the naturalist on the river amazons-第80部分

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these　would　probably　be　sufficient　to　keep　the　turtle　population　of　these　rivers　up　to　the　mark；　if　the　people　did　not　follow　the　wasteful　practice　of　lying　in　wait　for　the　newly…hatched　young；　and　collecting　them　by　thousands　for　eating　their　tender　flesh　and　the　remains　of　yolk　in　their　entrails　being　considered　a　great　delicacy。　The　chief　natural　enemies　of　the　turtle　are　vultures　and　alligators；　which　devour　the　newly…hatched　young　as　they　descend　in　shoals　to　the　water。　These　must　have　destroyed　an　immensely　greater　number　before　the　European　settlers　began　to　appropriate　the　eggs　than　they　do　now。　It　is　almost　doubtful　if　this　natural　persecution　did　not　act　as　effectively　in　checking　the　increase　of　the　turtle　as　the　artificial　destruction　now　does。　If　we　are　to　believe　the　tradition　of　the　Indians；　however；　it　had　not　this　result；　for　they　say　that　formerly　the　waters　teemed　as　thickly　with　turtles　as　the　air　now　does　with　mosquitoes。　The　universal　opinion　of　the　settlers　on　the　Upper　Amazons　is；　that　the　turtle　has　very　greatly　decreased　in　numbers；　and　is　still　annually　decreasing。

We　left　Shimuni　on　the　20th　with　quite　a　flotilla　of　canoes；　and　descended　the　river　to　Catua；　an　eleven　hours'　journey　by　paddle　and　current。　Catua　is　about　six　miles　long；　and　almost　entirely　encircled　by　its　praia。　The　turtles　had　selected　for　their　egg…　laying　a　part　of　the　sand…bank　which　was　elevated　at　least　twenty　feet　above　the　present　level　of　the　river；　the　animals；　to　reach　the　place；　must　have　crawled　up　a　slope。　As　we　approached　the　island；　numbers　of　the　animals　were　seen　coming　to　the　surface　to　breathe；　in　a　small　shoaly　bay。　Those　who　had　light　montarias　sped　forward　with　bows　and　arrows　to　shoot　them。　Carepira　was　foremost；　having　borrowed　a　small　and　very　unsteady　boat；　of　Cardozo；　and　embarked　in　it　with　his　little　son。　After　bagging　a　couple　of　turtles；　and　while　hauling　in　a　third；　he　overbalanced　himself；　the　canoe　went　over；　and　he　with　his　child　had　to　swim　for　their　lives　in　the　midst　of　numerous　alligators；　about　a　mile　from　the　land。　The　old　man　had　to　sustain　a　heavy　fire　of　jokes　from　his　companions　for　several　days　after　this　mishap。　Such　accidents　are　only　laughed　at　by　this　almost　amphibious　people。

The　number　of　persons　congregated　on　Catua　was　much　greater　than　on　Shimuni；　as　the　population　of　the　banks　of　several　neighbouring　lakes　were　here　added。　The　line　of　huts　and　sheds　extended　half　a　mile；　and　several　large　sailing　vessels　were　anchored　at　the　place。　The　commandante　was　Senor　Macedo；　the　Indian　blacksmith　of　Ega　before　mentioned；　who　maintained　excellent　order　during　the　fourteen　days　the　process　of　excavation　and　oil　manufacture　lasted。　There　were　also　many　primitive　Indians　here　from　the　neighbouring　rivers；　among　them　a　family　of　Shumanas；　good…tempered；　harmless　people　from　the　Lower　Japura。　All　of　them　were　tattooed　around　the　mouth；　the　bluish　tint　forming　a　border　to　the　lips；　and　extending　in　a　line　on　the　cheeks　towards　the　ear　on　each　side。　They　were　not　quite　so　slender　in　figure　as　the　Passes　of　Perdo…uassu's　family；　but　their　features　deviated　quite　as　much　as　those　of　the　Passes　from　the　ordinary　Indian　type。　This　was　seen　chiefly　in　the　comparatively　small　mouth；　pointed　chin；　thin　lips；　and　narrow；　high　nose。　One　of　the　daughters；　a　young　girl　of　about　seventeen　years　of　age；　was　a　real　beauty。　The　colour　of　her　skin　approached　the　light　tanned　shade　of　the　Mameluco　women；　her　figure　was　almost　faultless；　and　the　blue　mouth；　instead　of　being　a　disfigurement；　gave　quite　a　captivating　finish　to　her　appearance。　Her　neck；　wrists；　and　ankles　were　adorned　with　strings　of　blue　beads。　She　was；　however；　extremely　bashful；　never　venturing　to　look　strangers　in　the　face；　and　never　quitting；　for　many　minutes　together；　the　side　of　her　father　and　mother。　The　family　had　been　shamefully　swindled　by　some　rascally　trader　on　another　praia；　and；　on　our　arrival；　came　to　lay　their　case　before　Senor　Cardozo；　as　the　delegado　of　police　of　the　district。　The　mild　way　in　which　the　old　man；　without　a　trace　of　anger；　stated　his　complaint　in　imperfect　Tupi　quite　enlisted　our　sympathies　in　his　favour。　But　Cardozo　could　give　him　no　redress；　he　invited　the　family；　however；　to　make　their　rancho　near　to　ours；　and　in　the　end　gave　them　the　highest　price　for　the　surplus　oil　which　they　manufactured。

It　was　not　all　work　at　Catua；　indeed　there　was　rather　more　play　than　work　going　on。　The　people　make　a　kind　of　holiday　of　these　occasions。　Every　fine　night　parties　of　the　younger　people　assembled　on　the　sands；　and　dancing　and　games　were　carried　on　for　hours　together。　But　the　requisite　liveliness　for　these　sports　was　never　got　up　without　a　good　deal　of　preliminary　rum…drinking。　The　girls　were　so　coy　that　the　young　men　could　not　get　sufficient　partners　for　the　dances　without　first　subscribing　for　a　few　flagons　of　the　needful　cashaca。　The　coldness　of　the　shy　Indian　and　Mameluco　maidens　never　failed　to　give　way　after　a　little　of　this　strong　drink；　but　it　was　astonishing　what　an　immense　deal　they　could　take　of　it　in　the　course　of　an　evening。　Coyness　is　not　always　a　sign　of　innocence　in　these　people；　for　most　of　the　half…　caste　women　on　the　Upper　Amazons　lead　a　little　career　of　looseness　before　they　marry　and　settle　down　for　life；　and　it　is　rather　remarkable　that　the　men　do　not　seem　to　object　much　to　their　brides　having　had　a　child　or　two　by　various　fathers　before　marriage。　The　women　do　not　lose　reputation　unless　they　become　utterly　depraved；　but　in　that　case　they　are　condemned　pretty　strongly　by　public　opinion。　Depravity　is；　however；　rare；　for　all　require　more　or　less　to　be　wooed　before　they　are　won。　I　did　not　see　（although　I　mixed　pretty　freely　with　the　young　people）　any　breach　of　propriety　on　the　praias。　The　merry…makings　were　carried　on　near　the　ranchos；　where　the　more　staid　citizens　of　Ega；　husbands　with　their　wives　and　young　daughters；　all　smoking　gravely　out　of　long　pipes；　sat　in　their　hammocks　and　enjoyed　the　fun。　Towards　midnight　we　often　heard；　in　the　intervals　between　jokes　and　laughter；　the　hoarse　roar　of　jaguars　prowling　about　the　jungle　in　the　middle　of　the　praia。　There　were　several　guitar…　players　among　the　young　men；　and　one　most　persevering　fiddler　so　there　was　no　lack　of　music。

The　favourite　sport　was　the　Pira…purasseya；　or　fish…dance；　one　of　the　original　games　of　the　Indians；　though　now　probably　a　little　modified。　The　young　men　and　women；　mingling　together；　formed　a　ring；　leaving　one　of　their　number　in　the　middle；　who　represented　the　fish。　They　then　all　marched　round；　Indian　file；　the　musicians　mixed　up　with　the　rest；　singing　a　monotonous　but　rather　pretty　chorus；　the　words　of　which　were　invented　（under　a　certain　form）　by　one　of　the　party　who　acted　as　leader。　This　finished；　all　joined　hands；　and　questions　were　put　to　the　one　in　the　middle；　asking　what　kind　of　fish　he　or　she　might　be。　To　these　the　individual　has　to　reply。　The　end　of　it　all　is　that　he　makes　a　rush　at　the　ring；　and　if　he　succeeds　in　escaping；　the　person　who　allowed　him　to　do　so　has　to　take　his　place；　the　march　and　chorus　then　recommences；　and　so　the　game　goes　on　hour　after　hour。　Tupi　was　the　language　mostly　used；　but　sometimes　Portuguese　was　sung　and　spoken。　The　details　of　the　dance　were　often　varied。　Instead　of　the　names　of　fishes　being　called　over　by　the　person　in　the　middle；　the　name　of　some　animal；　flower；　or　other　object　was　given　to　every　fresh　occupier　of　the　place。　There　was　then　good　scope　for　wit　in　the　invention　of　nicknames；　and　peals　of　laughter　would　often　salute　some　particularly　good　hit。　Thus　a　very　lanky　young　man　was　called　the　Magoary；　or　the　grey　stork；　a　moist　grey…eyed　man　with　a　profile　comically　suggestive　of　a　fish　was　christened　Jaraki　（a　kind　of　fish）；　which　was　considered　quite　a　witty　sally；　a　little　Mameluco　girl；　with　light…coloured　eyes　and　brown　hair；　got　the　gallant　name　of　Rosa　Blanca；　or　the　white　rose；　a　young　fellow　who　had　recently　singed　his　eye　brows　by　the　explosion　of　fireworks；　was　dubbed　Pedro　queimado　（burnt　Peter）；　in　short　every　one　got　a　nickname；　and　each　time　the　cognomen　was　introduced　into　the　chorus　as　the　circle　marched　round。

Our　rancho　was　a　large　one；　and　was　erected　in　a　line　with　the　others　near　the　edge　of　the　sand…bank　which　sloped　rather　abruptly　to　the　water。　During　the　first　week　the　people　were　all；　more　or　less；　troubled　by　alligators。　Some　half…dozen　full…grown　ones　were　in　attendance　off　the　praia；　floating　about　on　the　lazily…flowing；　muddy　water。　The　dryness　of　the　weather　had　increased　since　we　had　left　Shimuni；　the　currents　had　slackened；　and　the　heat　in　the　middle　part　of　the　day　was　almost　insupportable。　But　no　one　could　descend　to　bathe　without　being　advanced　upon　by　one　or　other　of　these　hungry　monsters。　There　was　much　offal　cast　into　the　river；　and　this；　of　course；　attracted　them　to　the　place。　One　day　I　amused　myself　by　taking　a　basketful　of　fragments　of　meat　beyond　the　line　of　ranchos；　and　drawing　the　alligators　towards　me　by　feeding　them。　They　behaved　pretty　much　as　dogs　do　when　fed　catching　the　bones　I　threw　them　in　their　huge　jaws；　and　coming　nearer　and　showing　increased　eagerness　after　every　morsel。　The　enormous　gape　of　their　mouths；　with　their　blood…red　lining　and　long　fringes　of　teeth；　and　the　uncouth　shapes　of　their　bodies；　made　a　picture　of　unsurpassable　ugliness。　I　once　or　twice　fired　a　heavy　charge　of　shot　at　them；　aiming　at　the　vulnerable　part　of　their　bodies；　which　is　a　small　space　situated　behind　the　eyes；　but　this　had　no　other　effect　than　to　make　them　give　a　hoarse　grunt　and　shake　themselves；　they　immediately　afterwards　turned　to　receive　another　bone　which　I　threw　to　them。

Everyday　these　visitors　became　bolder；　at　length　they　reached　a　pitch　of　impudence　that　was　quite　intolerable。　Cardozo　had　a　poodle　dog　named　Carlito；　which　some　grateful　traveller　whom　he　had　befriended　had　sent　him　from　Rio　Janeiro。　He　took　great　pride　in　this　dog；　keeping　it　well　sheared；　and　preserving　his　coat　as　white　as　soap　and　water　could　make　it。　We　slept　in　our　rancho　in　hammocks　slung　between　the　outer　posts；　a　large　wood　fire　（fed　with　a　kind　of　wood　abundant　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　which　keeps　alight　all　night）　being　made　in　the　middle；　by　the　side　of　which　slept　Carlito