Fifteen Thousand Miles on the Amazon and its tributaries ... With map and wood engravings

Preface

. In the autumn of 1873 the Amazon Steam Navi gation Company (Limited) of London sent out an expedition, for the purpose of selecting and reporting upon certain territories, allotted to them by the Government of Brazil, on the banks of the Amazon and several of its tributaries. The authors of this book acted, one of them in the combined capacities of Chief and Geologist, and the other of Civil Engineer and Draughtsman. Mr. W. H. Trail, who performed the duties of Botanist and Medical Adviser, completed the staff. Although scarcely two years in that country, the authors were enabled, through the great facilities for travel afforded them, to see more than others visiting those regions, with ordinary means at their disposal, could hope to do in five. In the course of their journeys, which extended over more than 15,000 miles, they met with many amusing incidents, interesting characters, and mild adventures, which were duly recorded in their note-books during leisure moments. VI

PREFACE.

. In the hope that it may not prove uninteresting to the reading public, they have from these notes framed the present volume: — not intended to be in any sort a scientific work, but simply aiming at giving, in a sketchy way, some graphic pictures of scenes, persons, aud circumstances, as they found them in the valley of this Great River. London, November 1877. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. At Para

Land in sight- — Desolate Expanse of River Ocean — Arrive at Para. — Hotel do Commercio — Lizards — The Streets — Steam Tramway — Struggle maintained by Vegetable Life — Street Types of Human Nature — Strange Costumes — Urubus Page 1 T3 CHAPTEE II. FROM PARA TO MONTE ALEGRE. Description of an Amazon Steamer — Breves — Network of Natural Canals — Porto do Moz — Sun-burnt Fowl — Land at Monte Alegre — Our House there — The Town of Monte Alegre1 — Its deserted Appearance — Its Prison — Pirarucu — Heat — The "Rock Scorpion" — Raid upon Goats — Hit the wrong Mark — Our Sleeping Arrangements — Our Interpreter's dread of Insects 12

Chapter III. Excursions From Monte Alegre

Start for Erere' — Amazonian Horses at Paisaja — Erer^ Village — Ancient Indian Rock Paintings — Levreniont Fasenda — Mosquitoes — About an Onca — View from Paraiso — Singular Conduct of Interpreter's "fjorse — Two other Adventures with our Horses — King Vultures on the Summit of Erere Mountain — Adventure with Wasps — Pytoona — Sketch of Geology of Erere — Getting Home on an Ox-cart — Journey to Tajure Mountain — Sketch of Geology of Tajure- — Lose ourselves in returning — Second Visit to Tajure — Attempt to Ascend the Erere River — Alenquorns CONTENTS. VIII

Chapter IV. At Prainha

Leave Monte Alegre — Arrive at Prainha — Description of Prainha — Mirage — The Village Tailor — Our Quarters — "Jack-Spaniards" — Slave offers himself for Sale — Our First Dinner at Prainha — Are visited by a Snake — Postal Arrangements — Our Interpreter — Surveying in the Bush — Adventure with Ant-eater — Insect Pests — Our little Boy Waiter — The Village Church — Its Service — Female Costumes — Virulent form of Fever visits Prainha .. .. Page 57

Chapter V. Excursions From Prainha

Start for Jauari River — Strange Crew — Frightened Dog — Negro Dwelling — Difficulties with Crew — Casa de Bicho — Return Journey — Second Journey from Prainha — Paruaquara River — A Wasp in Boat's Cabin — A Fasenda — Swallow's Nest — A Cacoal — Third Journey from Prainha — Crossing the Amazon — Uruara River — Senhor Gomez's — Monkeys — Night Alarms — Adventure with Wasps — Return to Prainha 86

Chapter VI. At Santarem

Leave Prainha — Ascending the Amazon — Arrive at Santarem — A Stroll through the Town — Unmilitary Proceeding — The Streets — Townspeople — Salutations — Strange Cookery — Food — Vegetable Boy — Our House — Bathing Places — The ' Natal ' — The Band — A Fashionable Marriage — Sign of Rainy Season — One of our Portuguese attacked with Fever 109

Chapter VII. Excursions From Santarem

The 'Helvetica' — A Fiasco — Old Slave at Santa Anna — Vanquish Dogs — The Barreiras — Gigantic Toad— Bacaba Drink — Accidents on last Night of the Year — Freaks of little Indian Slave — Drunken old Nigger — Sailing on the Tapajos — Alter do Chao — Eccentric Individual — A Native Ball — Fire - ants — Aramanahy — Saiiba CONTENTS. IX Struggle — Dangers in a Tropical Storm — Adventure with a Labba — View from Alter do Chao Hill — The Judge — History of American Settlement — From Santarem to Obidos Page 125

Chapter VIII. Surveying On The Tapajos

Preparations for Journey on the Tapajos — A Night at Alter do Chao' — The Eccentric Individual again — Encamped at Jurucui — Boat sinks — Bees attack Sugar — Bindobaldoreis — Night Adventure — Downpours — Semi-tame Eagle — A curiously chosen Camp — Tremendous Thunderstorm — Camp alongside Dead Porpoise — Kindness of old Indian — Portuguese Trader — Start on Return Journey — Difficulties encountered — Warning Signals of Frog — Night of Suspense off Cururu Point — Santarem in sight — Meet last and heaviest Storm — Reach Santarem — Rejoin Head-quarters of the Commission .. 158

Chapter IX. At Obidos

An Interloper — Discordant Noise — Itinerant Musicians — Town of Obidos — Old Indian Chapel — The Forts — Landing Cattle — Arrival and Departure of Vessels — Our Next-door Neighbours — We are taken for " Sewing Machine Menders " — Our Hired Boy — A Homesick Portuguese — Depressing Weather — Adventure with Centipede — " An Englishman from Ipswich " 190

Chapter X. Excursions From Obldos

Leave Obidos for Trombetas — Our Crew work badly — The Botanist falls through an Oven — Arrive at Iripixy — Gulls feeding on Flying Ants — Vegetation bordering Lakes on Igapo Land — Our Steersman's Gun falls overboard — Ascend Trombetas to Lake Caypuru — Spreading a New Canoe — Dread of the Evil Eye — Caught in Rainstorm — Return to Obidos — Visit Serra de Escama — Indian Picture-writing — Are joined by the Engineer — Our Steam Launch arrives .. 204

Chapter XI. On The Trombetas

The 'Beija Flor' — Captain and Crew — Death of Jose^ — Start for the Trombetas — Scenery of the River — Night on board the Launch — Entrapped in a Cul-de-sac — S. Antonio — Lake Arapecu — Brazil CONTENTS. X Nuts — Lake Jukiri — The Isle of Diamonds — Lake Tapajem — Two poor old Negroes — The Launch aground — The Cataract — Runaway Slaves — Return — Scientific Rivalry — Palms — Adventure with a Tiger — Lake Sapukia — Obidos again Page 220

Chapter XII. On The Tapajos

Journey to Santarem — Unfailing Topic of Conversation — Rocked on the Waves — Itapauama — A Scare — Aveiros — Scenery of Tapajos — Beds — Uricurituba — A Strange Character — Itaituba — Purchase of a Pig — Maranhaozinho Cataract — A New Pest — Tattooing — Fasendas — Geology — Sugar Plantations — A Fish Pond — Haunted — Festal Dinner — Pignel and Boim — Severe Storm — Return to Santarem — Excursion up the Ayaya — Network of Channels — News from Home 243

Chapter XIII. On The Juruty

Leave Obidos — Parana-mirims — Parentins Hill — Site of Ancient Indian Village — Escaping from Mosquitoes — Lake Juruty — Receive Visitors — Anchor off Juruty Village — Purchase Fruit — Strange Signatures to Receipts — Moonlight View — Service in the Church — Remark of Irrepressible Little Man — Visit Ball Room — ■ Our Irrepressible Friend accused of Theft — Energetic DanciDg — Arrive at Villa Bella — Description of the Town 267

Chapter XIV. On The Jamunda

Leave Villa Bella for the Jamunda River — Intricate Geography of its Mouth — Night in the Caldeirao — Lake Maracana — Faro — Wide Distribution of Bottled Ale — First Cruise up the Lake — Dinner and Dumplings — A Monster Spider — Second Trip on Lake — Abowucoo — An Empty Coffin — The Great Aguadua — Wild Conjectures — Entertainment at Villa Bella — Swept Adrift in the Night— Up the Amazon to Cararaucu — Capella — A Wily Jew Arrival at Serpa — Inspection by Custom House Officer — The Town Tiny Newspaper — Lake Serpa — " The Fighting Temferire " .. .. CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XV. On The Mauhes And Abacaxis

The Ramos Parana-mirim — Enter the Mauhes River — Mauhes Village — A Guaranazal — Guarana — Mucaja Aldea — Mundurucu Indians—Different Phases of the River — Laranjal and its Inhabitants — Pacu-assu Cataract — Sketch Geology of the Mauhes — The Botanist meets with an Accident — Ball at Mucaja — " Caracajas "— Frighten the Inhabitants of Camarao — Run some Risk of being blown up— Senhor Rosa — The Abacaxis River — Our Mundurucu Pilot — Incidents in connection with Three Old Men — Our Dinner at Abacaxis — Flights of Mayflies — Unfortunate Thrushes . . . . Page 304

Chapter XVI. On The Madeira

Size and Character of the River Madeira — Borba — Festival of the Ascension — Legend of Sapukia-oroka — Difficulty with Fuel — Novel Ant's Nest — Esaltacion — Adventure with Butterflies — Rainbow, Thunderstorm, and great Variations of Temperature — A Bad Place for Mosquitoes — Starving Crato — Plentiful Humayta — Incidents of Navigation — Savage Indians — S. Antonio — Death of Mr. Davis — The Madeira and Maniore Railway — Unhealthiness of the District — Incidents of the Undertaking — The Doctor busy — Start for Return — Jamary — Bolivians — Lakes of Antonio — River Marmellos — Forest of the Madeira — Bird Life — Geology — Designing a Church — Centipedes — Manicore" — Discovery of an Aunt — Ridiculous situation of the Commission at Tabocal — Reach the Amazon — Peccary ■ — Reach Manaos 327

Chapter XVII. On The Rio Negro

The Rio Negro above Manaos — Pedreira — Lieutenant's Account of Indian Attacks upon Pedreira — Savage Tribes on the Jaupiri — Pass Mouth of the Rio Branco — Carvoeira — Strange Dance — Get Pilot at Caburie — Sad Fate of Crew of Sunken Craft — Dangerous Passage — Barcellos — Visit the Priest and an Official — Spend a Pleasant Evening — A Little Semi-wild Indian — Old St. Isabel — Commence Return Journey — Padawiry River — Piassaba — Revisit Barcellos — Fever about — Dark Individual — Night Monkey — The 'Beija Flor' charges the Forest — Fever at Ayrao — Arrive at Manaos CONTENTS.

Chapter XVIII. At Manaos

The ' Beija Flor ' exchanged for the ' Guajara ' — Delay in fitting her out — Description of Manaos — The Cathedral — The President of the Province — Live Peixe-boi — Hoisting the Ball at Noon — Protestant Services — Dr. Lee's Mission — His Colleague — A Strange Invitation to Breakfast — Pic-nic on the Taruma — Water-fall — Ludicrous Scene — Start for the Company's Territory — Camp at Marapata — Variety of Pests — Life in the Forest — The Engineer stung by a Scorpion — At Death's Door — Break up Camp — Stung by Caterpillars — Large Toad and Worm — Trovoado on the Negro Page 389

Chapter XIX. On The Purus

The ' Guajard ' ready — Trial Trip — The President on Board — Description of Steamer, Captain and Crew — Leave Manaos — Winding Rivers — Purus Scenery — Night on the Praias — Landslips — Tiger — Fishing — Catching Turtles — Pamary Indians — Singular Disease — The " Doldrums " and " Roaring-forties " — Piums — Process of Manufacturing India-rubber — Character of Men employed in the Trade — Mabidiri — Cursed by an Old Man — Meeting with Mr. Piper — A large Landowner — Silk-eotton Trees — Geology — Freaks of the River — Monkeys 418

Chapter XX. On The Jurua And Solimoes

Valley of the Solimoes — Coary — The Village School — Teffe — The Judge — Blown-up Launch — Drunken Fireman — Singular Palms — Enter the Jurua — Juruapuca — Piums aud their Enemies — Orinooco Geese — A Coloured Englishman — Dirt-eating Children — Rubber Season — Reach Umbu Caxoeira — Commence Descent of Jurua — Savage Indians — Re-enter Solimoes — Fonte Boa — Learn of sad Death of Dr. Lee— Ipadu Chewers — Tonantins — S. Paulo — Hospitality of Officers at Tabatinga — Geology of the Solimoes . . CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter XXI. On The Javary

Start for the Javary — Death of "Miss Squeers " — Character of the River — Purchase a Barrigudo — Canama — The ultimate Point of our Journeys — The Lingoa Geral — A Tiny Mannozet — A Love Story — Piririca — Geology — Down the Solimoes — Caldeirao — An Unlucky Day — Looking for the Chief's Slipper ! — News at Teff6 — Lake Cayambe — A Laughable Contretemps — Arrival at Manaos Page 478