the naturalist on the river amazons-第78部分

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s　seemed　to　think　that　netting　the　animals；　as　Cardozo　proposed　doing；　was　not　lawful　sport；　and　wished　first　to　have　an　hour　or　two's　old…fashioned　practice　with　their　weapons。

The　pool　covered　an　area　of　about　four　or　five　acres；　and　was　closely　hemmed　in　by　the　forest；　which　in　picturesque　variety　and　grouping　of　trees　and　foliage　exceeded　almost　everything　I　had　yet　witnessed。　The　margins　for　some　distance　were　swampy；　and　covered　with　large　tufts　of　a　fine　grass　called　Matupa。　These　tufts　in　many　places　were　overrun　with　ferns；　and　exterior　to　them　a　crowded　row　of　arborescent　arums；　growing　to　a　height　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；　formed　a　green　palisade。　Around　the　whole　stood　the　taller　forest　trees；　palmate…leaved　Cecropiae　slender　Assai　palms；　thirty　feet　high；　with　their　thin　feathery　heads　crowning　the　gently…curving；　smooth　stems；　small　fan…leaved　palms；　and　as　a　background　to　all　these　airy　shapes；　lay　the　voluminous　masses　of　ordinary　forest　trees；　with　garlands；　festoons；　and　streamers　of　leafy　climbers　hanging　from　their　branches。　The　pool　was　nowhere　more　than　five　feet　deep；　one　foot　of　which　was　not　water；　but　extremely　fine　and　soft　mud。

Cardozo　and　I　spent　an　hour　paddling　about。　I　was　astonished　at　the　skill　which　the　Indians　display　in　shooting　turtles。　They　did　not　wait　for　their　coming　to　the　surface　to　breathe；　but　watched　for　the　slight　movements　in　the　water；　which　revealed　their　presence　underneath。　These　little　tracks　on　the　water　are　called　the　Siriri；　the　instant　one　was　perceived　an　arrow　flew　from　the　bow　of　the　nearest　man；　and　never　failed　to　pierce　the　shell　of　the　submerged　animal。　When　the　turtle　was　very　distant；　of　course　the　aim　had　to　be　taken　at　a　considerable　elevation；　but　the　marksmen　preferred　a　longish　range；　because　the　arrow　then　fell　more　perpendicularly　on　the　shell　and　entered　it　more　deeply。

The　arrow　used　in　turtle　shooting　has　a　strong　lancet…shaped　steel　point；　fitted　into　a　peg　which　enters　the　tip　of　the　shaft。　The　peg　is　secured　to　the　shaft　by　twine　made　of　the　fibres　of　pineapple　leaves；　the　twine　being　some　thirty　or　forty　yards　in　length；　and　neatly　wound　round　the　body　of　the　arrow。　When　the　missile　enters　the　shell；　the　peg　drops　out；　and　the　pierced　animal　descends　with　it　towards　the　bottom；　leaving　the　shaft　floating　on　the　surface。　This　being　done；　the　sportsman　paddles　in　his　montaria　to　the　place；　and　gently　draws　the　animal　by　the　twine；　humouring　it　by　giving　it　the　rein　when　it　plunges；　until　it　is　brought　again　near　the　surface；　when　he　strikes　it　with　a　second　arrow。　With　the　increased　hold　given　by　the　two　cords　he　has　then　no　difficulty　in　landing　his　game。

By　mid…day　the　men　had　shot　about　a　score　of　nearly　full…grown　turtles。　Cardozo　then　gave　orders　to　spread　the　net。　The　spongy；　swampy　nature　of　the　banks　made　it　impossible　to　work　the　net　so　as　to　draw　the　booty　ashore；　another　method　was　therefore　adopted。　The　net　was　taken　by　two　Indians　and　extended　in　a　curve　at　one　extremity　of　the　oval…shaped　pool；　holding　it　when　they　had　done　so　by　the　perpendicular　rods　fixed　at　each　end；　its　breadth　was　about　equal　to　the　depth　of　the　water；　its　shotted　side　therefore　rested　on　the　bottom；　while　the　floats　buoyed　it　up　on　the　surface；　so　that　the　whole；　when　the　ends　were　brought　together；　would　form　a　complete　trap。　The　rest　of　the　party　then　spread　themselves　around　the　swamp　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　pool　and　began　to　beat；　with　stout　poles；　the　thick　tufts　of　Matupa；　in　order　to　drive　the　turtles　towards　the　middle。　This　was　continued　for　an　hour　or　more；　the　beaters　gradually　drawing　nearer　to　each　other；　and　driving　the　host　of　animals　before　them；　the　number　of　little　snouts　constantly　popping　above　the　surface　of　the　water　showing　that　all　was　going　on　well。　When　they　neared　the　net　the　men　moved　more　quickly；　shouting　and　beating　with　great　vigour。　The　ends　of　the　net　were　then　seized　by　several　strong　hands　and　dragged　suddenly　forwards；　bringing　them　at　the　same　time　together；　so　as　to　enclose　all　the　booty　in　a　circle。　Every　man　now　leapt　into　the　enclosure；　the　boats　were　brought　up；　and　the　turtles　easily　captured　by　the　hand　and　tossed　into　them。　I　jumped　in　along　with　the　rest；　although　I　had　just　before　made　the　discovery　that　the　pool　abounded　in　ugly；　red；　four…angled　leeches；　having　seen　several　of　these　delectable　animals；　which　sometimes　fasten　on　the　legs　of　fishermen；　although　they；　did　not；　on　this　day；　trouble　us；　working　their　way　through　cracks　in　the　bottom　of　our　montaria。　Cardozo；　who　remained　with　the　boats；　could　not　turn　the　animals　on　their　backs　fast　enough；　so　that　a　great　many　clambered　out　and　got　free　again。　However；　three　boat…loads；　or　about　eighty；　were　secured　in　about　twenty　minutes。　They　were　then　taken　ashore；　and　each　one　secured　by　the　men　tying　the　legs　with　thongs　of　bast。

When　the　canoes　had　been　twice　filled；　we　desisted；　after　a　very　hard　day's　work。　Nearly　all　the　animals　were　young　ones；　chiefly；　according　to　the　statement　of　Pedro；　from　three　to　ten　years　of　age；　they　varied　from　six　to　eighteen　inches　in　length；　and　were　very　fat。　Cardozo　and　I　lived　almost　exclusively　on　them　for　several　months　afterwards。　Roasted　in　the　shell　they　form　a　most　appetising　dish。　These　younger　turtles　never　migrate　with　their　elders　on　the　sinking　of　the　waters；　but　remain　in　the　tepid　pools；　fattening　on　fallen　fruits；　and；　according　to　the　natives；　on　the　fine　nutritious　mud。　We　captured　a　few　full…grown　motherturtles；　which　were　known　at　once　by　the　horny　skin　of　their　breast…plates　being　worn；　telling　of　their　having　crawled　on　the　sands　to　lay　eggs　the　previous　year。　They　had　evidently　made　a　mistake　in　not　leaving　the　pool　at　the　proper　time；　for　they　were　full　of　eggs；　which；　we　were　told；　they　would；　before　the　season　was　over；　scatter　in　despair　over　the　swamp。　We　also　found　several　male　turtles；　or　Capitaris；　as　they　are　called　by　the　natives。　These　are　immensely　less　numerous　than　the　females；　and　are　distinguishable　by　their　much　smaller　size；　more　circular　shape；　and　the　greater　length　and　thickness　of　their　tails。　Their　flesh　is　considered　unwholesome；　especially　to　sick　people　having　external　signs　of　inflammation。　All　diseases　in　these　parts；　as　well　as　their　remedies　and　all　articles　of　food；　are　classed　by　the　inhabitants　as　〃hot〃　and　〃cold；〃　and　the　meat　of　the　Capitari　is　settled　by　unanimous　consent　as　belonging　to　the　〃hot〃　list。

We　dined　on　the　banks　of　the　river　a　little　before　sunset。　The　mosquitoes　then　began　to　be　troublesome；　and　finding　it　would　be　impossible　to　sleep　here；　we　all　embarked　and　crossed　the　river　to　a　sand…bank；　about　three　miles　distant；　where　we　passed　the　night。　Cardozo　and　I　slept　in　our　hammocks　slung　between　upright　poles；　the　rest　stretching　themselves　on　the　sand　round　a　large　fire。　We　lay　awake　conversing　until　past　midnight。　It　was　a　real　pleasure　to　listen　to　the　stories　told　by　one　of　the　older　men；　they　were　given　with　so　much　spirit。　The　tales　always　related　to　struggles　with　some　intractable　animal…jaguar；　manatee；　or　alligator。　Many　interjections　and　expressive　gestures　were　used；　and　at　the　end　came　a　sudden　〃Pa！　terra！〃　when　the　animal　was　vanquished　by　a　shot　or　a　blow。　Many　mysterious　tales　were　recounted　about　the　Bouto；　as　the　large　Dolphin　of　the　Amazons　is　called。　One　of　them　was　to　the　effect　that　a　Bouto　once　had　the　habit　of　assuming　the　shape　of　a　beautiful　woman；　with　hair　hanging　loose　to　her　heels；　and　walking　ashore　at　night　in　the　streets　of　Ega；　to　entice　the　young　men　down　to　the　water。　If　any　one　was　so　much　smitten　as　to　follow　her　to　the　waterside；　she　grasped　her　victim　round　the　waist　and　plunged　beneath　the　waves　with　a　triumphant　cry。　No　animal　in　the　Amazons　region　is　the　subject　of　so　many　fables　as　the　Bouto；　but　it　is　probable　these　did　not　originate　with　the　Indians；　but　with　the　Portuguese　colonists。　It　was　several　years　before　I　could　induce　a　fisherman　to　harpoon　Dolphins　for　me　as　specimens；　for　no　one　ever　kills　these　animals　voluntarily；　although　their　fat　is　known　to　yield　an　excellent　oil　for　lamps。　The　superstitious　people　believe　that　blindness　would　result　from　the　use　of　this　oil　in　lamps。　I　succeeded　at　length　with　Carepira；　by　offering　him　a　high　reward　when　his　finances　were　at　a　very　low　point；　but　he　repented　of　his　deed　ever　afterwards；　declaring　that　his　luck　had　forsaken　him　from　that　day。

The　next　morning　we　again　beat　the　pool。　Although　we　had　proof　of　there　being　a　great　number　of　turtles　yet　remaining；　we　had　very　poor　success。　The　old　Indians　told　us　it　would　be　so；　for　the　turtles　were　〃ladino〃　（cunning）；　and　would　take　no　notice　of　the　beating　a　second　day。　When　the　net　was　formed　into　a　circle；　and　the　men　had　jumped　in；　an　alligator　was　found　to　be　inclosed。　No　one　was　alarmed；　the　only　fear　expressed　being　that　the　imprisoned　beast　would　tear　the　net。　First　one　shouted；　〃I　have　touched　his　head；〃　then　another；　〃he　has　scratched　my　leg；〃　one　of　the　men；　a　lanky　Miranha；　was　thrown　off　his　balance；　and　then　there　was　no　end　to　the　laughter　and　shouting。　At　last　a　youth　of　about　fourteen　years　of　age；　on　my　calling　to　him　from　the　bank　to　do　so；　seized　the　reptile　by　the　tail；　and　held　him　tightly　until；　a　little　resistance　being　overcome；　he　was　able　to　bring　it　ashore。　The　net　was　opened；　and　the　boy　slowly　dragged　the　dangerous　but　cowardly　beast　to　land　through　the　muddy　water；　a　distance　of　about　a　hundred　yards。　Meantime；　I　had　cut　a　strong　pole　from　a　tree；　and　as　soon　as　the　alligator　was　drawn　to　solid　ground；　gave　him　a　smart　rap　with　it　on　the　crown　of　his　head；　which　killed　him　instantly。　It　was　a　good…sized　individual；　the　jaws　being　considerably　more　than　a　foot　long；　and　fully　capable　of　snapping　a　man's　leg　in　twain。　The　species　was　the　large　cayman；　the　Jacareuassu　of　the　Amazonian　Indians　（Jacare　nigra）。

On　the　third　day；　we　sent　our　men　in　the　boats　to　net　turtles　in　a　larger　pool　about　five　miles　further　down　the　river；　and　on　the　fourth；　returned　to　Ega。

It　will　be　well　to　mention　here　a　few　circumstances　relative　to　the　large　Cayman；　which；　with　the　incident　just　narrated；　afford　illustrations　of　the　cunning；　cowardice；　and　ferocity　of　this　reptile。

I　have　hith