the naturalist on the river amazons-第9部分

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　flexible　tail　like　that　of　certain　monkeys。　Many　other　similar　instances　could　be　enumerated；　but　I　will　mention　only　the　Geodephaga；　or　carnivorous　ground　beetles；　a　great　proportion　of　whose　genera　and　species　in　these　forest　regions　are；　by　the　structure　of　their　feet；　fitted　to　live　exclusively　on　the　branches　and　leaves　of　trees。

Many　of　the　woody　lianas　suspended　from　trees　are　not　climbers；　but　the　air…roots　of　epiphytous　plants　（Aroideae）；　which　sit　on　the　stronger　boughs　of　the　trees　above　and　hang　down　straight　as　plumb…lines。　Some　are　suspended　singly；　others　in　clusters；　some　reach　halfway　to　the　ground　and　others　touch　it；　striking　their　rootlets　into　the　earth。　The　underwood　in　this　part　of　the　forest　was　composed　partly　of　younger　trees　of　the　same　species　as　their　taller　neighbours；　and　partly　of　palms　of　many　species；　some　of　them　twenty　to　thirty　feet　in　height；　others　small　and　delicate；　with　stems　no　thicker　than　a　finger。　These　latter　（different　kinds　of　Bactris）　bore　small　bunches　of　fruit；　red　or　black；　often　containing　a　sweet；　grape…like　juice。

Further　on；　the　ground　became　more　swampy　and　we　had　some　difficulty　in　picking　our　way。　The　wild　banana　（Urania　Amazonica）　here　began　to　appear；　and；　as　it　grew　in　masses；　imparted　a　new　aspect　to　the　scene。　The　leaves　of　this　beautiful　plant　are　like　broad…sword　blades；　eight　feet　in　length　and　a　foot　broad；　they　rise　straight　upwards；　alternately；　from　the　top　of　a　stem　five　or　six　feet　high。　Numerous　kinds　of　plants　with　leaves　similar　in　shape　to　these　but　smaller　clothed　the　ground。　Amongst　them　were　species　of　Marantaceae；　some　of　which　had　broad　glossy　leaves；　with　long　leaf…stalks　radiating　from　joints　in　a　reed…like　stem。　The　trunks　of　the　trees　were　clothed　with　climbing　ferns；　and　Pothos　plants　with　large；　fleshy；　heart…shaped　leaves。　Bamboos　and　other　tall　grass　and　reed…like　plants　arched　over　the　pathway。　The　appearance　of　this　part　of　the　forest　was　strange　in　the　extreme；　description　can　convey　no　adequate　idea　of　it。　The　reader　who　has　visited　Kew　may　form　some　notion　by　conceiving　a　vegetation　like　that　in　the　great　palm…house；　spread　over　a　large　tract　of　swampy　ground；　but　he　must　fancy　it　mingled　with　large　exogenous　trees　similar　to　our　oaks　and　elms　covered　with　creepers　and　parasites；　and　figure　to　himself　the　ground　encumbered　with　fallen　and　rotting　trunks；　branches；　and　leaves；　the　whole　illuminated　by　a　glowing　vertical　sun；　and　reeking　with　moisture。

At　length　we　emerged　from　the　forest；　on　the　banks　of　the　Una；　near　its　mouth。　It　was　here　about　one　hundred　yards　wide。　The　residence　of　Senor　Danin　stood　on　the　opposite　shore；　a　large　building；　whitewashed　and　red…tiled　as　usual；　raised　on　wooden　piles　above　the　humid　ground。　The　second　story　was　the　part　occupied　by　the　family；　and　along　it　was　an　open　verandah；　where　people；　both　male　and　female；　were　at　work。　Below　were　several　negroes　employed　carrying　clay　on　their　heads。　We　called　out　for　a　boat；　and　one　of　them　crossed　over　to　fetch　us。　Senor　Danin　received　us　with　the　usual　formal　politeness　of　the　Portuguese；　he　spoke　English　very　well；　and　after　we　had　arranged　our　business；　we　remained　conversing　with　him　on　various　subjects　connected　with　the　country。　Like　all　employers　in　this　province；　he　was　full　of　one　topicthe　scarcity　of　hands。　It　appeared　that　he　had　made　great　exertions　to　introduce　white　labour；　but　had　failed；　after　having　brought　numbers　of　men　from　Portugal　and　other　countries　under　engagement　to　work　for　him。　They　all　left　him　one　by　one　soon　after　their　arrival。　The　abundance　of　unoccupied　land；　the　liberty　that　exists；　a　state　of　things　produced　by　the　half…wild　canoe…life　of　the　people；　and　the　case　with　which　a　mere　subsistence　can　be　obtained　with　moderate　work；　tempt　even　the　best…disposed　to　quit　regular　labour　as　soon　as　they　can。　He　complained　also　of　the　dearness　of　slaves；　owing　to　the　prohibition　of　the　African　traffic；　telling　us　that　formerly　a　slave　could　be　bought　for　120　dollars；　whereas　they　are　now　difficult　to　procure　at　400　dollars。

Mr。　Danin　told　us　that　he　had　travelled　in　England　and　the　United　States；　and　that　he　had　now　two　sons　completing　their　education　in　those　countries。　I　afterwards　met　with　many　enterprising　persons　of　Mr。　Danin's　order；　both　Brazilians　and　Portuguese；　their　great　ambition　is　to　make　a　voyage　to　Europe　or　North　America；　and　to　send　their　sons　to　be　educated　there。　The　land　on　which　his　establishment　is　built；　he　told　us；　was　an　artificial　embankment　on　the　swamp；　the　end　of　the　house　was　built　on　a　projecting　point　overlooking　the　river；　so　that　a　good　view　was　obtained；　from　the　sitting…rooms；　of　the　city　and　the　shipping。　We　learned　there　was　formerly　a　large　and　flourishing　cattle　estate　on　this　spot；　with　an　open　grassy　space　like　a　park。　On　Sundays；　gay　parties　of　forty　or　fifty　persons　used　to　come　by　land　and　water；　in　carriages　and　gay　galliotas；　to　spend　the　day　with　the　hospitable　owner。　Since　the　political　disorders　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　decay　had　come　upon　this　as　on　most　other　large　establishments　in　the　country。　The　cultivated　grounds；　and　the　roads　leading　to　them；　were　now　entirely　overgrown　with　dense　forest。　When　we　were　ready　to　depart；　Senor　Danin　lent　a　canoe　and　two　negroes　to　take　us　to　the　city；　where　we　arrived　in　the　evening　after　a　day　rich　in　new　experiences。

Shortly　afterwards；　we　took　possession　of　our　new　residence。　The　house　was　a　square　building；　consisting　of　four　equal…sized　rooms；　the　tiled　roof　projected　all　round；　so　as　to　form　a　broad　verandah；　cool　and　pleasant　to　sit　and　work　in。　The　cultivated　ground；　which　appeared　as　if　newly　cleared　from　the　forest；　was　planted　with　fruit　trees　and　small　plots　of　coffee　and　mandioca。　The　entrance　to　the　grounds　was　by　an　iron…grille　gateway　from　a　grassy　square；　around　which　were　built　the　few　houses　and　palm…　thatched　huts　which　then　constituted　the　village。　The　most　important　building　was　the　chapel　of　our　Lady　of　Nazareth；　which　stood　opposite　our　place。　The　saint　here　enshrined　was　a　great　favourite　with　all　orthodox　Paraenses；　who　attributed　to　her　the　performance　of　many　miracles。　The　image　was　to　be　seen　on　the　altar；　a　handsome　doll　about　four　feet　high；　wearing　a　silver　crown　and　a　garment　of　blue　silk；　studded　with　golden　stars。　In　and　about　the　chapel　were　the　offerings　that　had　been　made　to　her；　proofs　of　the　miracles　which　she　had　performed。　There　were　models　of　legs；　arms；　breasts；　and　so　forth；　which　she　had　cured。　But　most　curious　of　all　was　a　ship's　boat；　deposited　here　by　the　crew　of　a　Portuguese　vessel　which　had　foundered；　a　year　or　two　before　our　arrival；　in　a　squall　off　Cayenne；　part　of　them　having　been　saved　in　the　boat；　after　invoking　the　protection　of　the　saint　here　enshrined。　The　annual　festival　in　honour　of　our　Lady　of　Nazareth　is　the　greatest　of　the　Para　holidays；　many　persons　come　to　it　from　the　neighbouring　city　of　Maranham；　300　miles　distant。　Once　the　President　ordered　the　mail　steamer　to　be　delayed　two　days　at　Para　for　the　convenience　of　these　visitors。　The　popularity　of　the　festival　is　partly　owing　to　the　beautiful　weather　that　prevails　when　it　takes　place；　namely；　in　the　middle　of　the　fine　season；　on　the　ten　days　preceding　the　full　moon　in　October　or　November。　Para　is　then　seen　at　its　best。　The　weather　is　not　too　dry；　for　three　weeks　never　follow　in　succession　without　a　shower；　so　that　all　the　glory　of　verdure　and　flowers　can　be　enjoyed　with　clear　skies。　The　moonlit　nights　are　then　especially　beautiful；　the　atmosphere　is　transparently　clear；　and　the　light　sea…breeze　produces　an　agreeable　coolness。

We　now　settled　ourselves　for　a　few　months'　regular　work。　We　had　the　forest　on　three　sides　of　us；　it　was　the　end　of　the　wet　season；　most　species　of　birds　had　finished　moulting；　and　every　day　the　insects　increased　in　number　and　variety。　Behind　the　rocinha；　after　several　days'　exploration；　I　found　a　series　of　pathways　through　the　woods；　which　led　to　the　Una　road；　about　half　way　was　the　house　in　which　the　celebrated　travellers　Spix　and　Martius　resided　during　their　stay　at　Para；　in　1819。　It　was　now　in　a　neglected　condition；　and　the　plantations　were　overgrown　with　bushes。　The　paths　hereabout　were　very　productive　of　insects；　and　being　entirely　under　shade；　were　very　pleasant　for　strolling。　Close　to　our　doors　began　the　main　forest　road。　It　was　broad　enough　for　two　horsemen　abreast；　and　branched　off　in　three　directions；　the　main　line　going　to　the　village　of　Ourem；　a　distance　of　fifty　miles。　This　road　formerly　extended　to　Maranham；　but　it　had　been　long　in　disuse　and　was　now　grown　up；　being　scarcely　passable　between　Para　and　Ourem。

Our　researches　were　made　in　various　directions　along　these　paths；　and　every　day　produced　us　a　number　of　new　and　interesting　species。　Collecting；　preparing　our　specimens；　and　making　notes；　kept　us　well　occupied。　One　day　was　so　much　like　another；　that　a　general　description　of　the　diurnal　round　of　incidents；　including　the　sequence　of　natural　phenomena；　will　be　sufficient　to　give　an　idea　of　how　days　pass　to　naturalists　under　the　equator。

We　used　to　rise　soon　after　dawn；　when　Isidoro　would　go　down　to　the　city；　after　supplying　us　with　a　cup　of　coffee；　to　purchase　the　fresh　provisions　for　the　day。　The　two　hours　before　breakfast　were　devoted　to　ornithology。　At　that　early　period　of　the　day　the　sky　was　invariably　cloudless　（the　thermometer　marking　72　or　73　Fahr。）；　the　heavy　dew　or　the　previous　night's　rain；　which　lay　on　the　moist　foliage；　becoming　quickly　dissipated　by　the　glowing　sun；　which　rising　straight　out　of　the　east；　mounted　rapidly　towards　the　zenith。　All　nature　was　fresh；　new　leaf　and　flower…　buds　expanding　rapidly。　Some　mornings　a　single　tree　would　appear　in　flower　amidst　what　was　the　preceding　evening　a　uniform　green　mass　of　foresta　dome　of　blossom　suddenly　created　as　if　by　magic。　The　birds　were　all　active；　from　the　wild…fruit　trees；　not　far　off；　we　often　heard　the　shrill　yelping　of　the　Toucans　（Ramphastos　vitellinus）。　Small　flocks　of　parrots　flew　over　on　most　mornings；　at　a　great　height；　appearing　in　distinct　relief　against　the　blue　sky；　always　two…by…two　chattering　to　each　other；　the　pairs　being　separated　by　regular　intervals；　their　bright　colours；　however；　were　not　app