the naturalist on the river amazons-第96部分

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ry　to　guard　against　admitting　drunken　neighbours；　and　we　then　spent　the　long　evenings　most　pleasantly；　working　and　conversing。　His　manners　were　courteous；　and　his　talk　well　worth　listening　to；　for　the　shrewdness　and　good　sense　of　his　remarks。　I　first　met　Mestre　Chico　at　the　house　of　an　old　negress　of　Para；　Tia　Rufina　（Aunt　Rufina）；　who　used　to　take　charge　of　my　goods　when　I　was　absent　on　a　voyage；　and　this　affords　me　an　opportunity　of　giving　a　few　further　instances　of　the　excellent　qualities　of　free　negroes　in　a　country　where　they　are　not　wholly　condemned　to　a　degrading　position　by　the　pride　or　selfishness　of　the　white　race。　This　old　woman　was　born　a　slave；　but；　like　many　others　in　the　large　towns　of　Brazil；　she　had　been　allowed　to　trade　on　her　own　account；　as　market…woman；　paying　a　fixed　sum　daily　to　her　owner；　and　keeping　for　herself　all　her　surplus　gains。　In　a　few　years　she　had　saved　sufficient　money　to　purchase　her　freedom；　and　that　of　her　grown…　up　son。　This　done；　the　old　lady　continued　to　strive　until　she　had　earned　enough　to　buy　the　house　in　which　she　lived；　a　considerable　property　situated　in　one　of　the　principal　streets。　When　I　returned　from　the　interior；　after　seven　years'　absence　from　Para；　I　found　she　was　still　advancing　in　prosperity；　entirely　through　her　own　exertions　（being　a　widow）　and　those　of　her　son；　who　continued；　with　the　most　regular　industry；　his　trade　as　blacksmith；　and　was　now　building　a　number　of　small　houses　on　a　piece　of　unoccupied　land　attached　to　her　property。　I　found　these　and　many　other　free　negroes　most　trustworthy　people；　and　admired　the　constancy　of　their　friendships　and　the　gentleness　and　cheerfulness　of　their　manners　towards　each　other。　They　showed　great　disinterestedness　in　their　dealings　with　me；　doing　me　many　a　piece　of　service　without　a　hint　at　remuneration；　but　this　may　have　been　partly　due　to　the　name　of　Englishman；　the　knowledge　of　our　national　generosity　towards　the　African　race　being　spread　far　and　wide　amongst　the　Brazilian　negroes。

I　remained　at　St。　Paulo　five　months；　five　years　would　not　have　been　sufficient　to　exhaust　the　treasures　of　its　neighbourhood　in　Zoology　and　Botany。　Although　now　a　forest…rambler　of　ten　years'　experience；　the　beautiful　forest　which　surrounds　this　settlement　gave　me　as　much　enjoyment　as　if　I　had　only　just　landed　for　the　first　time　in　a　tropical　country。　The　plateau　on　which　the　village　is　built　extends　on　one　side　nearly　a　mile　into　the　forest；　but　on　the　other　side　the　descent　into　the　lowland　begins　close　to　the　streets；　the　hill　sloping　abruptly　towards　a　boggy　meadow　surrounded　by　woods；　through　which　a　narrow　winding　path　continues　the　slope　down　to　a　cool　shady　glen；　with　a　brook　of　icy…cold　water　flowing　at　the　bottom。　At　mid…day　the　vertical　sun　penetrates　into　the　gloomy　depths　of　this　romantic　spot；　lighting　up　the　leafy　banks　of　the　rivulet　and　its　clean　sandy　margins；　where　numbers　of　scarlet；　green；　and　black　tanagers　and　brightly…　coloured　butterflies　sport　about　in　the　stray　beams。　Sparkling　brooks；　large　and　small；　traverse　the　glorious　forest　in　almost　every　direction；　and　one　is　constantly　meeting；　while　rambling　through　the　thickets；　with　trickling　rills　and　bubbling　springs；　so　well…provided　is　the　country　with　moisture。　Some　of　the　rivulets　flow　over　a　sandy　and　pebbly　bed；　and　the　banks　of　all　are　clothed　with　the　most　magnificent　vegetation　conceivable。　I　had　the　almost　daily　habit；　in　my　solitary　walks；　of　resting　on　the　clean　banks　of　these　swift…flowing　streams；　and　bathing　for　an　hour　at　a　time　in　their　bracing　waters；　hours　which　now　remain　among　my　most　pleasant　memories。　The　broad　forest　roads　continue；　as　I　was　told；　a　distance　of　several　days'　journey　into　the　interior；　which　is　peopled　by　Tucunas　and　other　Indians；　living　in　scattered　houses　and　villages　nearly　in　their　primitive　state；　the　nearest　village　lying　about　six　miles　from　St。　Paulo。　The　banks　of　all　the　streams　are　dotted　with　palm…thatched　dwellings　of　Tucunas；　all　half…buried　in　the　leafy　wilderness；　the　scattered　families　having　chosen　the　coolest　and　shadiest　nooks　for　their　abodes。

I　frequently　heard　in　the　neighbourhood　of　these　huts；　the　〃realejo〃　or　organ　bird　（Cyphorhinus　cantans）；　the　most　remarkable　songster；　by　far；　of　the　Amazonian　forests。　When　its　singular　notes　strike　the　ear　for　the　first　time；　the　impression　cannot　be　resisted　that　they　are　produced　by　a　human　voice。　Some　musical　boy　must　be　gathering　fruit　in　the　thickets；　and　is　singing　a　few　notes　to　cheer　himself。　The　tones　become　more　fluty　and　plaintive；　they　are　now　those　of　a　flageolet；　and　notwithstanding　the　utter　impossibility　of　the　thing；　one　is　for　the　moment　convinced　that　somebody　is　playing　that　instrument。　No　bird　is　to　be　seen；　however　closely　the　surrounding　trees　and　bushes　may　be　scanned；　and　yet　the　voice　seems　to　come　from　the　thicket　close　to　one's　ears。　The　ending　of　the　song　is　rather　disappointing。　It　begins　with　a　few　very　slow　and　mellow　notes；　following　each　other　like　the　commencement　of　an　air；　one　listens　expecting　to　hear　a　complete　strain；　but　an　abrupt　pause　occurs；　and　then　the　song　breaks　down；　finishing　with　a　number　of　clicking　unmusical　sounds　like　a　piping　barrel　organ　out　of　wind　and　tune。　I　never　heard　the　bird　on　the　Lower　Amazon；　and　very　rarely　heard　it　even　at　Ega；　it　is　the　only　songster　which　makes　an　impression　on　the　natives；　who　sometimes　rest　their　paddles　whilst　travelling　in　their　small　canoes；　along　the　shady　by…　streams；　as　if　struck　by　the　mysterious　sounds。

The　Tucuna　Indians　are　a　tribe　resembling　much　the　Shumanas；　Passes；　Juris；　and　Mauhes　in　their　physical　appearance　and　customs。　They　lead；　like　those　tribes；　a　settled　agricultural　life；　each　horde　obeying　a　chief　of　more　or　less　influence；　according　to　his　energy　and　ambition；　and　possessing　its　paje　or　medicine…man　who　fosters　its　superstitions；　but；　they　are　much　more　idle　and　debauched　than　other　Indians　belonging　to　the　superior　tribes。　They　are　not　so　warlike　and　loyal　as　the　Mundurucus；　although　resembling　them　in　many　respects；　nor　have　they　the　slender　figures；　dignified　mien；　and　gentle　disposition　of　the　Passes；　there　are；　however；　no　trenchant　points　of　difference　to　distinguish　them　from　these　highest　of　all　the　tribes。　Both　men　and　women　are　tattooed；　the　pattern　being　sometimes　a　scroll　on　each　cheek；　but　generally　rows　of　short　straight　lines　on　the　face。　Most　of　the　older　people　wear　bracelets；　anklets；　and　garters　of　tapir…hide　or　tough　bark；　in　their　homes　they　wear　no　other　dress　except　on　festival　days；　when　they　ornament　themselves　with　feathers　or　masked　cloaks　made　of　the　inner　bark　of　a　tree。　They　were　very　shy　when　I　made　my　first　visits　to　their　habitations　in　the　forest；　all　scampering　off　to　the　thicket　when　I　approached；　but　on　subsequent　days　they　became　more　familiar；　and　I　found　them　a　harmless；　good…natured　people。

A　great　part　of　the　horde　living　at　the　first　Maloca　or　village　dwell　in　a　common　habitation；　a　large　oblong　hut　built　and　arranged　inside　with　such　a　disregard　of　all　symmetry　that　it　appeared　as　though　constructed　by　a　number　of　hands；　each　working　independently；　stretching　a　rafter　or　fitting　in　a　piece　of　thatch；　without　reference　to　what　his　fellow…labourers　were　doing。　The　walls　as　well　as　the　roof　are　covered　with　thatch　of　palm　leaves　each　piece　consisting　of　leaflets　plaited　and　attached　in　a　row　to　a　lath　many　feet　in　length。　Strong　upright　posts　support　the　roof；　hammocks　being　slung　between　them；　leaving　a　free　space　for　passage　and　for　fires　in　the　middle；　and　on　one　side　is　an　elevated　stage　（girao）　overhead；　formed　of　split　palm…stems。　The　Tucunas　excel　over　most　of　the　other　tribes　in　the　manufacture　of　pottery。　They　make　broad…mouthed　jars　for　Tucupi　sauce；　caysuma　or　mandioca　beer；　capable　of　holding　twenty　or　more　gallons；　ornamenting　them　outside　with　crossed　diagonal　streaks　of　various　colours。　These　jars；　with　cooking…pots；　smaller　jars　for　holding　water；　blow…guns；　quivers；　matiri　bags　＇These　bags　are　formed　of　remarkably　neat　twine　made　of　Bromelia　fibres　elaborately　knitted；　all　in　one　piece；　with　sticks；　a　belt　of　the　same　material；　but　more　closely　woven；　being　attached　to　the　top　to　suspend　them　by。　They　afford　good　examples　of　the　mechanical　ability　of　these　Indians。　The　Tucunas　also　possess　the　art　of　skinning　and　stuffing　birds；　the　handsome　kinds　of　which　they　sell　in　great　numbers　to　passing　travellers。＇　full　of　small　articles；　baskets；　skins　of　animals；　and　so　forth；　form　the　principal　part　of　the　furniture　of　their　huts　both　large　and　small。　The　dead　bodies　of　their　chiefs　are　interred；　the　knees　doubled　up；　in　large　jars　under　the　floors　of　their　huts。

The　semi…religious　dances　and　drinking　bouts　usual　among　the　settled　tribes　of　Amazonian　Indians　are　indulged　in　to　greater　excess　by　the　Tucunas　than　they　are　by　most　other　tribes。　The　Jurupari　or　Demon　is　the　only　superior　being　they　have　any　conception　of；　and　his　name　is　mixed　up　with　all　their　ceremonies；　but　it　is　difficult　to　ascertain　what　they　consider　to　be　his　attributes。　He　seems　to　be　believed　in　simply　as　a　mischievous　imp；　who　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　those　mishaps　of　their　daily　life；　the　causes　of　which　are　not　very　immediate　or　obvious　to　their　dull　understandings。　It　is　vain　to　try　to　get　information　out　of　a　Tucuna　on　this　subject；　they　affect　great　mystery　when　the　name　is　mentioned；　and　give　very　confused　answers　to　questions：　it　was　clear；　however；　that　the　idea　of　a　spirit　as　a　beneficent　God　or　Creator　had　not　entered　the　minds　of　these　Indians。　There　is　great　similarity　in　all　their　ceremonies　and　mummeries；　whether　the　object　is　a　wedding；　the　celebration　of　the　feast　of　fruits；　the　plucking　of　the　hair　from　the　heads　of　their　children；　or　a　holiday　got　up　simply　out　of　a　love　of　dissipation。　Some　of　the　tribe　on　these　occasions　deck　themselves　with　the　bright…coloured　feathers　of　parrots　and　macaws。　The　chief　wears　a　headdress　or　cap　made　by　fixing　the　breast…feathers　of　the　Toucan　on　a　web　of　Bromelia　twine；　with　erect　tail　plumes　of　macaws　rising　from　the　crown。　The　cinctures　of　the　arms　and　legs　are　also　then　ornamented　with　bunches　of　feathers。　Others　wear　masked　dresses；　these　are　long　cloaks　reaching　below　the　knee；　and