the naturalist on the river amazons-第76部分

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my　shades；　and　our　steersman　could　not　avoid　now　and　then　running　the　boat　into　the　thicket。　The　first　time　this　happened　a　piece　was　broken　off　the　square　prow　（rodella）；　the　second　time　we　got　squeezed　between　two　trees。　A　short　time　after　this　latter　accident；　being　seated　near　the　stern　with　my　feet　on　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　I　felt　rather　suddenly　the　cold　water　above　my　ankles。　A　few　minutes　more　and　we　should　have　sunk；　for　a　seam　had　been　opened　forward　under　the　pile　of　sugar…cane。　Two　of　us　began　to　bale；　and　by　the　most　strenuous　efforts　managed　to　keep　afloat　without　throwing　overboard　our　cargo。　The　Indians　were　obliged　to　paddle　with　extreme　slowness　to　avoid　shipping　water；　as　the　edge　of　our　prow　was　nearly　level　with　the　surface；　but　Cardozo　was　now　persuaded　to　change　his　seat。　The　sun　set；　the　quick　twilight　passed；　and　the　moon　soon　after　began　to　glimmer　through　the　thick　canopy　of　foliage。　The　prospect　of　being　swamped　in　this　hideous　solitude　was　by　no　means　pleasant；　although　I　calculated　on　the　chance　of　swimming　to　a　tree　and　finding　a　nice　snug　place　in　the　fork　of　some　large　bough　wherein　to　pass　the　night。

At　length；　after　four　hours'　tedious　progress；　we　suddenly　emerged　on　the　open　stream　where　the　moonlight　glittered　in　broad　sheets　on　the　gently　rippling　waters。　A　little　extra　care　was　now　required　in　paddling。　The　Indians　plied　their　strokes　with　the　greatest　nicety；　the　lights　of　Ega　（the　oil　lamps　in　the　houses）　soon　appeared　beyond　the　black　wall　of　forest；　and　in　a　short　time　we　leapt　safely　ashore。

　A　few　months　after　the　excursion　just　narrated；　I　accompanied　Cardozo　in　many　wanderings　on　the　Solimoens；　during　which　he　visited　the　praias　（sand…islands）；　the　turtle　pools　in　the　forests；　and　the　by…streams　and　lakes　of　the　great　desert　river。　His　object　was　mainly　to　superintend　the　business　of　digging　up　turtle　eggs　on　the　sandbanks；　having　been　elected　commandante　for　the　year　by　the　municipal　council　of　Ega；　of　the　〃praia　real〃　（royal　sand…island）　of　Shimuni；　the　one　lying　nearest　to　Ega。　There　are　four　of　these　royal　praias　within　the　Ega　district　（a　distance　of　150　miles　from　the　town）；　all　of　which　are　visited　annually　by　the　Ega　people　for　the　purpose　of　collecting　eggs　and　extracting　oil　from　their　yolks　Each　has　its　commander；　whose　business　is　to　make　arrangements　for　securing　to　every　inhabitant　an　equal　chance　in　the　egg　harvest　by　placing　sentinels　to　protect　the　turtles　whilst　laying；　and　so　forth。　The　pregnant　turtles　descend　from　the　interior　pools　to　the　main　river　in　July　and　August；　before　the　outlets　dry　up；　and　then　seek　in　countless　swarms　their　favourite　sand　islands；　for　it　is　only　a　few　praias　that　are　selected　by　them　out　of　the　great　number　existing。　The　young　animals　remain　in　the　pools　throughout　the　dry　season。　These　breeding　places　of　turtles　then　lie　twenty　to　thirty　or　more　feet　above　the　level　of　the　river；　and　are　accessible　only　by　cutting　roads　through　the　dense　forest。

We　left　Ega　on　our　first　trip　to　visit　the　sentinels　while　the　turtles　were　yet　laying；　on　the　26th　of　September。　Our　canoe　was　a　stoutly　built　igarite；　arranged　for　ten　paddlers；　and　having　a　large　arched　toldo　at　the　stern　under　which　three　persons　could　sleep　pretty　comfortably。　Emerging　from　the　Teffe　we　descended　rapidly　on　the　swift　current　of　the　Solimoens　to　the　south…　eastern　or　lower　end　of　the　large　wooded　island　of　Baria；　which　here　divides　the　river　into　two　great　channels。　We　then　paddled　across　to　Shimuni；　which　lies　in　the　middle　of　the　northeasterly　channel；　reaching　the　commencement　of　the　praia　an　hour　before　sunset。　The　island　proper　is　about　three　miles　long　and　half　a　mile　broad：　the　forest　with　which　it　is　covered　rises　to　an　immense　and　uniform　height；　and　presents　all　round　a　compact；　impervious　front。　Here　and　there　a　singular　tree；　called　Pao　mulatto　（mulatto　wood）；　with　polished　dark…green　trunk；　rose　conspicuously　among　the　mass　of　vegetation。　The　sandbank；　which　lies　at　the　upper　end　of　the　island；　extends　several　miles　and　presents　an　irregular；　and　in　some　parts；　strongly…waved　surface；　with　deep　hollows　and　ridges。　When　upon　it；　one　feels　as　though　treading　an　almost　boundless　field　of　sand；　for　towards　the　southeast；　where　no　forest　line　terminates　the　view；　the　white；　rolling　plain　stretches　away　to　the　horizon。　The　north…easterly　channel　of　the　river　lying　between　the　sands　and　the　further　shore　of　the　river　is　at　least　two　miles　in　breadth；　the　middle　one；　between　the　two　islands；　Shimuni　and　Baria；　is　not　much　less　than　a　mile。

We　found　the　two　sentinels　lodged　in　a　corner　of　the　praia；　where　it　commences　at　the　foot　of　the　towering　forest　wall　of　the　island；　having　built　for　themselves　a　little　rancho　with　poles　and　palm…leaves。　Great　precautions　are　obliged　to　be　taken　to　avoid　disturbing　the　sensitive　turtles；　who；　previous　to　crawling　ashore　to　lay；　assemble　in　great　shoals　off　the　sandbank。　The　men；　during　this　time；　take　care　not　to　show　themselves　and　warn　off　any　fishermen　who　wishes　to　pass　near　the　place。　Their　fires　are　made　in　a　deep　hollow　near　the　borders　of　the　forest；　so　that　the　smoke　may　not　be　visible。　The　passage　of　a　boat　through　the　shallow　waters　where　the　animals　are　congregated；　or　the　sight　of　a　man　or　a　fire　on　the　sandbank；　would　prevent　the　turtles　from　leaving　the　water　that　night　to　lay　their　eggs；　and　if　the　causes　of　alarm　were　repeated　once　or　twice；　they　would　forsake　the　praia　for　some　other　quieter　place。　Soon　after　we　arrived；　our　men　were　sent　with　the　net　to　catch　a　supply　of　fish　for　supper。　In　half　an　hour；　four　or　five　large　basketsful　of　Acari　were　brought　in。　The　sun　set　soon　after　our　meal　was　cooked；　we　were　then　obliged　to　extinguish　the　fire　and　remove　our　supper　materials　to　the　sleeping　ground；　a　spit　of　sand　about　a　mile　off　this　course　being　necessary　on　account　of　the　mosquitoes　which　swarm　at　night　on　the　borders　of　the　forest。

One　of　the　sentinels　was　a　taciturn；　morose…looking；　but　sober　and　honest　Indian；　named　Daniel；　the　other　was　a　noted　character　of　Ega；　a　little　wiry　Mameluco；　named　Carepira　（Fish…hawk）　known　for　his　waggery；　propensity　for　strong　drink；　and　indebtedness　to　Ega　traders。　Both　were　intrepid　canoemen　and　huntsmen；　and　both　perfectly　at　home　anywhere　in　these　fearful　wastes　of　forest　and　water。　Carepira　had　his　son　with　him　a　quiet　little　lad　of　about　nine　years　of　age。　These　men　in　a　few　minutes　constructed　a　small　shed　with　four　upright　poles　and　leaves　of　the　arrow…grass；　under　which　Cardozo　and　I　slung　our　hammocks。　We　did　not　go　to　sleep；　however；　until　after　midnight　for　when　supper　was　over；　we　lay　about　on　the　sand　with　a　flask　of　rum　in　our　midst　and　whiled　away　the　still　hours　in　listening　to　Carepira's　stories。

I　rose　from　my　hammock　by　daylight；　shivering　with　cold；　a　praia；　on　account　of　the　great　radiation　of　heat　in　the　night　from　the　sand；　being　towards　the　dawn　the　coldest　place　that　can　be　found　in　this　climate。　Cardozo　and　the　men　were　already　up　watching　the　turtles。　The　sentinels　had　erected　for　this　purpose　a　stage　about　fifty　feet　high；　on　a　tall　tree　near　their　station；　the　ascent　to　which　was　by　a　roughly…made　ladder　of　woody　lianas。　They　are　enabled；　by　observing　the　turtles　from　this　watchtower；　to　ascertain　the　date　of　successive　deposits　of　eggs；　and　thus　guide　the　commandante　in　fixing　the　time　for　the　general　invitation　to　the　Ega　people。　The　turtles　lay　their　eggs　by　night；　leaving　the　water　when　nothing　disturbs　them；　in　vast　crowds；　and　crawling　to　the　central　and　highest　part　of　the　praia。　These　places　are；　of　course；　the　last　to　go　under　water　when；　in　unusually　wet　seasons；　the　river　rises　before　the　eggs　are　hatched　by　the　heat　of　the　sand。　One　could　almost　believe　from　this　that　the　animals　used　forethought　in　choosing　a　place；　but　it　is　simply　one　of　those　many　instances　in　animals　where　unconscious　habit　has　the　same　result　as　conscious　prevision。　The　hours　between　midnight　and　dawn　are　the　busiest。　The　turtles　excavate　with　their　broad；　webbed　paws；　deep　holes　in　the　fine　sand　the　first　corner；　in　each　case；　making　a　pit　about　three　feet　deep；　laying　its　eggs　（about　120　in　number）　and　covering　them　with　sand；　the　next　making　its　deposit　at　the　top　of　that　of　its　predecessor；　and　so　on　until　every　pit　is　full。　The　whole　body　of　turtles　frequenting　a　praia　does　not　finish　laying　in　less　than　fourteen　or　fifteen　days；　even　when　there　is　no　interruption。　When　all　have　done；　the　area　（called　by　the　Brazilians　taboleiro）　over　which　they　have　excavated　is　distinguishable　from　the　rest　of　the　praia　only　by　signs　of　the　sand　having　been　a　little　disturbed。

On　rising；　I　went　to　join　my　friends。　Few　recollections　of　my　Amazonian　rambles　are　more　vivid　and　agreeable　than　that　of　my　walk　over　the　white　sea　of　sand　on　this　cool　morning。　The　sky　was　cloudless；　the　just…risen　sun　was　hidden　behind　the　dark　mass　of　woods　on　Shimuni；　but　the　long　line　of　forest　to　the　west；　on　Baria；　with　its　plumy　decorations　of　palms；　was　lighted　up　with　his　yellow；　horizontal　rays。　A　faint　chorus　of　singing　birds　reached　the　ears　from　across　the　water；　and　flocks　of　gulls　and　plovers　were　drying　plaintively　over　the　swelling　banks　of　the　praia；　where　their　eggs　lay　in　nests　made　in　little　hollows　of　the　sand。　Tracks　of　stray　turtles　were　visible　on　the　smooth　white　surface　of　the　praia。　The　animals　which　thus　wander　from　the　main　body　are　lawful　prizes　of　the　sentinels；　they　had　caught　in　this　way　two　before　sunrise；　one　of　which　we　had　for　dinner。　In　my　walk　I　disturbed　several　pairs　of　the　chocolate　and　drab…　coloured　wild…goose　（Anser　jubatus）　which　set　off　to　run　along　the　edge　of　the　water。　The　enjoyment　one　feels　in　rambling　over　these　free；　open　spaces；　is　no　doubt　enhanced　by　the　novelty　of　the　scene；　the　change　being　very　great　from　the　monotonous　landscape　of　forest　which　everywhere　else　presents　itself。

On　arriving　at　the　edge　of　the　forest　I　mounted　the　sentinel's　stage；　just　in　time　to　see　the　turtles　retreating　to　the　water　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　sand…bank；　after　having　laid　their　eggs。　The　sight　was　well　worth　the　trouble　of　ascending　the　shaky　ladder。　They　were　about　a　mile　off；　but　the　surface　of　the　sands　was　blackened　with　the　multitu