of　the　Solimoens　Habits　of　Great　River　TurtleSecond　Excursion：Turtle…fishing　in　the　Inland　PoolsThird　Excursion：　Hunting…rambles　with　Natives　in　the　ForestReturn　to　Ega

I　WILL　now　proceed　to　give　some　account　of　the　more　interesting　of　my　shorter　excursions　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Ega。　The　incidents　of　the　longer　voyages；　which　occupied　each　several　months；　will　be　narrated　in　a　separate　chapter。

The　settlement；　as　before　described；　is　built　on　a　small　tract　of　cleared　land　at　the　lower　or　eastern　end　of　the　lake；　six　or　seven　miles　from　the　main　Amazons；　with　which　the　lake　communicates　by　a　narrow　channel。　On　the　opposite　shore　of　the　broad　expanse　stands　a　small　village；　called　Nogueira；　the　houses　of　which　are　not　visible　from　Ega；　except　on　very　clear　days；　the　coast　on　the　Nogueira　side　is　high；　and　stretches　away　into　the　grey　distance　towards　the　southwest。　The　upper　part　of　the　river　Teffe　is　not　visited　by　the　Ega　people；　on　account　of　its　extreme　unhealthiness；　and　its　barrenness　in　sarsaparilla　and　other　wares。　To　Europeans　it　would　seem　a　most　surprising　thing　th