the naturalist on the river amazons-第82部分

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eaving　the　encampment　asleep；　and　travelled　at　a　good　pace　up　the　northern　channel　of　the　Solimoens；　or　that　lying　between　the　island　Catua　and　the　left　bank　of　the　river。　The　northern　shore　of　the　island　had　a　broad　sandy　beach　reaching　to　its　western　extremity。　We　gained　our　destination　a　little　after　daybreak；　this　was　the　banks　of　the　Carapanatuba；　＇Meaning；　in　Tupi；　the　river　of　many　mosquitoes：　from　carapana；　mosquito；　and　ituba；　many。＇　a　channel　some　150　yards　in　width；　which；　like　the　Anana　already　mentioned；　communicates　with　the　Cupiyo。　To　reach　this　we　had　to　cross　the　river；　here　nearly　two　miles　wide。　Just　as　day　dawned　we　saw　a　Cayman　seize　a　large　fish；　a　Tambaki；　near　the　surface；　the　reptile　seemed　to　have　a　difficulty　in　securing　its　prey；　for　it　reared　itself　above　the　water；　tossing　the　fish　in　its　jaws　and　making　a　tremendous　commotion。　I　was　much　struck　also　by　the　singular　appearance　presented　by　certain　diving　birds　having　very　long　and　snaky　necks　（the　Plotus　Anhinga）。　Occasionally　a　long　serpentine　form　would　suddenly　wriggle　itself　to　a　height　of　a　foot　and　a　half　above　the　glassy　surface　of　the　water；　producing　such　a　deceptive　imitation　of　a　snake　that　at　first　I　had　some　difficulty　in　believing　it　to　be　the　neck　of　a　bird；　it　did　not　remain　long　in　view；　but　soon　plunged　again　beneath　the　stream。

We　ran　ashore　in　a　most　lonely　and　gloomy　place；　on　a　low　sand…　bank　covered　with　bushes；　secured　the　montaria　to　a　tree；　and　then；　after　making　a　very　sparing　breakfast　on　fried　fish　and　mandioca　meal；　rolled　up　our　trousers　and　plunged　into　the　thick　forest；　which　here；　as　everywhere　else；　rose　like　a　lofty　wall　of　foliage　from　the　narrow　strip　of　beach。　We　made　straight　for　the　heart　of　the　land；　John　Jabuti　leading；　and　breaking　off　at　every　few　steps　a　branch　of　the　lower　trees；　so　that　we　might　recognise　the　path　on　our　return。　The　district　was　quite　new　to　all　my　companions；　and　being　on　a　coast　almost　totally　uninhabited　by　human　beings　for　some　300　miles；　to　lose　our　way　would　have　been　to　perish　helplessly。　I　did　not　think　at　the　time　of　the　risk　we　ran　of　having　our　canoe　stolen　by　passing　Indians；　unguarded　montarias　being　never　safe　even　in　the　ports　of　the　villages；　Indians　apparently　considering　them　common　property；　and　stealing　them　without　any　compunction。　No　misgivings　clouded　the　lightness　of　heart　with　which　we　trod　forward　in　warm　anticipation　of　a　good　day's　sport。

The　tract　of　forest　through　which　we　passed　was　Ygapo；　but　the　higher　parts　of　the　land　formed　areas　which　went　only　a　very　few　inches　under　water　in　the　flood　season。　It　consisted　of　a　most　bewildering　diversity　of　grand　and　beautiful　trees；　draped；　festooned；　corded；　matted；　and　ribboned　with　climbing　plants；　woody　and　succulent；　in　endless　variety。　The　most　prevalent　palm　was　the　tall　Astryocaryum　Jauari；　whose　fallen　spines　made　it　necessary　to　pick　our　way　carefully　over　the　ground；　as　we　were　all　barefooted。　There　was　not　much　green　underwood；　except　in　places　where　Bamboos　grew；　these　formed　impenetrable　thickets　of　plumy　foliage　and　thorny；　jointed　stems；　which　always　compelled　us　to　make　a　circuit　to　avoid　them。　The　earth　elsewhere　was　encumbered　with　rotting　fruits；　gigantic　bean…pods；　leaves；　limbs；　and　trunks　of　trees；　fixing　the　impression　of　its　being　the　cemetery　as　well　as　the　birthplace　of　the　great　world　of　vegetation　overhead。　Some　of　the　trees　were　of　prodigious　height。　We　passed　many　specimens　of　the　Moratinga；　whose　cylindrical　trunks；　I　dare　not　say　how　many　feet　in　circumference；　towered　up　and　were　lost　amidst　the　crowns　of　the　lower　trees；　their　lower　branches；　in　some　cases；　being　hidden　from　our　view。　Another　very　large　and　remarkable　tree　was　the　Assacu　（Sapium　aucuparium）。　A　traveller　on　the　Amazons；　mingling　with　the　people；　is　sure　to　hear　much　of　the　poisonous　qualities　of　the　juices　of　this　tree。　Its　bark　exudes；　when　hacked　with　a　knife；　a　milky　sap；　which　is　not　only　a　fatal　poison　when　taken　internally；　but　is　said　to　cause　incurable　sores　if　simply　sprinkled　on　the　skin。　My　companions　always　gave　the　Assacu　a　wide　berth　when　we　passed　one。　The　tree　looks　ugly　enough　to　merit　a　bad　name；　for　the　bark　is　of　a　dingy　olive　colour；　and　is　studded　with　short　and　sharp；　venomous…looking　spines。

After　walking　about　half　a　mile　we　came　upon　a　dry　watercourse；　where　we　observed；　first；　the　old　footmarks　of　a　tapir；　and；　soon　after；　on　the　margin　of　a　curious　circular　hole　full　of　muddy　water；　the　fresh　tracks　of　a　Jaguar。　This　latter　discovery　was　hardly　made　when　a　rush　was　heard　amidst　the　bushes　on　the　top　of　a　sloping　bank　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　dried　creek。　We　bounded　forward；　it　was；　however；　too　late；　for　the　animal　had　sped　in　a　few　minutes　far　out　of　our　reach。　It　was　clear　we　had　disturbed；　on　our　approach；　the　Jaguar；　while　quenching　his　thirst　at　the　water…hole。　A　few　steps　further　on　we　saw　the　mangled　remains　of　an　alligator　（the　Jacaretinga）。　The　head；　forequarters；　and　bony　shell　were　the　only　parts　which　remained；　but　the　meat　was　quite　fresh；　and　there　were　many　footmarks　of　the　Jaguar　around　the　carcase　so　that　there　was　no　doubt　this　had　formed　the　solid　part　of　the　animal's　breakfast。　My　companions　now　began　to　search　for　the　alligator's　nest；　the　presence　of　the　reptile　so　far　from　the　river　being　accountable　for　on　no　other　ground　than　its　maternal　solicitude　for　its　eggs。　We　found；　in　fact；　the　nest　at　the　distance　of　a　few　yards　from　the　place。　It　was　a　conical　pile　of　dead　leaves；　in　the　middle　of　which　twenty　eggs　were　buried。　These　were　of　elliptical　shape；　considerably　larger　than　those　of　a　duck；　and　having　a　hard　shell　of　the　texture　of　porcelain；　but　very　rough　on　the　outside。　They　make　a　loud　sound　when　rubbed　together；　and　it　is　said　that　it　is　easy　to　find　a　mother　alligator　in　the　Ygapo　forests　by　rubbing　together　two　eggs　in　this　way；　she　being　never　far　off；　and　attracted　by　the　sounds。

I　put　half…a…dozen　of　the　alligator's　eggs　in　my　game…bag　for　specimens；　and　we　then　continued　on　our　way。　Lino；　who　was　now　first；　presently　made　a　start　backwards；　calling　out　〃Jararaca！〃　This　is　the　name　of　a　poisonous　snake　（genus　Craspedocephalus）；　which　is　far　more　dreaded　by　the　natives　than　Jaguar　or　Alligator。　The　individual　seen　by　Lino　lay　coiled　up　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　was　scarcely　distinguishable；　on　account　of　the　colours　of　its　body　being　assimilated　to　those　of　the　fallen　leaves。　Its　hideous；　flat　triangular　head；　connected　with　the　body　by　a　thin　neck；　was　reared　and　turned　towards　us：　Frazao　killed　it　with　a　charge　of　shot；　shattering　it　completely；　and　destroying；　to　my　regret；　its　value　as　a　specimen。　In　conversing　on　the　subject　of　Jararacas　as　we　walked　onwards；　every　one　of　the　party　was　ready　to　swear　that　this　snake　attacks　man　without　provocation；　leaping　towards　him　from　a　considerable　distance　when　he　approaches。　I　met；　in　the　course　of　my　daily　rambles　in　the　woods；　many　Jararacas；　and　once　or　twice　narrowly　very　escaped　treading　on　them；　but　never　saw　them　attempt　to　spring。　On　some　subjects　the　testimony　of　the　natives　of　a　wild　country　is　utterly　worthless。　The　bite　of　the　Jararacas　is　generally　fatal。　I　knew　of　four　or　five　instances　of　death　from　it；　and　only　of　one　clear　case　of　recovery　after　being　bitten；　but　in　that　case　the　person　was　lamed　for　life。

We　walked　over　moderately　elevated　and　dry　ground　for　about　a　mile；　and　then　descended　（three　or　four　feet　only）　to　the　dry　bed　of　another　creek。　This　was　pierced　in　the　same　way　as　the　former　water…course；　with　round　holes　full　of　muddy　water。　They　occurred　at　intervals　of　a　few　yards；　and　had　the　appearance　of　having　been　made　by　the　hand　of　man。　The　smallest　were　about　two　feet；　the　largest　seven　or　eight　feet　in　diameter。　As　we　approached　the　most　extensive　of　the　larger　ones；　I　was　startled　at　seeing　a　number　of　large　serpent…like　heads　bobbing　about　the　surface。　They　proved　to　be　those　of　electric　eels；　and　it　now　occurred　to　me　that　the　round　holes　were　made　by　these　animals　working　constantly　round　and　round　in　the　moist；　muddy　soil。　Their　depth　（some　of　them　were　at　least　eight　feet　deep）　was　doubtless　due　also　to　the　movements　of　the　eels　in　the　soft　soil；　and　accounted　for　their　not　drying　up；　in　the　fine　season；　with　the　rest　of　the　creek。　Thus；　while　alligators　and　turtles　in　this　great　inundated　forest　region　retire　to　the　larger　pools　during　the　dry　season；　the　electric　eels　make　for　themselves　little　ponds　in　which　to　pass　the　season　of　drought。

My　companions　now　cut　each　a　stout　pole；　and　proceeded　to　eject　the　eels　in　order　to　get　at　the　other　fishes；　with　which　they　had　discovered　the　ponds　to　abound。　I　amused　them　all　very　much　by　showing　how　the　electric　shock　from　the　eels　could　pass　from　one　person　to　another。　We　joined　hands　in　a　line　while　I　touched　the　biggest　and　freshest　of　the　animals　on　the　head　with　the　point　of　my　hunting…knife。　We　found　that　this　experiment　did　not　succeed　more　than　three　times　with　the　same　eel　when　out　of　the　water；　for；　the　fourth　time　the　shock　was　scarcely　perceptible。　All　the　fishes　found　in　the　holes　（besides　the　eels）　belonged　to　one　species；　a　small　kind　of　Acari；　or　Loricaria；　a　group　whose　members　have　a　complete　bony　integument。　Lino　and　the　boy　strung　them　together　through　the　gills　with　slender　sipos；　and　hung　them　on　the　trees　to　await　our　return　later　in　the　day。

Leaving　the　bed　of　the　creek；　we　marched　onwards；　always　towards　the　centre　of　the　land；　guided　by　the　sun；　which　now　glimmered　through　the　thick　foliage　overhead。　About　eleven　o'clock　we　saw　a　break　in　the　forest　before　us；　and　presently　emerged　on　the　banks　of　a　rather　large　sheet　of　water。　This　was　one　of　the　interior　pools　of　which　there　are　so　many　in　this　district。　The　margins　were　elevated　some　few　feet；　and　sloped　down　to　the　water；　the　ground　being　hard　and　dry　to　the　water's　edge；　and　covered　with　shrubby　vegetation。　We　passed　completely　round　this　pool；　finding　the　crowns　of　the　trees　on　its　borders　tenanted　by　curassow　birds；　whose　presence　was　betrayed　as　usual　by　the　peculiar　note　which　they　emit。　My　companions　shot　two　of　them。　At　the　further　end　of　the　lake　lay　a　deep　watercourse；　which　we　traced　for　about　half　a　mile；　and　found　to　com