The Naturalist on the River Amazons [57]
simultaneous. We had had several of these short and sharp storms during the past month. At midnight, when we embarked, all was as calm as though a ruffle had never disturbed air, forest, or river. The boat sped along like an arrow to the rhythmic paddling of the four stout youths we had with us, who enlivened the passage with their wild songs. Mr. Patchett and I tried to get a little sleep, but the cabin was so small and encumbered with boxes placed at all sorts of angles, that we found sleep impossible. I was just dozing when the day dawned, and, on awakening, the first object I saw was the Santa Rosa, at anchor under a green island in mid-river. I preferred to make the remainder of the voyage in company of my collections, so bade Mr. Patchett good-day. The owner of the Santa Rosa, Senor Jacinto Machado, whom I had not seen before, received me aboard, and apologised for having started without me. He was a white man, a planter, and was now taking his year's production of cacao, about twenty tons, to Para. The canoe was very heavily laden, and I was rather alarmed to see that it was leaking at all points. The crew were all in the water diving about to feel for the holes, which they stopped with pieces of ray and clay, and an old negro was baling the water out of the hold. This was a pleasant prospect for a three-day voyage! Senor Machado treated it as the most ordinary incident possible: "It was always likely to leak, for it was an old vessel that had been left as worthless high and dry on the beach, and he had bought it very cheap."
When the leaks were stopped, we proceeded on our journey and at night reached the mouth of the Anapu. I wrapped myself in an old sail, and fell asleep on the raised deck. The next day, we threaded the Igarape-mirim, and on the 19th descended the Moju. Senor Machado and I by this time had become very good friends. At every interesting spot on the banks of the Moju, he manned the small boat and took me ashore. There are many large houses on this river belonging to what were formerly large and flourishing plantations, but which, since the Revolution of 1835-6, had been suffered to go to decay. Two of the largest buildings were constructed by the Jesuits in the early part of the last century. We were told that there were formerly eleven large sugar mills on the banks of the Moju, while now there are only three.
At Burujuba, there is a large monastery in a state of ruin; part of the edifice, however, was still inhabited by a Brazilian family. The walls are four feet in thickness. The long dark corridors and gloomy cloisters struck me as very inappropriate in the midst of this young and radiant nature. They would be better if placed on some barren moor in Northern Europe than here in the midst of perpetual summer. The next turn in the river below Burujuba brought the city of Para into view. The wind was now against us, and we were obliged to tack about. Towards evening, it began to blow stiffly, the vessel heeled over very much, and Senor Machado, for the first time, trembled for the safety of his cargo; the leaks burst out afresh when we were yet two miles from the shore. He ordered another sail to be hoisted in order to run more quickly into port, but soon afterwards an extra puff of wind came, and the old boat lurched alarmingly, the rigging gave way, and down fell boom and sail with a crash, encumbering us with the wreck. We were then obliged to have recourse to oars; and as soon as we were near the land, fearing that the crazy vessel would sink before reaching port, I begged Senor Machado to send me ashore in the boat with the more precious portion of my collections.
CHAPTER V
CARIPI AND THE BAY OF MARAJO
River Para and Bay of Marajo--Journey to Caripi--Negro Observance of Christmas--A German Family--Bats--Ant-eaters--Hummingbirds-- Excursion to the Murucupi--Domestic Life of the Inhabitants-- Hunting Excursion with Indians--White Ants
That part of the Para river which lies in front of the city, as I have already explained, forms a narrow channel, being separated from the main
When the leaks were stopped, we proceeded on our journey and at night reached the mouth of the Anapu. I wrapped myself in an old sail, and fell asleep on the raised deck. The next day, we threaded the Igarape-mirim, and on the 19th descended the Moju. Senor Machado and I by this time had become very good friends. At every interesting spot on the banks of the Moju, he manned the small boat and took me ashore. There are many large houses on this river belonging to what were formerly large and flourishing plantations, but which, since the Revolution of 1835-6, had been suffered to go to decay. Two of the largest buildings were constructed by the Jesuits in the early part of the last century. We were told that there were formerly eleven large sugar mills on the banks of the Moju, while now there are only three.
At Burujuba, there is a large monastery in a state of ruin; part of the edifice, however, was still inhabited by a Brazilian family. The walls are four feet in thickness. The long dark corridors and gloomy cloisters struck me as very inappropriate in the midst of this young and radiant nature. They would be better if placed on some barren moor in Northern Europe than here in the midst of perpetual summer. The next turn in the river below Burujuba brought the city of Para into view. The wind was now against us, and we were obliged to tack about. Towards evening, it began to blow stiffly, the vessel heeled over very much, and Senor Machado, for the first time, trembled for the safety of his cargo; the leaks burst out afresh when we were yet two miles from the shore. He ordered another sail to be hoisted in order to run more quickly into port, but soon afterwards an extra puff of wind came, and the old boat lurched alarmingly, the rigging gave way, and down fell boom and sail with a crash, encumbering us with the wreck. We were then obliged to have recourse to oars; and as soon as we were near the land, fearing that the crazy vessel would sink before reaching port, I begged Senor Machado to send me ashore in the boat with the more precious portion of my collections.
CHAPTER V
CARIPI AND THE BAY OF MARAJO
River Para and Bay of Marajo--Journey to Caripi--Negro Observance of Christmas--A German Family--Bats--Ant-eaters--Hummingbirds-- Excursion to the Murucupi--Domestic Life of the Inhabitants-- Hunting Excursion with Indians--White Ants
That part of the Para river which lies in front of the city, as I have already explained, forms a narrow channel, being separated from the main