the naturalist on the river amazons-第79部分

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rrated；　afford　illustrations　of　the　cunning；　cowardice；　and　ferocity　of　this　reptile。

I　have　hitherto　had　but　few　occasions　of　mentioning　alligators；　although　they　exist　by　myriads　in　the　waters　of　the　Upper　Amazons。　Many　different　species　are　spoken　of　by　the　natives。　I　saw　only　three；　and　of　these　two　only　are　common：　one；　the　Jacare…tinga；　a　small　kind　（five　feet　long　when　full　grown）；　having　a　long　slender　muzzle　and　a　black…banded　tail；　the　other；　the　Jacare…uassu；　to　which　these　remarks　more　especially　relate　and　the　third　the　Jacare…curua；　mentioned　in　a　former　chapter。　The　Jacare…uassu；　or　large　Cayman；　grows　to　a　length　of　eighteen　or　twenty　feet；　and　attains　an　enormous　bulk。　Like　the　turtles；　the　alligator　has　its　annual　migrations；　for　it　retreats　to　the　interior　pools　and　flooded　forests　in　the　wet　season；　and　descends　to　the　main　river　in　the　dry　season。　During　the　months　of　high　water；　therefore；　scarcely　a　single　individual　is　to　be　seen　in　the　main　river。　In　the　middle　part　of　the　Lower　Amazons；　about　Obydos　and　Villa　Nova；　where　many　of　the　lakes　with　their　channels　of　communication　with　the　trunk　stream　dry　up　in　the　fine　months；　the　alligator　buries　itself　in　the　mud　and　becomes　dormant；　sleeping　till　the　rainy　season　returns。　On　the　Upper　Amazons；　where　the　dry　season　is　never　excessive；　it　has　not　this　habit；　but　is　lively　all　the　year　round。　It　is　scarcely　exaggerating　to　say　that　the　waters　of　the　Solimoens　are　as　well　stocked　with　large　alligators　in　the　dry　season；　as　a　ditch　in　England　is　in　summer　with　tadpoles。　During　a　journey　of　five　days　which　I　once　made　in　the　Upper　Amazons　steamer；　in　November；　alligators　were　seen　along　the　coast　almost　every　step　of　the　way；　and　the　passengers　amused　themselves；　from　morning　till　night；　by　firing　at　them　with　rifle　and　ball。　They　were　very　numerous　in　the　still　bays；　where　the　huddled　crowds　jostled　together；　to　the　great　rattling　of　their　coats　of　mail；　as　the　steamer　passed。

The　natives　at　once　despise　and　fear　the　great　cayman。　I　once　spent　a　month　at　Caicara；　a　small　village　of　semi…civilised　Indians；　about　twenty　miles　to　the　west　of　Ega。　My　entertainer；　the　only　white　in　the　place；　and　one　of　my　best　and　most　constant　friends；　Senor　Innocencio　Alves　Faria；　one　day　proposed　a　half…　day's　fishing　with　net　in　the　lakethe　expanded　bed　of　the　small　river　on　which　the　village　is　situated。　We　set　out　in　an　open　boat　with　six　Indians　and　two　of　Innocencio's　children。　The　water　had　sunk　so　low　that　the　net　had　to　be　taken　out　into　the　middle　by　the　Indians；　whence　at　the　first　draught；　two　medium…sized　alligators　were　brought　to　land。　They　were　disengaged　from　the　net　and　allowed；　with　the　coolest　unconcern；　to　return　to　the　water；　although　the　two　children　were　playing　in　it　not　many　yards　off。　We　continued　fishing；　Innocencio　and　I　lending　a　helping　hand；　and　each　time　drew　a　number　of　the　reptiles　of　different　ages　and　sizes；　some　of　them　Jacare…tingas；　the　lake；　in　fact；　swarmed　with　alligators。　After　taking　a　very　large　quantity　of　fish；　we　prepared　to　return；　and　the　Indians；　at　my　suggestion；　secured　one　of　the　alligators　with　the　view　of　letting　it　loose　amongst　the　swarms　of　dogs　in　the　village。　An　individual　was　selected　about　eight　feet　long　one　man　holding　his　head　and　another　his　tail；　whilst　a　third　took　a　few　lengths　of　a　flexible　liana；　and　deliberately　bound　the　jaws　and　the　legs。　Thus　secured；　the　beast　was　laid　across　the　benches　of　the　boat　on　which　we　sat　during　the　hour　and　a　half's　journey　to　the　settlement。　We　were　rather　crowded；　but　our　amiable　passenger　gave　us　no　trouble　during　the　transit。　On　reaching　the　village；　we　took　the　animal　into　the　middle　of　the　green；　in　front　of　the　church；　where　the　dogs　were　congregated；　and　there　gave　him　his　liberty；　two　of　us　arming　ourselves　with　long　poles　to　intercept　him　if　he　should　make　for　the　water；　and　the　others　exciting　the　dogs。　The　alligator　showed　great　terror；　although　the　dogs　could　not　be　made　to　advance；　and　made　off　at　the　top　of　its　speed　for　the　water；　waddling　like　a　duck。　We　tried　to　keep　him　back　with　the　poles；　but　he　became　enraged；　and　seizing　the　end　of　the　one　I　held　in　his　jaws；　nearly　wrenched　it　from　my　grasp。　We　were　obliged；　at　length；　to　kill　him　to　prevent　his　escape。

These　little　incidents　show　the　timidity　or　cowardice　of　the　alligator。　He　never　attacks　man　when　his　intended　victim　is　on　his　guard；　but　he　is　cunning　enough　to　know　when　this　may　be　done　with　impunity　of　this　we　had　proof　at　Caicara；　a　few　days　afterwards。　The　river　had　sunk　to　a　very　low　point；　so　that　the　port　and　bathing…place　of　the　village　now　lay　at　the　foot　of　a　long　sloping　bank；　and　a　large　cayman　made　his　appearance　in　the　shallow　and　muddy　water。　We　were　all　obliged　to　be　very　careful　in　taking　our　bath；　most　of　the　people　simply　using　a　calabash；　pouring　the　water　over　themselves　while　standing　on　the　brink。　A　large　trading　canoe；　belonging　to　a　Barra　merchant　named　Soares；　arrived　at　this　time；　and　the　Indian　crew；　as　usual；　spent　the　first　day　or　two　after　their　coming　into　port　in　drunkenness　and　debauchery　ashore。　One　of　the　men；　during　the　greatest　heat　of　the　day；　when　almost　everyone　was　enjoying　his　afternoon's　nap；　took　it　into　his　head　while　in　a　tipsy　state　to　go　down　alone　to　bathe。　He　was　seen　only　by　the　Juiz　de　Paz；　a　feeble　old　man　who　was　lying　in　his　hammock　in　the　open　verandah　at　the　rear　of　his　house　on　the　top　of　the　bank；　and　who　shouted　to　the　besotted　Indian　to　beware　of　the　alligator。　Before　he　could　repeat　his　warning；　the　man　stumbled；　and　a　pair　of　gaping　jaws；　appearing　suddenly　above　the　surface；　seized　him　round　the　waist　and　drew　him　under　the　water。　A　cry　of　agony　〃Ai　Jesus！〃　was　the　last　sign　made　by　the　wretched　victim。　The　village　was　aroused：　the　young　men　with　praiseworthy　readiness　seized　their　harpoons　and　hurried　down　to　the　bank；　but；　of　course　it　was　too　late；　a　winding　track　of　blood　on　the　surface　of　the　water　was　all　that　could　be　seen。　They　embarked；　however；　in　montarias；　determined　upon　vengeance；　the　monster　was　traced；　and　when；　after　a　short　lapse　of　time；　he　came　up　to　breatheone　leg　of　the　man　sticking　out　from　his　jawswas　despatched　with　bitter　curses。

The　last　of　these　minor　excursions　which　I　shall　narrate；　was　made　（again　in　company　of　Senor　Cardozo；　with　the　addition　of　his　housekeeper　Senora　Felippa）　in　the　season　when　all　the　population　of　the　villages　turns　out　to　dig　up　turtle　eggs；　and　revel　on　the　praias。　Placards　were　posted　on　the　church　doors　at　Ega；　announcing　that　the　excavation　on　Shimuni　would　commence　on　the　17th　of　October；　and　on　Catua；　sixty　miles　below　Shimuni；　on　the　25th。　We　set　out　on　the　16th；　and　passed　on　the　road；　in　our　well…manned　igarite；　a　large　number　of　people　men；　women；　and　children　in　canoes　of　all　sizes　wending　their　way　as　if　to　a　great　holiday　gathering。　By　the　morning　of　the　17th；　some　400　persons　were　assembled　on　the　borders　of　the　sand…bank；　each　family　having　erected　a　rude　temporary　shed　of　poles　and　palm　leaves　to　protect　themselves　from　the　sun　and　rain。　Large　copper　kettles　to　prepare　the　oil；　and　hundreds　of　red　earthenware　jars；　were　scattered　about　on　the　sand。

The　excavation　of　the　taboleiro；　collecting　the　eggs　and　purifying　the　oil；　occupied　four　days。　All　was　done　on　a　system　established　by　the　old　Portuguese　governors；　probably　more　than　a　century　ago。　The　commandante　first　took　down　the　names　of　all　the　masters　of　households；　with　the　number　of　persons　each　intended　to　employ　in　digging；　he　then　exacted　a　payment　of　140　reis　（about　fourpence）　a　head；　towards　defraying　the　expense　of　sentinels。　The　whole　were　then　allowed　to　go　to　the　taboleiro。　They　arranged　themselves　around　the　circle；　each　person　armed　with　a　paddle　to　be　used　as　a　spade；　and　then　all　began　simultaneously　to　dig　on　a　signal　being　giventhe　roll　of　drums…　…by　order　of　the　commandante。　It　was　an　animating　sight　to　behold　the　wide　circle　of　rival　diggers　throwing　up　clouds　of　sand　in　their　energetic　labours；　and　working　gradually　towards　the　centre　of　the　ring。　A　little　rest　was　taken　during　the　great　heat　of　midday；　and　in　the　evening　the　eggs　were　carried　to　the　huts　in　baskets。　By　the　end　of　the　second　day；　the　taboleiro　was　exhausted；　large　mounds　of　eggs；　some　of　them　four　to　five　feet　in　height；　were　then　seen　by　the　side　of　each　hut；　the　produce　of　the　labours　of　the　family。

In　the　hurry　of　digging；　some　of　the　deeper　nests　are　passed　over；　to　find　these　out；　the　people　go　about　provided　with　a　long　steel　or　wooden　probe；　the　presence　of　the　eggs　being　discoverable　by　the　ease　with　which　the　spit　enters　the　sand。　When　no　more　eggs　are　to　be　found；　the　mashing　process　begins。　The　egg；　it　may　be　mentioned；　has　a　flexible　or　leathery　shell；　it　is　quite　round；　and　somewhat　larger　than　a　hen's　egg。　The　whole　heap　is　thrown　into　an　empty　canoe　and　mashed　with　wooden　prongs；　but　sometimes　naked　Indians　and　children　jump　into　the　mass　and　tread　it　down；　besmearing　themselves　with　yolk　and　making　about　as　filthy　a　scene　as　can　well　be　imagined。　This　being　finished；　water　is　poured　into　the　canoe；　and　the　fatty　mess　then　left　for　a　few　hours　to　be　heated　by　the　sun；　on　which　the　oil　separates　and　rises　to　the　surface。　The　floating　oil　is　afterwards　skimmed　off　with　long　spoons；　made　by　tying　large　mussel…shells　to　the　end　of　rods；　and　purified　over　the　fire　in　copper　kettles。

The　destruction　of　turtle　eggs　every　year　by　these　proceedings　is　enormous。　At　least　6000　jars；　holding　each　three　gallons　of　the　oil；　are　exported　annually　from　the　Upper　Amazons　and　the　Madeira　to　Para；　where　it　is　used　for　lighting；　frying　fish；　and　other　purposes。　It　may　be　fairly　estimated　that　2000　more　jars…full　are　consumed　by　the　inhabitants　of　the　villages　on　the　river。　Now；　it　takes　at　least　twelve　basketsful　of　eggs；　or　about　6000　by　the　wasteful　process　followed；　to　make　one　jar　of　oil。　The　total　number　of　eggs　annually　destroyed　amounts；　therefore；　to　48；000；000。　As　each　turtle　lays　about　120；　it　follows　that　the　yearly　offspring　Of　400；000　turtles　is　thus　annihilated。　A　vast　number；　nevertheless；　remain　undetected；　and　these　would　probably　be　sufficient　to　keep　the　turtle　population　of　these　rivers　up　to　the　mark；　if