On the Banks of the Amazon

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER SIX.

  VOYAGE ON THE RIVER COMMENCED.

  All was now ready for our departure from our first halting-place. Earlyin the morning, having carefully laden our two vessels, we embarked.John, Ellen, Maria, and Domingos went in the larger one, accompanied byNimble and Poll, with Naro and two of his followers; while Isoro,Arthur, and I embarked in the smaller, with two of the other men. True,of course, went with us, his usual post being the bow, where he stoodwith his fore-feet on the gunwale, as if it were his especial duty tokeep a look-out ahead. Isoro acted as captain, and Arthur and I and thetwo Indians, with paddles in our hands, formed the crew. Shoving offfrom the bank, we rapidly glided down the river, the current carrying usalong at a great rate with little aid from our paddles. The large canoetook the lead, we following in her wake. The water whirled and eddiedas we glided on. On either side rose the giant trees of the primevalforest--while, looking astern, we could see far away across the mightymass of foliage the range of the Andes, with the beautiful cone ofCotopaxi standing out boldly above its fellows.

  We soon, however, had something else to think of. Several dark roundedrocks rose up ahead of us, between which the water furiously rushed,dashing against their sides, and throwing up clouds of spray, whilewhirling, boiling eddies came bursting up from the bottom, as if somesubaqueous explosion were taking place. Short cross waves curled upround us, with here and there smooth intervening spaces, the moretreacherous for their apparent calmness; for as we passed through themwe could with difficulty keep the head of our small canoe in thedirection of our leader. The Indians plied their paddles with redoubledvigour, while the helmsman of John's canoe every now and then gave ventto loud, wild shrieks. Isoro sat calmly clenching his teeth, andlooking out eagerly ahead. The large canoe went gliding on. And now wesaw her passing between two rocks, over which the water dashing formedan arch of spray, almost concealing her from our sight. Presently wealso were passing through the same channel. It seemed as if our smallcanoe would be swamped by the swelling waters. The clouds of spraywhich broke over her almost blinded us, the loud roaring, hissing soundof the waves as they rushed against the rocks deafened our ears, whilethe whirling current so confused our senses, that we could scarcely tellin what direction we were going.

  "O Harry, what has become of the other canoe?" exclaimed Arthur.

  A dark rock rose before us. No canoe was to be seen. A horror seizedme. I feared that she had been engulfed. But presently, Isoro turningthe head of our canoe, we shot past the rock, and to our joy again sawthe other canoe rushing on with still greater speed towards anotheropening in the channel. We followed even faster than before. Thecurrent seemed to increase in rapidity as we advanced, pressed togetherby the narrower channel. Yet, fast as we went, we could scarcely keeppace with our leader. Now we glided on smoothly, now we pitched andtossed as the mimic waves rose up round us, and thus we went on, thenavigation requiring the utmost watchfulness and exertion to escapedestruction. We, perhaps, in our smaller canoe, were safer than thosein the larger one; indeed, I thought more of them than ourselves.Should we meet with any accident, however, they could not return to helpus, whereas we might push forward to their assistance. We followed themovements of the Indians. When they paddled fast, we also exertedourselves; when they ceased, we also lifted our paddles out of thewater. I was very glad that we were thus employed, as we, having plentyto do, thought less of the danger we were in.

  After being thus tossed about for I cannot judge how long, every momentrunning the risk of being dashed on the rocks, now on one side, now onthe other, we found the river again widening and the current flowing onmore tranquilly. In a short time, however, we came to another rapid.Once more we were amid the wild tumult of waters. The current rushed onwith fearful speed. Now we saw the stern of the leading canoe liftedup, and it appeared as if her bows were going under. I could notrefrain from uttering a shriek of horror. Isoro and the Indiansremained calm, just guiding our canoe. John's canoe disappeared. On wewent, expecting the same fate which I dreaded had overtaken her. Aninstant afterwards we saw her again gliding on calmly. Downwards weslid over a watery hill, the Indians paddling with might and main, wefollowing their example. We had descended a fall such as I shouldscarcely have supposed it possible so small a boat as ours could havepassed over in safety. Our companions continued plying their paddles,sending out their breath in a low grunt, as if they had been holding itin for some minutes.

  We now came up with the other canoe, which had been waiting for us.

  "That was nervous work!" exclaimed John "I am thankful we are throughthe falls; they are the worst we shall meet with."

  Paddling on till nearly dark, we landed on an island, where it wasproposed we should pass the night. There were but few trees in thecentre, the rest consisting of sand and rock. This spot had beenselected to avoid the risk of being surprised by unfriendly natives orprowling jaguars. The canoes were hauled up, the goods landed, andfires were lighted, round which we were soon seated taking our eveningmeal. The Indians then cut a number of stout poles, which they droveinto the ground, forming a square, the roof being thatched over withpalm-leaves, extending some distance beyond the poles, so as to formdeep eaves. To these poles were hung up our hammocks, a small partbeing, as usual, partitioned off for Ellen and Maria. This was ourusual style of encampment. When the trees grew sufficiently wide apart,we sometimes secured our hammocks to them, with a roof such as I havementioned above our heads. The fires were kept up all night, and awatch set to prevent surprise, should any unfriendly natives find usout, and come across the river in their canoes. Isoro advised us alwaysto select an island for our night encampment. "Indeed," he observed,"it would be safer never to land on the banks, if you can avoid sodoing."

  Our Indians, besides their usual blow-pipes, had come provided withharpoons and lines for catching fish. Generally, at the end of ourday's voyage, they would go out in the smaller canoe, and invariablycome back with a good supply.

  Arthur and I, with True, one day accompanied Naro and two of his men.While the Indians remained in the canoe, we landed and walked along thesandy shore of the island. True ran before us, shoving his nose intothe tall reeds and rushes. Suddenly out he backed, barking furiously,but still retreating, and evidently less disposed than usual for battle.Fully expecting to see a huge anaconda come forth, Arthur and I retiredto a safe distance, while I got my gun ready to fire at the serpent whenhe should appear. We stood watching the spot which True still faced,when the reeds were moved aside, and the oddest-looking monster I everset eyes on came slowly forth, and for a moment looked about him. Trueactually turned tail, and fell back on us for support. He would havefaced a lion, but the creature before him had not a vulnerable part onwhich he could lay hold. It meantime, regardless of him or us, made itsway towards the water. It was as grotesque and unlike what we fancy areality as those creatures which the wild imaginations of the paintersof bygone days delighted in producing. How can I describe it? It wascovered all over with armour--back, neck, and head. On its head it worea curiously-shaped helmet, with a long tube in front serving as a snout,while its feet were webbed, and armed with sharp claws at the end of itsthick and powerful legs. From the chin hung two fringe-like membranes,and the throat and neck were similarly ornamented. Naro was not faroff, and came paddling up at a great rate, crying out to us to turn thecreature from the water. Its formidable appearance and size made ussomewhat unwilling to get within reach of its head; for it was fullythree feet long, and its covering would, it appeared, turn off a bullet.Arthur, however, bravely ran in front of it, and True kept barkinground it, keeping wisely beyond its reach. We thus impeded itsprogress; but still it made way, and was just about to launch itselfinto the river when the canoe coming up, Naro's harpoon, struck it underthe shield at the neck. It struggled to get free, but was hauled againon to the sand, and soon dispatched by the Indians. They seemed highlypleased at the capture, and signified that, in spite of it
s strangeappearance, it was excellent for food.

  "Why, after all, it is only a tortoise!" exclaimed Arthur, who had beenexamining it. A tortoise it was, though the strangest-looking of itstribe, but not at all uncommon.

  The strange creature we had found was a matamata (_Chelys matamata_).It is found plentifully in Demerara, where its flesh is much esteemed.What we took to be a helmet, consisted of two membraneous prolongationsof the skin, which projected out on either side from its broad andflattened head. The back was covered with a shield, with three distinctridges or keels along it, and was broader before than behind. It had astumpy pointed tail. I should add that it feeds only in the water,concealing itself among reeds by the bank, when it darts forward itslong neck and seizes with its sharp beak any passing fish, reptile, orwater-fowl--for it likes a variety of food--or it will swim after themat a great rate.

  We carried the matamata to the camp, and on landing it drew it up withsipos, with its neck stretched out. Ellen could scarcely believe thatit was a real creature.

  "I am very glad that I did not meet it when by myself on the sands. Iam sure that I should have run away, and dreamed about it for nightsafterwards!" she exclaimed. "It was very brave, Harry, of you andArthur to face it; and as for True, he is worthy to take rank with SaintGeorge, for it must have appeared a perfect dragon to him."

  "Barring the want of tail, my sister," observed John with a laugh."True will find many more formidable antagonists than the matamata inthese regions, and he must be taught to restrain his ardour, or he maysome day, I fear, `catch a Tartar.'"

  Maria meantime stood behind us, lifting up her hands and utteringexclamations of astonishment, as she surveyed the creature at arespectful distance.

  The next evening we again accompanied the Indians. It was very calm,and the water in a narrow channel through which we went smooth andclear, so that we could look down to a great depth and see the fishswimming about in vast numbers. Presently I caught sight of a hugeblack monster gliding silently up the channel just below the surface.It was, however, too far off for the harpoons of the Indians to reachit. We followed, they intimating that we should very likely come upwith it. We had not gone far, when they ceased rowing and pointedahead. There I saw, on the other side of a clump of bamboos which grewon a point projecting into the stream, a creature with a savagecountenance and huge paws resting on the trunk of a tree overhanging thewater. It was of a brownish-yellow colour, the upper parts of the bodyvariegated with irregular oblong spots of black. It was so intentlywatching the stream that it did not appear to observe us. Had it notindeed been pointed out to me, I might not have discovered it, so muchhad it the appearance of the trunk on which it was resting. Presentlywe saw a huge black head projecting out of the stream. In an instantthe jaguar, for such was the animal on the watch, sprang forward andseized its prey. The creature which had thus ventured within the graspof the jaguar was a _manatee_, or sea-cow, the _peixe boi_ of thePortuguese. A fearful struggle ensued, the manatee to escape, thejaguar to hold it fast. I lifted my gun to fire, but the Indians made asign to me to desist. If I should kill the jaguar the manatee wouldescape, and their object was to allow the latter to be too exhausted todo so, and then to shoot the jaguar. Now it appeared as if the jaguarwould drag the water-monster out of its native element, now that theformer would be drawn into it. The sea-cow struggled bravely, but thebeast of prey had got too firm a hold to let it escape. The surface ofthe water was lashed into foam. The jaguar's claws and teeth werefirmly fixed in the thick hide of the sea-cow. Slowly it seemed to bedrawn higher and higher out of its native element. So eager was thesavage beast, that it did not even observe our approach, but continuedwith its sharp teeth gnawing into the back of its defenceless prey. Wenow paddled closer. It turned a look of savage rage towards us, seemingto doubt whether it should let go the manatee and stand on thedefensive, or continue the strife. The way it held the sea-cow gave usa notion of its immense strength. Gradually the efforts of the manateebegan to relax. It was very clear how the combat would have finishedhad we not been present. At a sign from the Indians I lifted my rifleand fired. The ball passed through the jaguar's neck. Though wounded,the fierce animal stood snarling savagely, with its fore-feet on thetrunk of the tree, as if prepared to make a spring into the canoe.While I was reloading, the Indians raised their blow-pipes and sent twoof their slender arrows quivering into its body. Still the jaguar stoodat bay, apparently scarcely feeling the wound. Meantime the hugecow-fish was slipping off the bank. Naro, on seeing this, ordered hismen to paddle forward, while, harpoon in hand, he stood ready to dart itat the manatee. Every moment I expected to see the jaguar spring at us.Just as the manatee was disappearing under the water, the harpoon flewwith unerring aim from Naro's hand, and was buried deeply in its body.Again we backed away from the bank, just in time, it seemed, for inanother moment the jaguar would have sprung at us. Having got out ofits reach, the Indians shot two more of their deadly arrows into itsbody. Still it stood, snarling and roaring with rage at being deprivedof its prey. Gradually its cries of anger ceased, its glaring eyes grewdim, its legs seemed to refuse it support, and slowly it sank back amongthe mass of fern-like plants which bordered the bank.

  Meantime, the Indians were engaged with the harpoon line, now hauling inon it, now slackening it out, a ruddy hue mixing with the currentshowing that the life-blood of the manatee was fast ebbing away. In ashort time the struggles of the huge river monster ceased, and theIndians paddling towards the bank, towed it after them. I was all thewhile looking out for the jaguar. A movement in the shrubs among whichit had fallen showed that it was still alive. I was sure that my shothad not injured it much, and I could scarcely suppose that those lightneedle-like darts could have done it much harm. I reminded Naro of thejaguar. He shook his head in reply. "He will no longer interfere withus," I understood him to say. The manatee was soon hauled on shore, andas it was too large to be taken bodily into the canoe, the Indians,having thoroughly knocked out any spark of life which might remain,began cutting it up.

  The creature was between seven and eight feet long, and upwards of sixin circumference in the thickest part. The body was perfectly smooth,and of a lead colour. It tapered off towards the tail, which was flat,horizontal, and semicircular, without any appearance of hind limbs. Thehead was not large, though the mouth was, with fleshy lips somewhat likethose of a cow. There were stiff bristles on the lips, and a few hairsscattered over the body. Just behind the head were two powerful ovalfins, having the breasts beneath them. The ears were minute holes, andthe eyes very small. The skin of the back was fully an inch thick, andbeneath it a layer of fat, also an inch or more thick. On examining thefins, or fore-limbs, as they should properly be called, we found bonesexactly corresponding to those of the human arm, with five fingers atthe extremity, every joint distinct, although completely encased in astiff inflexible skin. The manatee feeds on the grass growing at theborders of the lakes and rivers. It swims at a rapid rate, moved on bythe tail and paddles. The female produces generally only one at abirth, and clasps it, so Naro told us, in her paddles while giving itsuck.

  Having cut up the cow, with which we loaded the canoe, we paddled intowards where the jaguar had been seen. The chief and one of hisfollowers without hesitation leaped on shore: Arthur and I followed,when to our surprise we saw the savage brute lying over on its sideperfectly dead. It had been destroyed by the poison on the tip of thearrows, not by the wounds they or my bullet had produced. It wasquickly skinned, cut up, and part of the meat added to our store, whilethe skin, which I thought was the most valuable part, was at my requesttaken on board.

  On emerging from the inlet, we steered for the island, guided by thelight of the camp-fire. We were welcomed with loud shouts by thegenerally impassive Indians, who were delighted with the supply of fleshwhich we had brought. No time was lost in cutting the meat into smallpieces, each person fastening a dozen or more on long skewers. Thesewere stuck in the g
round, and slanted over the flames to roast. Themeat tasted somewhat like pork, I thought, but John considered it morelike beef.

  We were one evening approaching a long island with a sand-bank extendingfrom its side. Isoro told us that the Indians were unable to proceedfurther, and that after this we should find the navigation tolerablyeasy. The sand-bank, he said, was frequented by turtles, and they hopedto be able to supply us and themselves with a good store of eggs, and tocatch also some turtles.

  Having hauled up the canoes, and formed our sleeping-places as usual,leaving Domingos in charge of the camp, we all, including Ellen andMaria, set out to search for turtles' eggs, our Indians having in themeantime woven a number of baskets of reeds in which to carry them.Each of the Indians carried a long stick in his hand. We proceeded ashort distance along the bank, till we came to a somewhat higher part.The sand felt quite hot to our feet. The Indians pointed out someslight marks in it, which they told us were made by the turtles. Goingon, one of them stuck his stick into the sand. It sank easily down.Instantly he and his companions were on their knees digging with theirhands, and soon cleared out a hole full of eggs. Upwards of one hundredwere collected from that hole alone. In the meantime the rest weresearching about, and we were soon all on our knees, busily engaged inpicking up the eggs. The eggs were about an inch and a half indiameter, somewhat larger than an ordinary hen's egg. They have thinleathery shells, an oily yoke, and a white which does not coagulate.Having laden ourselves with as many as we could carry in our baskets, wereturned to the camp. Domingos at once set to work to make cakes,mixing the eggs with flour. Others were roasted. The Indians, however,ate them raw.

  While we sat round our camp-fire, Isoro excited our curiosity by anaccount of the way the turtles lay their eggs, and we agreed to startaway the next morning before daybreak to watch the process. He calledus about two hours before daybreak. We found that Naro and two of hismen had already gone off to try and catch some of the animals. Afterwalking a short distance, we discovered the Indians squatting downbehind a shelter of branches, which they had put up to concealthemselves from the turtles. They told us to take our seats by them,and remain quiet. We had not been there long before we saw a number ofdark objects moving over the light coloured sand. Two or three cameclose to us, when the Indians rushing out, quickly turned them on theirbacks, and again ran under shelter.

  We waited for some time till the light of day enabled us to see moreclearly, when, as far as our eyes could reach, we observed the upperpart of the bank covered with turtles, all busily employed with theirbroad-webbed paws in excavating the sand, while others were apparentlyplacing their eggs in the holes they had made. As the morning drew on,they began to waddle away towards the river. The margin of the upperbank was rather steep, and it was amusing to see them tumbling headforemost down the declivity, and then going on again till the leadersreached the water. We now all rushed forward, and were in time to catchseveral, turning them over on their backs, where they lay unable tomove.

  The first comer, Isoro told us, makes a hole about three feet deep. Inthis she lays her eggs, and then covers them up with sand. The nextreaching the shore lays her eggs on the top of her predecessor's, and soon, several turtles will lay one above the others, till the pit, whichholds about one hundred eggs, is full, when the last carefully sweepsthe sand over the hole, so as to make it appear as if it had not beendisturbed. It is only, indeed, from the tracks made by the turtlesthemselves as they are returning to the water that the nests can betraced. In the settled parts of the country great care is taken not todisturb these sand-banks till the whole body of turtles have laid theireggs. Sometimes they occupy fourteen days or more in the business.People are stationed at some elevated spot in the neighbourhood to warnoff any one approaching the bank, and to take care that the timidturtles are in no way disturbed; otherwise it is supposed they woulddesert the ground altogether.

  We had now a large supply of turtle and turtle eggs. Our Indianfriends, well satisfied with their expedition, loaded their canoe almostto the water's edge. We also took on board as many as we could consume.Naro and his followers had behaved very well, but they wereuninteresting people, and had done nothing particular to win our regard.John wrote a letter to Don Jose for Isoro to carry, and we all sentmany messages, expressing our affectionate regard. Had it not been forDon Jose, we might have been subjected to much annoyance and trouble,and been prevented probably from following our family. We each of uspresented Isoro also with a small remembrance. We parted from him withsincere regret; and I believe that had it not been for his devoted loveto his master he would gladly have accompanied us. He and hiscompanions waited till we had embarked in our own canoe, and cast offfrom the shore. A light breeze was blowing down the river. We hoistedour mat sail, and Domingos taking the steering oar, we recommenced ourvoyage down the river. The Indians then set forth on their toilsome oneup the stream, having to paddle with might and main for many daysagainst it.