Travels on the Amazon

II Travels On The Amazon

ATRr^ WALLACE

*H

\u

HARPER y BROTHERS,

NEW YORK.

WARD, LOCK y CO., LIMITED, LONDON.

1 f

SB s w.

f

I

ill

-fr

C)

5 (37

tow. j 48

MM ■

Preface

AN earnest desire to visit a tropical country, to behold the luxuriance of animal and vegetable life said to exist there, and to see with my own eyes all those wonders which I had so much delighted to read of in the narratives of travellers, were the motives that induced me to break through the trammels of business and the ties of home, and start for

" Some far land where endless summer reigns."

My attention was directed to Para and the Amazon by Mr. Edwards's little book, "A Voyage up the Amazon,'' and I decided upon going there, both on account of its easiness of access and the little that was known of it compared with most other parts of South America.

I proposed to pay my expenses by making collections in Natural History, and I have been enabled to do so ; and the pleasures I have found in the contemplation of the strange and beautiful objects continually met with, and the deep interest arising from the study in their native wilds of the varied races of mankind, have been such as to determine my continuing in the pursuit I have entered upon, and to cause me to look forward with pleasure to again visiting the wild and luxuriant scenery and the sparkling life of the tropics.

In the following pages I have given a narrative of my journeys and of the impressions excited at the time. The first and last portions are from my journals, with little alteration ; but all the notes made during two years, with the vi PREFACE,

greater part of my collections and sketches, were lost by the burning of the ship on my homeward voyage. From the fragmentary notes and papers which I have saved I have written the intermediate portion, and the four last chapters on the Natural History of the country and on the Indian tribes, which, had I saved all my materials, were intended to form a separate work on the Physical History of the Amazon.

In conclusion, I trust that the great loss of materials which I have suffered, and which every naturalist and traveller will fully appreciate, may be taken into consideration, to explain the inequalities and imperfections of the narrative, and the meagreness of the other part of the work, so little proportionate to what might be expected from a four years 7 residence in such an interesting and little-known country. London, October, 1853.

Preface To New Edition

HPHIS issue is substantially a reprint of the original work, but •*• the proof sheets have been carefully revised and many verbal corrections made. A few notes have been added, and English names have in many cases been substituted for the local terms which were used too freely in the first edition. The only omissions are the vocabularies of Indian languages and Dr. Latham's observations on them, which were thought to be unsuitable to the general reader. A. R. W.

Parkstone, Dorset, October, 1889,

Chapter 1. Para

Arrival at Para — Appearance of the city and its environs — The inhabitants and their costumes — Vegetation— Sensitive plants — Lizards — Ants and other insects — Birds —Climate — Food of the inhabitants i

Chapter II

Festas — Portuguese and Brazilian currency — M. Borlaz' estate— Walk to the rice-mills — The virgin forest, its plants and insects — Milk-tree — Saw and rice-mills — Caripe or pottery-tree — India-rubber-tree — Flowers and trees in blossom — Saiiba ants, wasps, and chegoes — Journey by water to Magoary — The monkeys — The commandante at Laranjeiras — Vampire bats — The timber-trade — Boa constrictor and sloth 13

Chapter III. The Tocantins

Canoe, stores, and crew — River Mojii — Igaripe Miri — Cameta — Senhor Gomez and his establishment — Search for a dinner — J ambouassii— Polite letter — Baiao and its inhabitants — A swarm of wasps — Enter the rocky district — The Mutuca — Difficulty of getting men — A village without houses — Catching an alligator — Duck-shooting — Aroyas, and the Falls — A nocturnal concert — Blue macaws — Turtles' eggs— A slight accident— Capabilities of the country — Return to Para 35

Chapter IV. Mexiana And Marajo

Visit to Oleria — Habits of birds — Voyage toMexiana — Arrival — Birds — Description of the island — Population — Slaves, their treatment and habits— Journey to the Lake — Beautiful stream — Fish and birds at the lake — Catching alligators — Strange sounds, and abundance of animal life — Walk back — Jaguar meat — Visit to Jungcal in Marajo — Embarking cattle — Ilha das Frechas \ 57

Chapter V. The Guama And Capim Rivers

Natterer's hunter, Luiz — Birds and insects — Prepare for a journey — First sight of the Piroroco — St. Domingo — Senhor Calistro — Slaves and slavery — Anecdote — Cane-field — Journey into the forest — Game — Explanation of the Piroroco — Return to Para — Bell-birds and yellow parrots 77

Chapter VI. Santarem And Montealegre

Leave Para — Enter the Amazon — Its peculiar features — Arrive at Santarem — The town and its inhabitants — Voyage to Montealegre — Mosquito plague and its remedy — Journey to the Serras — A cattle estate — Rocks, picture writings, and cave — The Victoria regia — Mandiocca fields — A festa — Return to Santarem — Beautiful insects — Curious tidal phenomenon — Leave Santarem — Obydos — Villa Nova — A kind priest — Serpa — Christmas Day on the Amazon 92

Chapter VII. Barra Do Rio Negro And The Solimoes

Appearance of the Rio Negro — The city of Barra, its trade and its inhabitants — Journey up the Rio Negro — The Lingoa Geral — The umbrella bird — Mode of life of the Indians — Return to Barra — Strangers in the city — Visit to the Solimoes — The Gapo — Manaquery —

VI 11

CONTENTS,

Country life — Curl-crested Aracaris — Vultures and Oncas — Tobacco growing and manufacture — The Cow-fish — Senhor Brandao — A fishing party with Senhor Henrique — Letters from England ... 112

Chapter VIII. The Upper Rio Negro

Quit Barra for the Upper Rio Negro — Canoe and cargo — Great width of the river — Carvoeiro and Barcellos — Granite rocks — Castanheiro — A polite old gentleman — Sao Joze — A new language — The cataracts — Sao Gabriel — Nossa Senhora da Guia — Senhor L. and his family — Visit to the river Cobati — An Indian village— The Serra— Cocks of the iock — Return to Guia — Frei Joze dos Santos Innocentos 133

Chapter IX. Javita

Leave Guia — Marabitanas— Serra de Cocoi — Enter Venezuela— Sao Carlos — Pass the Cassiquiare — Antonio Dias — Indian shipbuilders— Feather-work — Marda and Pimichfn— A black jaguar — Poisonous serpents— Fishing— Walk to Javita— Residence there — Indian road-makers — Language and customs — A description of Javita — Runaway Indians — Collections at Javita — Return to Tomo — A domestic broil — Marabitanas and its inhabitants — Reach Guia 159

Chapter X. First Ascent Of The River Uaupes

Rapid current — An Indian Malacca — The Inmates — A Festival — Paint and ornaments — Illness — Sao Jeronymo — Passing the cataracts — Jauarite — The Tushaua Calistro — Singular palm — Birds — Cheap provisions — Edible ants, and earthworms — A grand dance — Feather ornaments — The snake-dance — The Capi — A

State cigar — Ananarapicoma — Fish — Chegoes — Pass down the falls— Tame b ; rds— Orchids — Piums — Eating dirt— loisoning — Return to Guia — Manoel J oaquim— Annoying delays 188

Chapter XI. On The Rio Negro

Difficulties of starting — Descending the falls — Catching an alligator — Tame parrots — A fortnight in Barra — Frei Joze's diplomacy — Pickling a cow-fish — A river storm — Brazilian veracity — Wanawaca— Productiveness of the^ country— A large snake— Sao Gabriel— Sao Joaquim — Fever and ague 218

Chapter XII. The Cataracts Of The Uaupes

Start for the Uaupes — Sao Jeronymo and Jauarite — Indians run away — Numerous cataracts — Reach Carurii— Difficult passage — Painted Malocca — Devil music — More falls — Ocoki — Curious rocks — Reach Uarucapuri — Cobeu Indians- Reach Mucura— An Indian's house and family — Height above the sea — Tenente Jesuino — Return to Uarucapuri — Indian prisoners — Voyage to Jauarite — Correcting the calendar — Delay at Sao Jeronymo

Chapter XIII. Sao Jeronymo To The Downs

Voyage down the Rio Negro — Arrive at Barra — Obtaining a passport — State of the city — Portuguese and Brazilian enterprise—System of credit — Trade — Immorality, and its causes — Leave Barra— A storm on the Amazon— Salsaparilha — A tale about Death — Para— The yellow fever — Sail for England— Ship takes fire — Ten days in the boats— Get picked up — Heavy gales — Short of provisions— Storm in the Channel — Arrive at Deal 256

PAGE

OBSERVATIONS ON THE ZOOLOGY OF THE AMAZON DISTRICT 310