the naturalist on the river amazons-第84部分

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up　with　ruddy　gleams　the　magnificent　foliage　in　the　black　shades　around　our　encampment。　The　heat　and　smoke　had　the　desired　effect　of　keeping　off　pretty　well　the　mosquitoes；　but　the　rain　continued　until　at　length　everything　was　soaked；　and　we　had　no　help　for　it　but　to　bundle　off　to　the　canoes　with　drenched　hammocks　and　garments。　There　was　not　nearly　room　enough　in　the　flotilla　to　accommodate　so　large　a　number　of　persons　lying　at　full　length；　moreover　the　night　was　pitch　dark；　and　it　was　quite　impossible　in　the　gloom　and　confusion　to　get　at　a　change　of　clothing。　So　there　we　lay；　huddled　together　in　the　best　way　we　could　arrange　ourselves；　exhausted　with　fatigue　and　irritated　beyond　all　conception　by　clouds　of　mosquitoes。　I　slept　on　a　bench　with　a　sail　over　me；　my　wet　clothes　clinging　to　my　body；　and　to　increase　my　discomfort；　close　beside　me　lay　an　Indian　girl；　one　of　Cardozo's　domestics；　who　had　a　skin　disfigured　with　black　diseased　patches；　and　whose　thick　clothing；　not　having　been　washed　during　the　whole　time　we　had　been　out　（eighteen　days）；　gave　forth　a　most　vile　effluvium。

We　spent　the　night　of　the　7th　of　November　pleasantly　on　the　smooth　sands；　where　the　jaguars　again　serenaded　us；　and　on　the　succeeding　morning　we　commenced　our　return　voyage　to　Ega。　We　first　doubled　the　upper　end　of　the　island　of　Catua；　and　then　struck　off　for　the　right　bank　of　the　Solimoens。　The　river　was　here　of　immense　width；　and　the　current　was　so　strong　in　the　middle　that　it　required　the　most　strenuous　exertions　on　the　part　of　our　paddlers　to　prevent　us　from　being　carried　miles　away　down　the　stream。　At　night　we　reached　the　Juteca；　a　small　river　which　enters　the　Solimoens　by　a　channel　so　narrow　that　a　man　might　almost　jump　across　it；　but　a　furlong　inwards　expands　into　a　very　pretty　lake　several　miles　in　circumference。　We　slept　again　in　the　forest；　and　again　were　annoyed　by　rain　and　mosquitoes；　but　this　time　Cardozo　and　I　preferred　remaining　where　we　were　to　mingling　with　the　reeking　crowd　in　the　boats。　When　the　grey　dawn　arose　a　steady　rain　was　still　falling；　and　the　whole　sky　had　a　settled；　leaden　appearance；　but　it　was　delightfully　cool。　We　took　our　net　into　the　lake　and　gleaned　a　good　supply　of　delicious　fish　for　breakfast。　I　saw　at　the　upper　end　of　this　lake　the　native　rice　of　this　country　growing　wild。

The　weather　cleared　up　at　ten　o'clock　a。m。　At　three　p。m。　we　arrived　at　the　mouth　of　the　Cayambe；　another　tributary　stream　much　larger　than　the　Juteca。　The　channel　of　exit　to　the　Solimoens　was　here　also　very　narrow；　but　the　expanded　river　inside　is　of　vast　dimensions：　it　forms　a　lake　（I　may　safely　venture　to　say）；　several　score　miles　in　circumference。　Although　prepared　for　these　surprises；　I　was　quite　taken　aback　in　this　case。　We　had　been　paddling　all　day　along　a　monotonous　shore；　with　the　dreary　Solimoens　before　us；　here　three　to　four　miles　broad；　heavily　rolling　onward　its　muddy　waters。　We　come　to　a　little　gap　in　the　earthy　banks；　and　find　a　dark；　narrow　inlet　with　a　wall　of　forest　overshadowing　it　on　each　side；　we　enter　it；　and　at　a　distance　of　two　or　three　hundred　yards　a　glorious　sheet　of　water　bursts　upon　the　view。　The　scenery　of　Cayambe　is　very　picturesque。　The　land；　on　the　two　sides　visible　of　the　lake；　is　high；　and　clothed　with　sombre　woods；　varied　here　and　there　with　a　white…washed　house；　in　the　middle　of　a　green　patch　of　clearing；　belonging　to　settlers。　In　striking　contrast　to　these　dark；　rolling　forests；　is　the　vivid；　light　green　and　cheerful　foliage　of　the　woods　on　the　numerous　islets　which　rest　like　water…gardens　on　the　surface　of　the　lake。　Flocks　of　ducks；　storks；　and　snow…white　herons　inhabit　these　islets；　and　a　noise　of　parrots　with　the　tingling　chorus　of　Tamburi…paras　was　heard　from　them　as　we　passed。　This　has　a　cheering　effect　after　the　depressing　stillness　and　absence　of　life　in　the　woods　on　the　margins　of　the　main　river。

Cardozo　and　I　took　a　small　boat　and　crossed　the　lake　to　visit　one　of　the　settlers；　and　on　our　return　to　our　canoe；　while　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　a　squall　suddenly　arose　in　the　direction　towards　which　we　were　going；　so　that　for　a　whole　hour　we　were　in　great　danger　of　being　swamped。　The　wind　blew　away　the　awning　and　mats；　and　lashed　the　waters　into　foam；　the　waves　rising　to　a　great　height。　Our　boat；　fortunately；　was　excellently　constructed；　rising　well　towards　the　prow；　so　that　with　good　steering　we　managed　to　head　the　billows　as　they　arose；　and　escaped　without　shipping　much　water。　We　reached　our　igarite　at　sunset；　and　then　made　all　speed　to　Curubaru；　fifteen　miles　distant；　to　encamp　for　the　night　on　the　sands。　We　reached　the　praia　at　ten　o'clock。　The　waters　were　now　mounting　fast　upon　the　sloping　beach；　and　we　found　on　dragging　the　net　next　morning　that　fish　was　beginning　to　be　scarce。　Cardozo　and　his　friends　talked　quite　gloomily　at　breakfast　time　over　the　departure　of　the　joyous　verao；　and　the　setting　in　of　the　dull；　hungry　winter　season。

At　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　the　10th　of　November　a　light　wind　from　down　river　sprang　up；　and　all　who　had　sails　hoisted　them。　It　was　the　first　time　during　our　trip　that　we　had　had　occasion　to　use　our　sails；　so　continual　is　the　calm　on　this　upper　river。　We　bowled　along　merrily；　and　soon　entered　the　broad　channel　lying　between　Baria　and　the　mainland　on　the　south　bank。　The　wind　carried　us　right　into　the　mouth　of　the　Teffe　and　at　four　o'clock　p。m。　we　cast　anchor　in　the　port　of　Ega。


CHAPTER　XII

ANIMALS　OF　THE　NEIGHBOURHOOD　OF　EGA

Scarlet…faced　MonkeysParauacu　MonkeyOwl…faced　Night…apes　MarmosetsJupuraBatsBirdsCuvier's　ToucanCurl…crested　ToucanInsectsPendulous　CocoonsForaging　AntsBlind　Ants

As　may　have　been　gathered　from　the　remarks　already　made；　the　neighbourhood　of　Ega　was　a　fine　field　for　a　Natural　History　collector。　With　the　exception　of　what　could　be　learned　from　the　few　specimens　brought　home；　after　transient　visits　by　Spix　and　Martius　and　the　Count　de　Castelnau；　whose　acquisitions　have　been　deposited　in　the　public　museums　of　Munich　and　Paris；　very　little　was　known　in　Europe　of　the　animal　tenants　of　this　region；　the　collections　that　I　had　the　opportunity　of　making　and　sending　home　attracted；　therefore；　considerable　attention。　Indeed；　the　name　of　my　favourite　village　has　become　quite　a　household　word　among　a　numerous　class　of　Naturalists；　not　only　in　England　but　abroad；　in　consequence　of　the　very　large　number　of　new　species　（upwards　of　3000）　which　they　have　had　to　describe；　with　the　locality　〃Ega〃　attached　to　them。　The　discovery　of　new　species；　however；　forms　but　a　small　item　in　the　interest　belonging　to　the　study　of　the　living　creation。　The　structure；　habits；　instincts；　and　geographical　distribution　of　some　of　the　oldest…known　forms　supply　inexhaustible　materials　for　reflection。　The　few　remarks　I　have　to　make　on　the　animals　of　Ega　will　relate　to　the　mammals；　birds；　and　insects；　and　will　sometimes　apply　to　the　productions　of　the　whole　Upper　Amazons　region。　We　will　begin　with　the　monkeys；　the　most　interesting；　next　to　man；　of　all　animals。

Scarlet…faced　MonkeysEarly　one　sunny　morning；　in　the　year　1855；　I　saw　in　the　streets　of　Ega　a　number　of　Indians；　carrying　on　their　shoulders　down　to　the　port；　to　be　embarked　on　the　Upper　Amazons　steamer；　a　large　cage　made　of　strong　lianas；　some　twelve　feet　in　length　and　five　in　height；　containing　a　dozen　monkeys　of　the　most　grotesque　appearance。　Their　bodies　（about　eighteen　inches　in　height；　exclusive　of　limbs）　were　clothed　from　neck　to　tail　with　very　long；　straight；　and　shining　whitish　hair；　their　heads　were　nearly　bald；　owing　to　the　very　short　crop　of　thin　grey　hairs；　and　their　faces　glowed　with　the　most　vivid　scarlet　hue。　As　a　finish　to　their　striking　physiognomy；　they　had　bushy　whiskers　of　a　sandy　colour；　meeting　under　the　chin；　and　reddish…yellow　eyes。　These　red…faced　apes　belonged　to　a　species　called　by　the　Indians　Uakari；　which　is　peculiar　to　the　Ega　district；　and　the　cage　with　its　contents　was　being　sent　as　a　present　by　Senor　Chrysostomo；　the　Director　of　Indians　of　the　Japura；　to　one　of　the　Government　officials　at　Rio　Janeiro；　in　acknowledgment　of　having　been　made　colonel　of　the　new　National　Guard。　They　had　been　obtained　with　great　difficulty　in　the　forests　which　cover　the　lowlands　near　the　principal　mouth　of　the　Japura；　about　thirty　miles　from　Ega。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　seen　this　most　curious　of　all　the　South　American　monkeys；　and　one　that　appears　to　have　escaped　the　notice　of　Spix　and　Martius。　I　afterwards　made　a　journey　to　the　district　inhabited　by　it；　but　did　not　then　succeed　in　obtaining　specimens；　before　leaving　the　country；　however；　I　acquired　two　individuals；　one　of　which　lived　in　my　house　for　several　weeks。

The　scarlet…faced　monkey　belongs；　in　all　essential　points　of　structure；　to　the　same　family　（Cebidae）　as　the　rest　of　the　large…　sized　American　species；　but　it　differs　from　all　its　relatives　in　having　only　the　rudiment　of　a　tail；　a　member　which　reaches　in　some　allied　kinds　the　highest　grade　of　development　known　in　the　order。　It　was　so　unusual　to　see　a　nearly　tailless　monkey　from　America；　that　naturalists　thought；　when　the　first　specimens　arrived　in　Europe；　that　the　member　had　been　shortened　artificially。　Nevertheless；　the　Uakari　is　not　quite　isolated　from　its　related　species　of　the　same　family；　several　other　kinds；　also　found　on　the　Amazons；　forming　a　graduated　passage　between　the　extreme　forms　as　regards　the　tail。　The　appendage　reaches　its　perfection　in　those　genera　（the　Howlers；　the　Lagothrix　and　the　Spider　monkeys）　in　which　it　presents　on　its　under…surface　near　the　tip　a　naked　palm；　which　makes　it　sensitive　and　useful　as　a　fifth　hand　in　climbing。　In　the　rest　of　the　genera　of　Cebidae　（seven　in　number；　containing　thirty…eight　species）；　the　tail　is　weaker　in　structure；　entirely　covered　with　hair；　and　of　little　or　no　service　in　climbing；　a　few　species　nearly　related　to　our　Uakari　having　it　much　shorter　than　usual。　All　the　Cebidae；　both　long…tailed　and　short…tailed；　are　equally　dwellers　in　trees。　The　scarlet…faced　monkey　lives　in　forests；　which　are　inundated　during　great　part　of　the　year；　and　is　never　known　to　descend　to　the　ground；　the　shortness　of　its　tail　is；　therefore；　no　sign　of　terrestrial　habits；　as　it　is　in　the　Macaques　and　Baboons　of　the　Old　World。　It　differs　a　little　from　the　typical　Cebida