the naturalist on the river amazons-第93部分

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nd　Tucunas。　The　men　play　a　musical　instrument；　made　of　pieces　of　stem　of　the　arrow…grass　cut　in　different　lengths　and　arranged　like　Pan…pipes。　With　this　they　wile　away　whole　hours；　lolling　in　ragged；　bast　hammocks　slung　in　their　dark；　smoky　huts。　The　Tunantins　people　say　that　the　Caishanas　have　persecuted　the　wild　animals　and　birds　to　such　an　extent　near　their　settlements　that　there　is　now　quite　a　scarcity　of　animal　food。　If　they　kill　a　Toucan；　it　is　considered　an　important　event；　and　the　bird　is　made　to　serve　as　a　meal　for　a　score　or　more　persons。　They　boil　the　meat　in　earthenware　kettles　filled　with　Tucupi　sauce；　and　eat　it　with　beiju；　or　mandioca…cakes。　The　women　are　not　allowed　to　taste　of　the　meat；　but　forced　to　content　themselves　with　sopping　pieces　of　cake　in　the　liquor。

November　30thI　left　Tunantins　in　a　trading　schooner　of　eighty　tons　burthen　belonging　to　Senor　Batalha；　a　tradesman　of　Ega；　which　had　been　out　all　the　summer　collecting　produce；　and　was　commanded　by　a　friend　of　mine；　a　young　Paraense；　named　Francisco　Raiol。　We　arrived；　on　the　3rd　of　December；　at　the　mouth　of　the　Jutahi；　a　considerable　stream　about　half　a　mile　broad；　and　flowing　with　a　very　sluggish　current。　This　is　one　of　the　series　of　six　rivers；　from　400　to　1000　miles　in　length；　which　flow　from　the　southwest　through　unknown　lands　lying　between　Bolivia　and　the　Upper　Amazons；　and　enter　this　latter　river　between　the　Madeira　and　the　Ucayali。　We　remained　at　anchor　four　days　within　the　mouth　of　the　Sapo；　a　small　tributary　of　the　Jutahi　flowing　from　the　southeast；　Senor　Raiol　having　to　send　an　igarite　to　the　Cupatana；　a　large　tributary　some　few　miles　farther　up　the　river；　to　fetch　a　cargo　of　salt…fish。　During　this　time　we　made　several　excursions　in　the　montaria　to　various　places　in　the　neighbourhood。　Our　longest　trip　was　to　some　Indian　houses；　a　distance　of　fifteen　or　eighteen　miles　up　the　Sapo；　a　journey　made　with　one　Indian　paddler；　and　occupying　a　whole　day。　The　stream　is　not　more　than　forty　or　fifty　yards　broad；　its　waters　are　darker　in　colour　than　those　of　the　Jutahi；　and　flow；　as　in　all　these　small　rivers；　partly　under　shade　between　two　lofty　walls　of　forest。　We　passed；　in　ascending；　seven　habitations；　most　of　them　hidden　in　the　luxuriant　foliage　of　the　banks；　their　sites　being　known　only　by　small　openings　in　the　compact　wall　of　forest；　and　the　presence　of　a　canoe　or　two　tied　up　in　little　shady　ports。　The　inhabitants　are　chiefly　Indians　of　the　Maraua　tribe；　whose　original　territory　comprised　all　the　small　by…streams　lying　between　the　Jutahi　and　the　Jurua；　near　the　mouths　of　both　these　great　tributaries。　They　live　in　separate　families　or　small　hordes；　have　no　common　chief；　and　are　considered　as　a　tribe　little　disposed　to　adopt　civilised　customs　or　be　friendly　with　the　whites。　One　of　the　houses　belonged　to　a　Juri　family；　and　we　saw　the　owner；　an　erect；　noble…　looking　old　fellow；　tattooed；　as　customary　with　his　tribe；　in　a　large　patch　over　the　middle　of　his　face；　fishing　under　the　shade　of　a　colossal　tree　in　his　port　with　hook　and　line。　He　saluted　us　in　the　usual　grave　and　courteous　manner　of　the　better　sort　of　Indians　as　we　passed　by。

We　reached　the　last　house；　or　rather　two　houses；　about　ten　o'clock；　and　spent　several　hours　there　during　the　great　heat　of　midday。　The　houses；　which　stood。　on　a　high　clayey　bank；　were　of　quadrangular　shape；　partly　open　like　sheds；　and　partly　enclosed　with　rude　mud…walls；　forming　one　or　more　chambers。　The　inhabitants；　a　few　families　of　Marauas；　comprising　about　thirty　persons；　received　us　in　a　frank；　smiling　manner　a　reception　which　may　have　been　due　to　Senor　Raiol　being　an　old　acquaintance　and　somewhat　of　a　favourite。　None　of　them　were　tattooed；　but　the　men　had　great　holes　pierced　in　their　earlobes；　in　which　they　insert　plugs　of　wood；　and　their　lips　were　drilled　with　smaller　holes。　One　of　the　younger　men；　a　fine　strapping　fellow　nearly　six　feet　high；　with　a　large　aquiline　nose；　who　seemed　to　wish　to　be　particularly　friendly　with　me；　showed　me　the　use　of　these　lip…　holes；　by　fixing　a　number　of　little　white　sticks　in　them；　and　then　twisting　his　mouth　about　and　going　through　a　pantomime　to　represent　defiance　in　the　presence　of　an　enemy。　Nearly　all　the　people　were　disfigured　by　dark　blotches　on　the　skin；　the　effect　of　a　cutaneous　disease　very　prevalent　in　this　part　of　the　country。　The　face　of　one　old　man　was　completely　blackened；　and　looked　as　though　it　had　been　smeared　with　black　lead；　the　blotches　having　coalesced　to　form　one　large　patch。　Others　were　simply　mottled；　the　black　spots　were　hard　and　rough；　but　not　scaly；　and　were　margined　with　rings　of　a　colour　paler　than　the　natural　hue　of　the　skin。

I　had　seen　many　Indians　and　a　few　half…castes　at　Tunantins；　and　afterwards　saw　others　at　Fonte　Boa；　blotched　in　the　same　way。　The　disease　would　seem　to　be　contagious；　for　I　was　told　that　a　Portuguese　trader　became　disfigured　with　it　after　cohabiting　some　years　with　an　Indian　woman。　It　is　curious　that；　although　prevalent　in　many　places　on　the　Solimoens；　no　resident　of　Ega　exhibited　signs　of　the　disease：　the　early　explorers　of　the　country；　on　noticing　spotted　skins　to　be　very　frequent　in　certain　localities；　thought　they　were　peculiar　to　a　few　tribes　of　Indians。　The　younger　children　in　these　houses　on　the　Sapo　were　free　from　spots；　but　two　or　three　of　them；　about　ten　years　of　age；　showed　signs　of　their　commencement　in　rounded　yellowish　patches　on　the　skin；　and　these　appeared　languid　and　sickly；　although　the　blotched　adults　seemed　not　to　be　affected　in　their　general　health。　A　middle…aged　half…caste　at　Fonte　Boa　told　me　he　had　cured　himself　of　the　disorder　by　strong　doses　of　sarsaparilla；　the　black　patches　had　caused　the　hair　of　his　beard　and　eyebrows　to　fall　off；　but　it　had　grown　again　since　his　cure。

When　my　tall　friend　saw　me；　after　dinner；　collecting　insects　along　the　paths　near　the　houses；　he　approached；　and；　taking　me　by　the　arm；　led　me　to　a　mandioca　shed；　making　signs；　as　he　could　speak　very　little　Tupi；　that　he　had　something　to　show。　I　was　not　a　little　surprised　when；　having　mounted　the　girao；　or　stage　of　split　palm…stems；　and　taken　down　an　object　transfixed　to　a　post；　he　exhibited；　with　an　air　of　great　mystery；　a　large　chrysalis　suspended　from　a　leaf；　which　he　placed　carefully　in　my　hands；　saying；　〃Pana…pana　curi　〃　（Tupi：　butterfly　by…and…by）。　Thus　I　found　that　the　metamorphoses　of　insects　were　known　to　these　savages；　but　being　unable　to　talk　with　my　new　friend；　I　could　not　ascertain　what　ideas　such　a　phenomenon　had　given　rise　to　in　his　mind。　The　good　fellow　did　not　leave　my　side　during　the　remainder　of　our　stay；　but；　thinking　apparently　that　I　had　come　here　for　information；　he　put　himself　to　considerable　trouble　to　give　me　all　he　could。　He　made　a　quantity　of　Hypadu　or　Coca　powder　that　I　might　see　the　process；　going　about　the　task　with　much　action　and　ceremony；　as　though　he　were　a　conjuror　performing　some　wonderful　trick。

We　left　these　friendly　people　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　in　descending　the　umbrageous　river；　stopped；　about　half…way　down；　at　another　house；　built　in　one　of　the　most　charming　situations　I　had　yet　seen　in　this　country。　A　clean；　narrow；　sandy　pathway　led　from　the　shady　port　to　the　house；　through　a　tract　of　forest　of　indescribable　luxuriance。　The　buildings　stood　on　an　eminence　in　the　middle　of　a　level　cleared　space　the　firm　sand　soil；　smooth　as　a　floor；　forming　a　broad　terrace　around　them。　The　owner　was　a　semi…civilised　Indian；　named　Manoel；　a　dull；　taciturn　fellow；　who；　together　with　his　wife　and　children；　seemed　by　no　means　pleased　at　being　intruded　on　in　their　solitude。　The　family　must　have　been　very　industrious；　for　the　plantations　were　very　extensive；　and　included　a　little　of　almost　all　kinds　of　cultivated　tropical　productions：　fruit　trees；　vegetables；　and　even　flowers　for　ornament。　The　silent　old　man　had　surely　a　fine　appreciation　of　the　beauties　of　nature；　for　the　site　he　had　chosen　commanded　a　view　of　surprising　magnificence　over　the　summits　of　the　forest；　and；　to　give　finish　to　the　prospect；　he　had　planted　a　large　quantity　of　banana　trees　in　the　foreground；　thus　concealing　the　charred　and　dead　stumps　which　would　otherwise　have　marred　the　effect　of　the　rolling　sea　of　greenery。　The　only　information　I　could　get　out　of　Manoel　was；　that　large　flocks　of　richly…coloured　birds　came　down　in　the　fruit　season　and　despoiled　his　trees。　The　sun　set　over　the　treetops　before　we　left　this　little　Eden；　and　the　remainder　of　our　journey　was　made　slowly　and　pleasantly；　under　the　chequered　shades　of　the　river　banks；　by　the　light　of　the　moon。

December　7thArrived　at　Fonte　Boa；　a　wretched；　muddy；　and　dilapidated　village　situated　two　or　three　miles　within　the　mouth　of　a　narrow　by…stream　called　the　Cayhiar…hy；　which　runs　almost　as　straight　as　an　artificial　canal　between　the　village　and　the　main　Amazons。　The　character　of　the　vegetation　and　soil　here　was　different　from　that　of　all　other　localities　I　had　hitherto　examined；　I　had　planned；　therefore；　to　devote　six　weeks　to　the　place。　Having　written　beforehand　to　one　of　the　principal　inhabitants；　Senor　Venancio；　a　house　was　ready　for　me　on　landing。　The　only　recommendation　of　the　dwelling　was　its　coolness。　It　was；　in　fact；　rather　damp；　the　plastered　walls　bore　a　crop　of　green　mold；　and　a　slimy　moisture　oozed　through　the　black；　dirty　floor；　the　rooms　were　large；　but　lighted　by　miserable　little　holes　in　place　of　windows。　The　village　is　built　on　a　clayey　plateau；　and　the　ruinous　houses　are　arranged　round　a　large　square；　which　is　so　choked　up　with　tangled　bushes　that　it　is　quite　impassable；　the　lazy　inhabitants　having　allowed　the　fine　open　space　to　relapse　into　jungle。　The　stiff　clayey　eminence　is　worn　into　deep　gullies　which　slope　towards　the　river；　and　the　ascent　from　the　port　in　rainy　weather　is　so　slippery　that　one　is　obliged　to　crawl　up　to　the　streets　on　all　fours。　A　large　tract　of　round　behind　the　place　is　clear　of　forest；　but　this；　as　well　as　the　streets　and　gardens；　is　covered　with　a　dense；　tough　carpet　of　shrubs；　having　the　same　wiry　nature　as　our　common　heath。　Beneath　its　deceitful　covering　the　soil　is　always　moist　and　soft；　and　in　the　wet　season　the　whole　is　converted　into　a　glutinous　mud　swamp。　There　is　a　very　pretty　church　in　one　corner　of　the　square；　but　in　the　rai