by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER XLVIII.
BRIDGING AN IGARIPE.
The tree upon which the araguatoes were assembled stood near the edge ofthe water, but there was another still nearer. This was also a tall treefree of branches for a great way up. On the opposite bank of the igaripewas a very similar tree, and the long horizontal branches of the twowere separated from each other by a space of about twenty feet. It waswith these two trees that the attention of the araguatoes appeared to beoccupied; and our travellers could tell by their looks and gestures thatthey were conversing about, and calculating, the distance between theirupper branches. For what purpose?
Surely they do not expect to be able to make a crossing between them? Nocreature without wings could pass from one to the other! Such were thequestions and doubts expressed by Leon, and indeed by all except Guapo,but Guapo had seen araguatoes before, and knew some of their tricks.Guapo, therefore, boldly pronounced that it was their intention to crossthe igaripe by these two trees. He was about to explain the manner inwhich they would accomplish it, when the movement commenced, andrendered his explanation quite unnecessary.
At a commanding cry from the chief, several of the largest and strongestmonkeys swung themselves into the tree that stood on the edge of thewater. Here, after a moment's reconnoissance, they were seen to get upona horizontal limb--one that projected diagonally over the igaripe. Therewere no limbs immediately underneath it on the same side of the tree;and for this very reason had they selected it. Having advanced untilthey were near its top, the foremost of the monkeys let himself downupon his tail, and hung head downward. Another slipped down the body ofthe first, and clutched him around the neck and fore-arms with hisstrong tail, with his head down also. A third succeeded the second, anda fourth the third, and so on until a string of monkeys dangled from thelimb.
A motion was now produced by the monkeys striking other branches withtheir feet, until the long string oscillated back and forwards like thependulum of a clock. This oscillation was gradually increased, until themonkey at the lower end was swung up among the branches of the tree onthe opposite side of the igaripe. After touching them once or twice, hediscovered that he was within reach; and the next time when he hadreached the highest point of the oscillating curve, he threw out hislong thin fore-arms, and firmly clutching the branches, held fast.
The oscillation now ceased. The living chain stretched across theigaripe from tree to tree, and, curving slightly, hung like asuspension-bridge! A loud screaming, and gabbling, and chattering, andhowling, proceeded from the band of araguatoes, who, up to this time,had watched the manoeuvres of their comrades in silence--all except theold chief, who occasionally had given directions both with voice andgestures. But the general gabble that succeeded was, no doubt, anexpression of the satisfaction of all that the _bridge was built_.
The troop now proceeded to cross over, one or two old ones going first,perhaps to try the strength of the bridge. Then went the motherscarrying their young on their backs, and after them the rest of theband.
It was quite an amusing scene to witness, and the behaviour of themonkeys would have caused any one to laugh. Even Guapo could notrestrain his mirth at seeing those who formed the bridge biting theothers that passed over them, both on the legs and tails, until thelatter screamed again!
The old chief stood at the near end and directed the crossing. Like abrave officer, he was the last to pass over. When all the others hadpreceded him, he crossed after, carrying himself in a stately anddignified manner. None dared to bite at _his_ legs. They knew betterthan play off their tricks on _him_, and he crossed quietly and withoutany molestation.
Now the string still remained suspended between the trees. How were themonkeys that formed it to get themselves free again? Of course the onethat had clutched the branch with his arms might easily let go, but thatwould bring them back to the same side from which they had started, andwould separate them from the rest of the band. Those constituting thebridge would, therefore, be as far from crossing as ever!
There seemed to be a difficulty here--that is, to some of ourtravellers. To the monkeys themselves there was none. They knew wellenough what they were about, and they would have got over the apparentdifficulty in the following manner:--The one at the tail end of thebridge would simply have let go his hold, and the whole string wouldthen have swung over and hung from the tree on the opposite bank, intowhich they could have climbed at their leisure. I say they _would_ havedone so had nothing interfered to prevent them from completing themanoeuvre. But an obstacle intervened which brought the affair to a verydifferent termination.
Guapo had been seated along with the rest, gravatana in hand. He showedgreat forbearance in not having used the gravatana long before, for hewas all the while quite within reach of the araguatoes; but thisforbearance on his part was not of his own freewill. Don Pablo had, infact, hindered him, in order that he and the others, should have anopportunity of witnessing the singular manoeuvres of the monkeys. Beforethe scene was quite over, however, the Indian begged Don Pablo to lethim shoot, reminding him how much they stood in need of a little"monkey-meat." This had the effect Guapo desired; the consent was given,and the gravatana was pointed diagonally upwards. Once more Guapo'scheeks were distended--once more came the strong, quick puff--and awaywent the arrow. The next moment it was seen sticking in the neck of oneof the monkeys.
Now, the one which Guapo had aimed at and hit was that which had graspedthe tree on the opposite side with its arms. Why did he chose this morethan any other? Was it because it was nearer, or more exposed to view?Neither of these was the reason. It was, that had he shot any of theothers in the string--they being supported by their tails--it would nothave fallen; the tail, as we have already seen, still retaining itsprehensile power even to death. But that one which held on to the treeby its fore-arms would in a second or two be compelled from weakness tolet go, and the whole chain would drop back on the near side of theigaripe. This was just what Guapo desired, and he waited for the result.It was necessary only to wait half-a-dozen seconds. The monkey wasevidently growing weak under the influence of the _curare_, and wasstruggling to retain its hold. In a moment it must let go.
The araguato at the "tail-end" of the bridge, not knowing what hadhappened, and thinking all was right for swinging himself across,slipped his tail from the branch just at the very same instant that thewounded one let go, and the whole chain fell "souse" into the water!Then the screaming and howling from those on shore, the plunging andsplashing of the monkeys in the stream, mingled with the shouts of Leon,Guapo, and the others, created a scene of noise and confusion thatlasted for several minutes. In the midst of it, Guapo threw himself intothe canoe, and with a single stroke of his paddle shot right down amongthe drowning monkeys. One or two escaped to the bank, and made off;several went to the bottom;, but three, including the wounded one, fellinto the clutches of the hunter.
Of course roast-monkey was added to the supper; but none of thetravellers slept very well after it, as the araguatoes, lamenting theirlost companions, kept up a most dismal wailing throughout the whole ofthe night.
