THE GALATEA.
On an evening in the early part of December, a craft of singular
construction might have been seen descending the Solimoes, and
apparently making for the little Portuguese port of Coary, that lies on
the southern side of the river.
When we say of singular construction, we mean singular to one
unaccustomed to the navigation of Amazonian waters. There the craft in
question was too common to excite curiosity, since it was nothing more
than a _galatea_, or large canoe, furnished with mast and sail, with a
palm-thatched cabin, or _tolda_, rising over the quarter, a low-decked
locker running from bow to midships,--along each side of which were to
be seen, half seated, half standing, some half-dozen dark-skinned men,
each plying, instead of an oar, a paddle-blade.
[Illustration]
Perhaps the most singular sight on board this embarkation was the group
of animated beings who composed its crew and passengers. The former, as
already stated, were dark-skinned men, scantily clad,--in fact, almost
naked, since a single pair of white cotton drawers constituted the
complete costume of each.
For passengers there were three men, and a like number of individuals of
younger age. Two of the men were white, apparently Europeans; the other
was as black as soot could have made him,--unquestionably an African
negro. Of the young people two were boys, not much differing in size,
and apparently not much in age, while the third was a half-grown girl,
of dark complexion, raven-colored hair, and beautiful features.
One of the white men appeared to be, and was, the proprietor of the
montaria, and the employer of its swarthy crew. He was Ralph Trevannion.
The young girl was his daughter, and bore her Peruvian mother's name,
Rosa, more often pronounced by its diminutive of endearment, Rosita. The
younger of the two boys--also of dark complexion--was his son Ralph,
while the older, of true Saxon physiognomy and hue, was the son of his
brother, also bearing his father's Christian name, Richard.
The second white man was unmistakably of European race,--so much so that
any one possessing the slightest knowledge of the hibernian type, would
at once have pronounced him a "Son of the Sod." A pure pug nose, a shock
of curled hair of the clearest carrot color, an eternal twinkle in the
eye, a volume of fun lying open at each angle of the mouth,--were all
characteristics by which "Tipperary Tom"--for such was his
_sobriquet_--might be remembered.
About the negro there was nothing special, more than that he was a pure
negro, with enormously thick lips, flattened nose, long protruding
heels, teeth white as hippopotamus ivory, and almost always set in a
good-humored grin. The darkey had been a sailor, or rather ship-steward,
before landing in Peru. Thither had he strayed, and settled at Cerro
Pasco after several years spent aboard ship. He was a native of
Mozambique, on the eastern coast of Africa, to which circumstance was he
indebted for the only name ever given him,--Mozey.
Both he and the Irishman were the servants of the miner, or rather his
retainers, who served him in various ways, and had done so almost ever
since his establishing himself among the rocks of Cerro Pasco.
The other creatures of the animated kingdom that found lodgment upon the
craft, were of various shapes, sizes, and species. There were
quadrupeds, quadrumana, and birds,--beasts of the field, monkeys of the
forest, and birds of the air,--clustering upon the cabin top, squatted
in the hold, perched upon the gangway, the tolda, the yard, and the
mast,--forming an epitomized menagerie, such as may be seen on every
kind of craft that navigates the mighty Amazon.
It is not our design to give any description of the galatea's crew.
There were nine of them,--all Indians,--four on each side acting as
rowers, or more properly "paddlers," the ninth being the pilot or
steersman, standing abaft the tolda.
Our reason for not describing them is that they were a changing crew,
only attached to the craft for a particular stage of the long river
voyage, and had succeeded several other similar sets since the
embarkation of our voyagers on the waters of the Upper Amazon. They had
joined the galatea at the port of Ega, and would take leave of her at
Coary, where a fresh crew of civilized Indians--"tapuyos"--would be
required.
And they _were_ required, but not obtained. On the galatea putting into
the port of Coary, it was found that nearly every man in the place was
off upon a hunting excursion,--turtle and cowfish being the game that
had called them out. Not a canoe-man could be had for love or money.
The owner of the galatea endeavored to tempt the Ega crew to continue
another stage. It was contrary to their habit, and they refused to go.
Persuasion and threats were tried in vain. Coaxing and scolding proved
equally unavailable; all except one remained firm in their refusal, the
exception being an old Indian who did not belong to the Ega tribe, and
who could not resist the large bribe offered by Trevannion.
The voyagers must either suspend their journey till the Coary
turtle-hunters should return, or proceed without paddlers. The hunters
were not expected for a month. To stay a month at Coary was out of the
question. The galatea must go on manned by her own people, and the old
Indian, who was to act as pilot. Such was the determination of Ralph
Trevannion. But for that resolve,--rash as it was, and ending
unfortunately for him who made it,--we should have no story to tell.