the naturalist on the river amazons-第92部分

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e　on　at　full　speed；　men　being　stationed　on　the　look…out　at　the　prow；　to　watch　for　floating　logs；　and　one　man　placed　to　pass　orders　to　the　helmsman；　the　keel　scraped　against　a　sand…bank　only　once　during　the　passage。

The　passengers　were　chiefly　Peruvians；　mostly　thin；　anxious；　Yankee…looking　men；　who　were　returning　home　to　the　cities　of　Moyobamba　and　Chachapoyas；　on　the　Andes；　after　a　trading　trip　to　the　Brazilian　towns　on　the　Atlantic　seaboard；　whither　they　had　gone　six　months　previously；　with　cargoes　of　Panama　hats　to　exchange　for　European　wares。　These　hats　are　made　of　the　young　leaflets　of　a　palm　tree；　by　the　Indians　and　half…caste　people　who　inhabit　the　eastern　parts　of　Peru。　They　form　almost　the　only　article　of　export　from　Peru　by　way　of　the　Amazons；　but　the　money　value　is　very　great　compared　with　the　bulk　of　the　goods；　as　the　hats　are　generally　of　very　fine　quality；　and　cost　from　twelve　shillings　to　six　pounds　sterling　each；　some　traders　bring　down　two　or　three　thousand　pounds'　worth；　folded　into　small　compass　in　their　trunks。　The　return　cargoes　consist　of　hardware；　crockery；　glass；　and　other　bulky　or　heavy　goods；　but　not　of　cloth；　which；　being　of　light　weight；　can　be　carried　across　the　Andes　from　the　ports　on　the　Pacific　to　the　eastern　parts　of　Peru。　All　kinds　of　European　cloth　can　be　obtained　at　a　much　cheaper　rate　by　this　route　than　by　the　more　direct　way　of　the　Amazons；　the　import　duties　of　Peru　being；　as　I　was　told；　lower　than　those　of　Brazil；　and　the　difference　not　being　counter…balanced　by　increased　expense　of　transit；　on　account　of　weight；　over　the　passes　of　the　Andes。

There　was　a　great　lack　of　amusement　on　board。　The　table　was　very　well　served；　professed　cooks　being　employed　in　these　Amazonian　steamers；　and　fresh　meat　insured　by　keeping　on　deck　a　supply　of　live　bullocks　and　fowls；　which　are　purchased　whenever　there　is　an　opportunity　on　the　road。　The　river　scenery　was　similar　to　that　already　described　as　presented　between　the　Rio　Negro　and　Ega：　long　reaches　of　similar　aspect；　with　two　long；　low　lines　of　forest；　varied　sometimes　with　cliffs　of　red　clay；　appearing　one　after　the　other。　an　horizon　of　water　and　sky　on　some　days　limiting　the　view　both　up　stream　and　down。　We　travelled；　however；　always　near　the　bank；　and；　for　my　part；　I　was　never　weary　of　admiring　the　picturesque　grouping　and　variety　of　trees；　and　the　varied　mantles　of　creeping　plants　which　clothed　the　green　wall　of　forest　every　step　of　the　way。　With　the　exception　of　a　small　village　called　Fonte　Boa；　retired　from　the　main　river；　where　we　stopped　to　take　in　firewood；　and　which　I　shall　have　to　speak　of　presently；　we　saw　no　human　habitation　the　whole　of　the　distance。　The　mornings　were　delightfully　cool；　coffee　was　served　at　sunrise；　and　a　bountiful　breakfast　at　ten　o'clock；　after　that　hour　the　heat　rapidly　increased　until　it　became　almost　unbearable。　How　the　engine…drivers　and　firemen　stood　it　without　exhaustion　I　cannot　tell；　it　diminished　after　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　about　which　time　dinner…bell　rung；　and　the　evenings　were　always　pleasant。

November　11th　to　30th。The　Tunantins　is　a　sluggish　black…water　stream；　about　sixty　miles　in　length；　and　towards　its　mouth　from　100　to　200　yards　in　breadth。　The　vegetation　on　its　banks　has　a　similar　aspect　to　that　of　the　Rio　Negro；　the　trees　having　small　foliage　of　a　sombre　hue；　and　the　dark　piles　of　greenery　resting　on　the　surface　of　the　inky　water。　The　village　is　situated　on　the　left　bank；　about　a　mile　from　the　mouth　of　the　river；　and　contains　twenty　habitations；　nearly　all　of　which　are　merely　hovels；　built　of　lath…work　and　mud。　The　short　streets；　after　rain；　are　almost　impassable　on　account　of　the　many　puddles；　and　are　choked　up　with　weedsleguminous　shrubs；　and　scarlet…flowered　asclepias。　The　atmosphere　in　such　a　place；　hedged　in　as　it　is　by　the　lofty　forest；　and　surrounded　by　swamps；　is　always　close；　warm；　and　reeking；　and　the　hum　and　chirp　of　insects　and　birds　cause　a　continual　din。　The　small　patch　of　weedy　ground　around　the　village　swarms　with　plovers；　sandpipers；　striped　herons；　and　scissor…　tailed　fly…catchers；　and　alligators　are　always　seen　floating　lazily　on　the　surface　of　the　river　in　front　of　the　houses。

On　landing；　I　presented　myself　to　Senor　Paulo　Bitancourt；　a　good…　natured　half…caste；　director　of　Indians　of　the　neighbouring　river　Issa；　who　quickly　ordered　a　small　house　to　be　cleared　for　me。　This　exhilarating　abode　contained　only　one　room；　the　walls　of　which　were　disfigured　by　large　and　ugly　patches　of　mud；　the　work　of　white　ants。　The　floor　was　the　bare　earth；　dirty　and　damp；　the　wretched　chamber　was　darkened　by　a　sheet　of　calico　being　stretched　over　the　windows；　a　plan　adopted　here　to　keep　out　the　Pium…flies；　which　float　about　in　all　shady　places　like　thin　clouds　of　smoke；　rendering　all　repose　impossible　in　the　daytime　wherever　they　can　effect　an　entrance。　My　baggage　was　soon　landed；　and　before　the　steamer　departed　I　had　taken　gun；　insect…net；　and　game…bag；　to　make　a　preliminary　exploration　of　my　new　locality。

I　remained　here　nineteen　days；　and；　considering　the　shortness　of　the　time；　made　a　very　good　collection　of　monkeys；　birds；　and　insects。　A　considerable　number　of　the　species　（especially　of　insects）　were　different　from　those　of　the　four　other　stations；　which　I　examined　on　the　south　side　of　the　Solimoens；　and　as　many　of　these　were　〃representative　forms〃　＇Species　or　races　which　take　the　place　of　other　allied　species　or　races。＇　of　others　found　on　the　opposite　banks　of　the　broad　river；　I　concluded　that　there　could　have　been　no　land　connection　between　the　two　shores　during；　at　least；　the　recent　geological　period。　This　conclusion　is　confirmed　by　the　case　of　the　Uakari　monkeys；　described　in　the　last　chapter。　All　these　strongly　modified　local　races　of　insects　confined　to　one　side　of　the　Solimoens　（like　the　Uakaris）；　are　such　as　have　not　been　able　to　cross　a　wide　treeless　space　such　as　a　river。　The　acquisition　which　pleased　me　most；　in　this　place；　was　a　new　species　of　butterfly　（a　Catagramma）；　which　has　since　been　named　C。　excelsior；　owing　to　its　surpassing　in　size　and　beauty　all　the　previously…known　species　of　its　singularly　beautiful　genus。　The　upper　surface　of　the　wings　is　of　the　richest　blue；　varying　in　shade　with　the　play　of　light；　and　on　each　side　is　a　broad　curved　stripe　of　an　orange　colour。　It　is　a　bold　flyer；　and　is　not　confined；　as　I　afterwards　found；　to；　the　northern　side　of　the　river；　for　I　once　saw　a　specimen　amidst　a　number　of　richly…coloured　butterflies；　flying　about　the　deck　of　the　steamer　when　we　were　anchored　off　Fonte　Boa；　200　miles；　lower　down　the　river。

With　the　exception　of　three　Mameluco　families　and　a　stray　Portuguese　trader；　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　and　neighbourhood　are　semi…civilised　Indians　of　the　Shumana　and　Passe　tribes。　The　forests　of　the　Tunantins；　however；　are　inhabited　by　a　tribe　of　wild　Indians　called　Caishanas；　who　resemble　much；　in　their　social　condition　and　manners；　the　debased　Muras　of　the　Lower　Amazons；　and　have；　like　them；　shown　no　aptitude　for　civilised　life　in　any　shape。　Their　huts　commence　at　the　distance　of　an　hour's　walk　from　the　village；　along　gloomy　and　narrow　forest　paths。　My　first　and　only　visit　to　a　Caishana　dwelling　was　accidental。　One　day；　having　extended　my　walk　further　than　usual；　and　followed　one　of　the　forest…roads　until　it　became　a　mere　picada；　or　hunters'　track；　I　came　suddenly　upon　a　well…trodden　pathway；　bordered　on　each　side　with　Lycopodia　of　the　most　elegant　shapes；　the　tips　of　the　fronds　stretching　almost　like　tendrils　down　the　little　earthy　slopes　which　formed　the　edge　of　the　path。　The　road；　though　smooth；　was　narrow　and　dark；　and　in　many　places　blocked　up　by　trunks　of　felled　trees；　which　had　been　apparently　thrown　across　by　the　timid　Indians　on　purpose　to　obstruct　the　way　to　their　habitations。　Half…a…mile　of　this　shady　road　brought　me　to　a　small　open　space　on　the　banks　of　a　brook　or　creek；　on　the　skirts　of　which　stood　a　conical　hut　with　a　very　low　doorway。　There　was　also　an　open　shed；　with　stages　made　of　split　palm…　stems；　and　a　number　of　large　wooden　troughs。　Two　or　three　dark…　skinned　children；　with　a　man　and　woman；　were　in　the　shed；　but；　immediately　on　espying　me；　all　of　them　ran　to　the　hut；　bolting　through　the　little　doorway　like　so　many　wild　animals　scared　into　their　burrows。　A　few　moments　after；　the　man　put　his　head　out　with　a　look　of　great　distrust；　but；　on　my　making　the　most　friendly　gestures　I　could　think　of；　he　came　forth　with　the　children。　They　were　all　smeared　with　black　mud　and　paint；　the　only　clothing　of　the　elders　was　a　kind　of　apron　made　of　the　inner　bark　of　the　sapucaya…tree；　and　the　savage　aspect　of　the　man　was　heightened　by　his　hair　hanging　over　his　forehead　to　the　eyes。　I　stayed　about　two　hours　in　the　neighbourhood；　the　children　gaining　sufficient　confidence　to　come　and　help　me　to　search　for　insects。　The　only　weapon　used　by　the　Caishanas　is　the　blow…gun；　and　this　is　employed　only　in　shooting　animals　for　food。　They　are　not　a　warlike　people；　like　most　of　the　neighbouring　tribes　on　the　Japura　and　Issa。

The　whole　tribe　of　Caishanas　does　not　exceed　400　souls　in　number。　None　of　them　are　baptised　Indians；　and　they　do　not　dwell　in　villages；　like　the　more　advanced　sections　of　the　Tupi　stock；　but　each　family　has　its　own　solitary　hut。　They　are　quite　harmless；　do　not　practise　tattooing；　or　perforate　their　ears　and　noses　in　any　way。　Their　social　condition　is　of　a　low　type；　very　little　removed；　indeed；　from　that　of　the　brutes　living　in　the　same　forests。　They　do　not　appear　to　obey　any　common　chief；　and　I　could　not　make　out　that　they　had　Pajes；　or　medicine…men；　those　rudest　beginnings　of　a　priest　class。　Symbolical　or　masked　dances；　and　ceremonies　in　honour　of　the　Jurupari；　or　demon；　customs　which　prevail　among　all　the　surrounding　tribes；　are　unknown　to　the　Caishanas。　There　is　among　them　a　trace　of　festival　keeping；　but　the　only　ceremony　used　is　the　drinking　of　cashiri　beer；　and　fermented　liquors　made　of　Indian…corn；　bananas；　and　so　forth。　These　affairs；　however；　are　conducted　in　a　degenerate　style；　for　they　do　not　drink　to　intoxication；　or　sustain　the　orgies　for　several　days　and　nights　in　succession；　like　the　Juris　Passes；　and　Tucunas。　The　men　play　a　musical　instrument；　made　of　pieces　of　stem　of　the　arrow…grass　cut　in　diff