the naturalist on the river amazons-第32部分

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eir　houses　for　the　sake　of　seeing　the　irascible　creature　expand　its　beautiful　frill　of　feathers；　which　it　readily　does　when　excited。

The　men　returned　with　a　large　quantity　of　fish。　I　was　surprised　at　the　great　variety　of　species；　the　prevailing　kind　was　a　species　of　Loricaria；　a　foot　in　length；　and　wholly　encased　in　bony　armour。　It　abounds　at　certain　seasons　in　shallow　water。　The　flesh　is　dry；　but　very　palatable。　They　brought　also　a　small　alligator；　which　they　called　Jacare　curua；　and　said　it　was　a　kind　found　only　in　shallow　creeks。　It　was　not　more　than　two　feet　in　length；　although　full…grown　according　to　the　statement　of　the　Indians；　who　said　it　was　a　〃mai　d'ovos；〃　or　mother　of　eggs；　as　they　had　pillaged　the　nest；　which　they　had　found　near　the　edge　of　the　water。　The　eggs　were　rather　larger　than　a　hen's；　and　regularly　oval　in　shape；　presenting　a　rough　hard　surface　of　shell。　Unfortunately；　the　alligator　was　cut　up　ready　for　cooking　when　we　returned　to　the　schooner；　and　I　could　not　therefore　make　a　note　of　its　peculiarities。　The　pieces　were　skewered　and　roasted　over　the　fire；　each　man　being　his　own　cook。　I　never　saw　this　species　of　alligator　afterwards。

October　3rdAbout　midnight　the　wind；　for　which　we　had　long　been　waiting；　sprang　up；　the　men　weighed　anchor；　and　we　were　soon　fairly　embarked　on　the　Amazons。　I　rose　long　before　sunrise　to　see　the　great　river　by　moonlight。　There　was　a　spanking　breeze；　and　the　vessel　was　bounding　gaily　over　the　waters。　The　channel　along　which　we　were　sailing　was　only　a　narrow　arm　of　the　river；　about　two　miles　in　width：　the　total　breadth　at　this　point　is　more　than　twenty　miles；　but　the　stream　is　divided　into　three　parts　by　a　series　of　large　islands。　The　river；　notwithstanding　this　limitation　of　its　breadth；　had　a　most　majestic　appearance。　It　did　not　present　that　lake…like　aspect　which　the　waters　of　the　Para　and　Tocantins　affect；　but　had　all　the　swing；　so　to　speak；　of　a　vast　flowing　stream。　The　ochre…coloured　turbid　waters　offered　also　a　great　contrast　to　the　rivers　belonging　to　the　Para　system。　The　channel　formed　a　splendid　reach；　sweeping　from　southwest　to　northeast；　with　a　horizon　of　water　and　sky　both　upstream　and　down。　At　11　a。m。　we　arrived　at　Gurupa；　a　small　village　situated　on　a　rocky　bank　thirty　or　forty　feet　high。　Here　we　landed；　and　I　had　an　opportunity　of　rambling　in　the　neighbouring　woods；　which　are　intersected　by　numerous　pathways；　and　carpeted　with　Lycopodia　growing　to　a　height　of　eight　or　ten　inches；　and　enlivened　by　numbers　of　glossy　blue　butterflies　of　the　Theclidae　or　hairstreak　family。　At　5　p。m。　we　were　again　under　way。　Soon　after　sunset；　as　we　were　crossing　the　mouth　of　the　Xingu；　the　first　of　the　great　tributaries　of　the　Amazons；　1200　miles　in　length；　a　black　cloud　arose　suddenly　in　the　northeast。　Joao　da　Cunha　ordered　all　sails　to　be　taken　in；　and　immediately　afterwards　a　furious　squall　burst　forth；　tearing　the　waters　into　foam；　and　producing　a　frightful　uproar　in　the　neighbouring　forests。　A　drenching　rain　followed；　but　in　half　an　hour　all　was　again　calm　and　the　full　moon　appeared　sailing　in　a　cloudless　sky。

From　the　mouth　of　the　Xingu　the　route　followed　by　vessels　leads　straight　across　the　river；　here　ten　miles　broad。　Towards　midnight　the　wind　failed　us；　when　we　were　close　to　a　large　shoal　called　the　Baixo　Grande。　We　lay　here　becalmed　in　the　sickening　heat　for　two　days；　and　when　the　trade…wind　recommenced　with　the　rising　moon　at　10　p。m。　on　the　6th；　we　found　ourselves　on　a　ice…shore。　Notwithstanding　all　the　efforts　of　our　pilot　to　avoid　it；　we　ran　aground。　Fortunately　the　bottom　consisted　only　of　soft　mud；　so　that　by　casting　anchor　to　windward；　and　hauling　in　with　the　whole　strength　of　crew　and　passengers；　we　got　off　after　spending　an　uncomfortable　night。　We　rounded　the　point　of　the　shoal　in　two　fathoms'　water；　the　head　of　the　vessel　was　then　put　westward；　and　by　sunrise　we　were　bounding　forward　before　a　steady　breeze；　all　sail　set　and　everybody　in　good　humour。

The　weather　was　now　delightful　for　several　days　in　succession；　the　air　transparently　clear；　and　the　breeze　cool　and　invigorating。　At　daylight；　on　the　6th；　a　chain　of　blue　hills；　the　Serra　de　Almeyrim；　appeared　in　the　distance　on　the　north　bank　of　the　river。　The　sight　was　most　exhilarating　after　so　long　a　sojourn　in　a　flat　country。　We　kept　to　the　southern　shore；　passing　in　the　course　of　the　day　the　mouths　of　the　Urucuricaya　and　the　Aquiqui；　two　channels　which　communicate　with　the　Xingu。　The　whole　of　this　southern　coast　hence　to　near　Santarem；　a　distance　of　130　miles；　is　lowland　and　quite　uninhabited。　It　is　intersected　by　short　arms　or　back　waters　of　the　Amazons；　which　are　called　in　the　Tupi　language　Paranamirims；　or　little　rivers。　By　keeping　to　these；　small　canoes　can　travel　a　great　part　of　the　distance　without　being　much　exposed　to　the　heavy　seas　of　the　main　river。　The　coast　throughout　has　a　most　desolate　aspect；　the　forest　is　not　so　varied　as　on　the　higher　land；　and　the　water…frontage；　which　is　destitute　of　the　green　mantle　of　climbing　plants　that　form　so　rich　a　decoration　in　other　parts；　is　encumbered　at　every　step　with　piles　of　fallen　trees；　and　peopled　by　white　egrets；　ghostly　storks；　and　solitary　herons。

In　the　evening　we　passed　Almeyrim。　The　hills；　according　to　Von　Martius；　who　landed　here；　are　about　800　feet　above　the　level　of　the　river；　and　are　thickly　wooded　to　the　summit。　They　commence　on　the　east　by　a　few　low　isolated　and　rounded　elevations；　but　towards　the　west　of　the　village；　they　assume　the　appearance　of　elongated　ridges　which　seem　as　if　they　had　been　planed　down　to　a　uniform　height　by　some　external　force。　The　next　day　we　passed　in　succession　a　series　of　similar　flat…topped　hills；　some　isolated　and　of　a　truncated…pyramidal　shape；　others　prolonged　to　a　length　of　several　miles。　There　is　an　interval　of　low　country　between　these　and　the　Almeyrim　range；　which　has　a　total　length　of　about　twenty…five　miles；　then　commences　abruptly　the　Serra　de　Marauaqua；　which　is　succeeded　in　a　similar　way　by　the　Velha　Pobre　range；　the　Serras　de　Tapaiuna…quara；　and　Paraua…quara。　All　these　form　a　striking　contrast　to　the　Serra　de　Almeyrim　in　being　quite　destitute　of　trees。　They　have　steep　rugged　sides；　apparently　clothed　with　short　herbage；　but　here　and　there　exposing　bare　white　patches。　Their　total　length　is　about　forty　miles。　In　the　Tear；　towards　the　interior；　they　are　succeeded　by　other　ranges　of　hills　communicating　with　the　central　mountain…chain　of　Guiana；　which　divides　Brazil　from　Cayenne。

As　we　sailed　along　the　southern　shore；　during　the　6th　and　two　following　days；　the　table…topped　hills　on　the　opposite　side　occupied　most　of　our　attention。　The　river　is　from　four　to　five　miles　broad；　and　in　some　places　long；　low　wooded　islands　intervene　in　mid…stream；　whose　light…green；　vivid　verdure　formed　a　strangely　beautiful　foreground　to　the　glorious　landscape　of　broad　stream　and　grey　mountain。　Ninety　miles　beyond　Almeyrim　stands　the　village　of　Monte　Alegre；　which　is　built　near　the　summit　of　the　last　hill　visible　of　this　chain。　At　this　point　the　river　bends　a　little　towards　the　south；　and　the　hilly　country　recedes　from　its　shores　to　reappear　at　Obydos；　greatly　decreased　in　height；　about　a　hundred　miles　further　west。

We　crossed　the　river　three　times　between　Monte　Alegre　and　the　next　town；　Santarem。　In　the　middle　the　waves　ran　very　high；　and　the　vessel　lurched　fearfully；　hurling　everything　that　was　not　well　secured　from　one　side　of　the　deck　to　the　other。　On　the　morning　of　the　9th　of　October；　a　gentle　wind　carried　us　along　a　〃remanso；〃　or　still　water；　under　the　southern　shore。　These　tracts　of　quiet　water　are　frequent　on　the　irregular　sides　of　the　stream；　and　are　the　effect　of　counter　movements　caused　by　the　rapid　current　of　its　central　parts。　At　9　a。m。　we　passed　the　mouth　of　a　Parana…mirim；　called　Mahica；　and　then　found　a　sudden　change　in　the　colour　of　the　water　and　aspect　of　the　banks。　Instead　of　the　low　and　swampy　water…frontage　which　had　prevailed　from　the　mouth　of　the　Xingu；　we　saw　before　us　a　broad　sloping　beach　of　white　sand。　The　forest；　instead　of　being　an　entangled　mass　of　irregular　and　rank　vegetation　as　hitherto；　presented　a　rounded　outline；　and　created　an　impresssion　of　repose　that　was　very　pleasing。　We　now　approached；　in　fact；　the　mouth　of　the　Tapajos；　whose　clear　olive…　green　waters　here　replaced　the　muddy　current　against　which　we　had　so　long　been　sailing。　Although　this　is　a　river　of　great　extent　1000　miles　in　length；　and；　for　the　last　eighty　miles　of　its　course；　four　to　ten　in　breadthits　contribution　to　the　Amazons　is　not　perceptible　in　the　middle　of　the　stream。　The　white　turbid　current　of　the　main　river　flows　disdainfully　by；　occupying　nearly　the　whole　breadth　of　the　channel；　while　the　darker　water　of　its　tributary　seems　to　creep　along　the　shore；　and　is　no　longer　distinguishable　four　or　five　miles　from　its　mouth。

We　reached　Santarem　at　11　a。m。　The　town　has　a　clean　and　cheerful　appearance　from　the　river。　It　consists　of　three　long　streets；　with　a　few　short　ones　crossing　them　at　right　angles；　and　contains　about　2500　inhabitants。　It　lies　just　within　the　mouth　of　Tapajos；　and　is　divided　into　two　parts；　the　town　and　the　aldeia　or　village。　The　houses　of　the　white　and　trading　classes　are　substantially　built；　many　being　of　two　and　three　stories；　and　all　white…washed　and　tiled。　The　aldeia；　which　contains　the　Indian　portion　of　the　population；　or　did　so　formerly；　consists　mostly　of　mud　huts；　thatched　with　palm　leaves。　The　situation　of　the　town　is　very　beautiful。　The　land；　although　but　slightly　elevated；　does　not　form；　strictly　speaking；　a　portion　of　the　alluvial　river　plains　of　the　Amazons；　but　is　rather　a　northern　prolongation　of　the　Brazilian　continental　land。　It　is　scantily　wooded；　and　towards　the　interior　consists　of　undulating　campos；　which　are　connected　with　a　series　of　hills　extending　southward　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach。　I　subsequently　made　this　place　my　head…　quarters　for　three　years；　an　account　of　its　neighbourhood　is　therefore；　reserved　for　another　chapter。　At　the　first　sight　of　Santarem；　one　cannot　help　being　struck　with　the　advantages　of　its　situation。　Although　400　miles　from　the　sea；　it　is　accessible　to　vessels　of　heavy　tonnage　coming　straight　from　the　Atlantic。　The　river　has　only　two　slight　bends　between　this　port　an