Where we had been cast we could not tell. Daylight was increasing. The
clouds had cleared off. We should soon, we hoped, be able to see our
way through the forest, and ascertain our position. We all remained
silent for some time, True lying down by my side, and placing his head
upon my arm. While thus half between sleeping and waking, I heard a
rustling sound, and opening my eyes, half expecting to see a snake
wriggling through the grass, they fell on a beautiful little lizard
making its way down to the water. At that moment a pile of dry leaves,
near which it was passing, was violently agitated, and from beneath them
sprung a hairy monster, with long legs and a huge pair of forceps, and
seized the lizard by the back of its neck, holding it at the same time
with its front feet, while the others were firmly planted in the ground
to stop its progress. In vain the lizard struggled to free itself. The
monster spider held it fast, digging its forceps deeper and deeper into
its neck. I was inclined to go to the rescue of the little saurian, but
curiosity prevented me, as I wished to see the result of the attack,
while I knew that it had already, in all probability, received its
death-wound. The struggles of the lizard grew feebler and feebler. Its
long tail, which it had kept whisking about, sank to the ground, and the
spider began its meal off the yet quivering flesh. I touched Arthur,
and pointed out what was taking place. "The horrid monster," he
exclaimed. "I must punish it for killing that pretty little lizard."
Before I could prevent him, he had jumped up and dealt the spider a blow
on the head.
On examining it I found that it was a great crab-spider, one of the
formidable _arachnida_, which are said to eat young birds and other
small vertebrates, though they generally, like other spiders, live upon
insects. This spider--the _mygagle avicularia_--will attack
humming-birds, and, indeed, other small specimens of the feathered
tribe. When unable to procure its usual food of ants, it lies concealed
under leaves as this one had done, and darts out on any passing prey
which it believes it can manage; or if not, it climbs trees and seizes
the smaller birds when at roost, or takes the younger ones out of their
nests. It does not spin a web, but either burrows in the ground, or
seeks a cavity in a rock, or in any hollow suited to its taste.
I had never seen any creature of the spider tribe so monstrous or
formidable. Under other circumstances I should have liked to have
carried the creature with us to show to my companions. As soon as
Arthur had killed it, Duppo jumped up and cut off the two forceps, which
were as hard and strong as those of a crab; and I have since seen such
set in metal and used as toothpicks, under the belief that they contain
some hidden virtue for curing the toothache.
The rest had almost completely cured Arthur's sprained ankle, and on
examining his shoulder, I found that the arrow had inflicted but a
slight wound, it having merely grazed the upper part after passing
through his clothes. This, of course accounted for the little
inconvenience he had felt. Still, I believe, even had the wound been
deeper, the poison would not have affected him. I was indeed very
thankful to see him so much himself again.
We were now aroused, and, getting on our feet, looked about as to settle
in which direction we should proceed. We soon found that we were at the
western end of an island, and as the distant features of the landscape
came into view, we felt sure that it was the very one, near the entrance
of the igarape, where we had first landed. We had supposed that we had
floated much further down the river.
"The first thing we have to do is to build a raft, and to get back to
our friends," I said to Arthur. "We shall have little difficulty, I
hope, in doing that. We must lose no time, and we shall be able to
reach them before night."
This discovery raised our spirits. We had first, however, to look out
for a bed of rushes to form the chief part of the intended construction.
The experience we had gained gave us confidence. We explained to Duppo
what we proposed doing, and set forward along the northern shore of the
island. We were more likely to find on that side, in its little bays
and inlets, the materials we required. The axe which Duppo had saved
was of great importance. We had made our way for a quarter of a mile
along the beach, when the increasing density of the underwood threatened
to impede our further progress. Still we had not found what we
required. "I think I see the entrance of an inlet, and we shall
probably find reeds growing on its banks," said Arthur. "We can still,
I think, push our way across these fern-like leaves."
We pressed forward, though so enormous were the leaves of which he
spoke, that a single one was sufficient to hide him from my sight as he
made his way among them. Duppo and True followed close behind me, but
True could only get on by making a succession of leaps, and sometimes
Duppo had to stop and help him through the forked branches, by which he
ran a risk every instant of being caught as in a trap.
"I think I see the mouth of the inlet close ahead," said Arthur. "If we
push on a few yards more we shall reach it. Get the axe from Duppo and
hand it to me; I must cut away some sipos and bushes, and then we shall
get there."
I did as he requested. I had broken down the vast leaves which
intervened between us, when I saw him beginning to use his axe. He had
made but a few strokes when a loud savage roar, which came from a short
distance off, echoed through the wood. His axe remained uplifted, and
directly afterwards a sharp cry reached our ears. "That is a woman's
voice," I exclaimed. "Where can it come from?" Duppo, as I spoke,
sprang forward, and endeavoured to scramble through the underwood, as
did True.
"Cut, Arthur, cut," I exclaimed. "Unless we clear away those sipos we
shall be unable to get there."
Arthur needed no second bidding, and so actively did he wield his axe,
that in a few seconds we were able to push onwards. Again the savage
roar sounded close to us, but the cry was not repeated. "Oh, I am
afraid the brute has killed the poor creature, for surely that must have
been a human being who cried out," exclaimed Arthur.
We dashed on, when, reaching the water, we saw, scarcely twenty yards
off, on the opposite bank, a canoe, in which were two persons. One lay
with his head over the gunwale; the other, whom I at once recognised as
our friend Illora, was standing up, no longer the somewhat retiring,
quiet-looking matron, but more like a warrior Amazonian--her hair
streaming in the wind, her countenance stern, her eyes glaring, and with
a sharp spear upraised in her hands, pointed towards a savage jaguar,
which, with its paws on the gunwale, seemed about to spring into the
canoe. It was too evident that her husband had been seized, and to all
appearance killed. What hope could she have of resisting the savage
creature with so slight a weapon. That very instant I dreaded it would
spring on her. Poor Duppo shrieked out with terror; but though his
mother's ears must have caught the sound, she did not withdraw her
glance from the jaguar. She well knew that to do so would be fatal.
Duppo made signs to me to fire, but I feared that in so doing I might
miss the jaguar and wound one of his parents. Yet not a moment was to
be lost. My rifle, fortunately, was loaded with ball. I examined the
priming, and prayed that my arm might be nerved to take good aim. Again
the brute uttered a savage growl, and seemed on the point of springing
forward, when I fired. It rose in the air and fell back among the
foliage, while Illora thrust her spear at it with all her force. Not
till then did she seem to be aware of our presence. Then waving to us,
she seized the paddle and brought the canoe over to where we were
standing. Duppo leaped in and lifted up his father. The blood had
forsaken his dark countenance; his eyes were closed, his head was
fearfully torn--the greater part of the hair having been carried away.
Illora knelt down by his side, resting his head upon her arm. Arthur
and I felt his pulse. It still beat. We made signs to his wife that he
was alive, for she had evidently thought him dead. I fortunately had a
large handkerchief in my pocket, and dipping it in water, bound up his
head. He appeared to revive slightly. Illora then made signs to us
that she wished to go down the river. We did not even stop to look what
had become of the jaguar, convinced that he was killed. No time was to
be lost. Having placed Maono on some leaves in the stern of the canoe,
she seized one of the paddles and urged it out into the main stream.
Duppo took another paddle. Fortunately there were two spare ones at the
bottom of the canoe. Arthur and I seized them. Illora paddled away,
knowing well that the life of her husband depended on her exertions.
However callous may be the feelings of Indians generally, both she and
Duppo showed that they possessed the same which might have animated the
breasts of white people. Every now and then I saw her casting looks of
anxiety down on her husband's face. He remained unconscious, but still
I had hopes that if attended to at once he might recover.
"I am thankful a jaguar did not spring out on us as we were passing
through that thick underwood," observed Arthur. "How utterly unable we
should have been to defend ourselves."
"Yes, indeed; and still more so that we did not take up our abode
there," I remarked. "Probably the island is infested with jaguars, and
we should have run a great chance of being picked off by them."
"I doubt if more than one or two would find support there," he remarked.
"How that one, indeed, came there is surprising."
"Possibly he was carried there on a floating island," I answered. "I
doubt whether intentionally he would have crossed from the mainland; for
though jaguars can swim, I suppose, like other animals, they do not
willingly take to the water." This, I suspect, was the case.
We tried to learn from Illora how her husband had been attacked. She
gave us to understand that, after looking about for us, they had put in
there for the night, and were still asleep when the savage brute had
sprung out of the thicket and seized Maono. She heard him cry out, and
had sprung to her feet and seized her lance just at the moment we had
found them.
"We should be doubly thankful that we were cast on the island and
arrived in time to rescue our friend," I observed to Arthur.
As may be supposed, however, we did not speak much, as we had to exert
ourselves to the utmost to impel the canoe through the water. I was,
however, thankful when at last we saw the roof of our hut in the
distance. We shouted as we approached, "Ellen! Maria!" Great was our
delight to see Ellen and Maria, with Domingos, come down to the edge of
the water to receive us. As I jumped out, my affectionate little sister
threw her arms round my neck and burst into tears.
"Oh, we have been so anxious about you!" she exclaimed; "but you have
come at last. And what has happened to the poor Indian? Have you been
attacked again by the Majeronas?"
I told her briefly what had occurred, and set her anxiety at rest with
regard to our parents by giving her Fanny's note, and telling her how we
had found it. I need not repeat her expressions of joy and
thankfulness. I then asked for John, as he understood more about
doctoring than any of us. He had gone away with his gun to shoot only
just before, and might not be back for some time. The Indians were at
their own settlement, a couple of miles off.
"What can we do with him!" I exclaimed.
"Why not take him to the recluse?" said Ellen. "He will know how to
treat him."
I made Illora comprehend what Ellen proposed. She signified that that
was what she herself wished to do.
"Then, Ellen, we must leave you again," I said. "We must do our best to
save the life of our friend."
Arthur agreed with me, and entreating Ellen to keep up her spirits till
our return, we again, greatly to Illora's satisfaction, jumped into the
canoe. "We hope to be back to-morrow morning!" I cried out, as we
shoved off.
Though somewhat fatigued, we exerted ourselves as much as before, and
having the current in our favour, made good progress. Examining the
banks as we went along, I saw how almost impossible it would have been
to have effected a landing on that dreadful night of the storm, when we
had the raft in tow, for one dense mass of foliage fringed the whole
extent, with the exception of a short distance, where I recognised the
sand-bank on which Arthur had been nearly killed by the anaconda. Maono
every now and then uttered a low groan when his wife bathed his head
with water--the best remedy, I thought, she could apply.
The voyage was longer than I had expected, for nearly two hours had
passed before we reached the mouth of the igarape, near which the hut of
the recluse stood. Having secured the canoe, Illora lifted up her
husband by the shoulders, while we put the paddles under his body, and
his son carried his feet. We then hastened on towards the hut. As we
came in sight of it, Duppo shouted out to announce our approach to the
recluse. No one appeared. The door, I saw, was closed, but the ladder
was down. We stopped as we got up to it, when Duppo, springing up the
steps, knocked at the door. My heart misgave me. The recluse might be
ill. Then I thought of the ladder being down, and concluded that he was
absent from home. Again Duppo knocked, and obtaining no reply, opened
the door and cautiously looked in. No one was within. What were we to
do? Were we to wait for the return of the owner, or go back to our
settlement? I advised that Maono should be carried within, and proposed
waiting till he appeared. We lifted him up and placed him under the
shade of the verandah. Meantime Duppo collected a number of dried
leaves, with which to form a bed, as he was not in a fit state to be
placed in a hammock. I then advised Illora to send Duppo for water,
while Arthur and I went out and searched for the recluse, in the hope
that he might be in the neighbourhood. We first went to his plantation,
thinking that he might be there, but could nowhere find him. It
appeared, indeed, as if it had not been lately visited, as it was in a
far more disordered state than when we had before seen it. We were
afraid of going into the forest, lest we should lose our way; we
therefore turned back and proceeded up the igarape, which would serve as
a guide to us. It grew wilder and wilder as we went on. At length we
reached a spot which we could not possibly pass. The trunks of the
mighty trees grew close to the water, their roots striking down into it,
while thousands of sipos and air-plants hung in tangled masses overhead,
and huge ferns with vast leaves formed a dense fringe along the banks.
Near us the trunk of an aged tree, bending over the water, covered with
parasitic plants, had been seized by the sipos from the opposite side,
and hung, as it were, caught in their embrace, forming a complete bridge
across the igarape. I have already described these wonderful
air-plants. They here appeared in greater numbers and more varied form
than any we had yet seen. Flights of macaws and parroquets flew here
and there through the openings, or climbed up and down, cawing and
chattering in various tones. Although I should have liked to have
obtained some, I saw that, should I kill any, they would have fallen
where it would be impossible to get at them, for even True could not
have made his way through the wood; and I was afraid that if they fell
into the water, he might be snapped up by an alligator who might be
lurking near.
We were on the point of turning away, when Arthur exclaimed, "I see
something moving high up the igarape, among those huge leaves." I
scrambled down to where he was standing, and presently, amid the dim
light, a human figure came into view. At first it seemed as if he was
standing on the water, but as he slowly approached we saw that a raft of
some sort was beneath his feet. He was hauling himself along by the
branches, which hung low down, or the tall reeds or leaves fringing the
banks.
"I do believe it is the recluse," whispered Arthur to me. "What can
have happened to him?" We waited till he came nearer. He looked even
wilder and more careworn than usual. He had no covering on his head
except his long hair, while he had thrown off his coat, which lay on the
raft. Slowly and not without difficulty he worked his way on. He did
not perceive us till he was close to where we stood.
"Can we help you, sir?" I said. "We came to look for you."
"What induced you to do that?" he asked. "I thought no human being
would care for me."
"But we do, sir," said Arthur, almost involuntarily. "You can be of
service to one of your friends, a poor Indian, who has been severely
hurt."
"Ah! there is something to live for then!" he exclaimed, looking up at
us. "But I must have your assistance too. I have injured my leg; and
had I not been able to reach the igarape and construct this raft, I must
have perished in the forest. I have with difficulty come thus far, and
should have had to crawl to my hut, as I purposed doing, had you not
appeared to assist me. My canoe I had left a league or two further
away, and could not reach it."
"Oh, we will gladly help you, sir," exclaimed Arthur; "and if you will
let us, we will tow the raft down nearer to the hut."
"It is strange that you should have come; and I accept your offer,"
answered the recluse.
We soon cut some long sipos, and fastening them together we secured one
end to the raft. The recluse sat down, evidently much exhausted by his
previous exertions; and while we towed the raft along, he kept it off
the bank with a long pole. When we got down opposite the hut, we
assisted him to land. He could not move, however, without great
difficulty.
"Let me go and call Mora and Duppo, that we may carry you in the litter
on which I was brought to your hut," said Arthur. "No, no; I can get
on, with your assistance, without that," answered the recluse, placing
his arms on our shoulders. He groaned several times, showing the pain
he suffered; but still he persevered, and at length we reached the hut.
We had great difficulty in getting him up the ladder. When he saw
Maono, he seemed to forget all about himself.
"My hurt can wait," he observed. "We must attend to this poor fellow."
Having examined the Indian's head, he produced a salve, which he spread
on a cloth, and again bound it up. "A European would have died with
such a wound," he observed; "but with his temperate blood, he will, I
hope, escape fever."
Having attended to his guest, he allowed Arthur and I to assist him in
binding up his leg, and in preparing a couch for him in his own room,
instead of the hammock in which he usually slept. He explained to
Illora how she was to treat her husband, and gave her a cooling draught
which he was to take at intervals during the night. Having slung his
hammock in the outside room, Arthur and I lay down, one at each end;
while the Indian woman sat up to keep watch, and Duppo coiled himself
away on one of the chests.
At daybreak, Arthur, hearing the recluse move, got up and asked him if
he could be of any service.
"Yes, my good lad," answered our host; "you can help me to bind this
limb of mine afresh. Bring me yonder jar of ointment!" I heard what
was said, though I could not see what was going forward. "Thank you, my
lad," said the recluse. "No woman's hand could have done it better.
Now go and see how the Indian has passed the night."
Arthur came out, and having looked at Maono, reported that he was still
sleeping quietly.
"He must not be disturbed then," was the answer. "When he wakes I will
attend to him. Now, go and see what food you can obtain. My
plantations will afford you some; or if not, your brother will be able
to shoot some birds. He will find troops of toucans and parrots not far
off. Some farinha will be sufficient for me."
"Harry will, I am sure, do his best to kill some game," said Arthur;
"but you called him my brother. Though he is a dear friend, we are not
related. He has father, and mother, and sisters; and the gentleman you
saw is his brother; but I have no relations--none to care for me except
these kind friends."
"I know not if you are to be pitied then," said the recluse. "If you
have none to care for you, you are free to take your own way."
"Oh, but I do care for the kind friends who brought me out here,"
exclaimed Arthur. "And I feel that I care for you; and I ought to do
so, as you took care of me and nursed me when I was ill." The recluse
was silent, and Arthur came into the larger apartment.
The recluse was sufficiently recovered during the day to be placed in
his more airy hammock in the outer room. His eyes, I observed, were
constantly following Arthur. "It is strange," I heard him whispering to
himself. "There is a resemblance, and yet, it is so unlikely."
Maono was going on favourably; and the recluse was able to crawl from
his hammock to attend to him as often as was necessary. I was very
anxious to get back to Ellen and John; especially to assist in finishing
the canoe, that we might at soon as possible recommence our voyage down
the river. I proposed, therefore, that Arthur and I should set off at
once, as I thought we could find our way through the forest without
difficulty. The recluse seemed far from pleased at my proposal.
"I would not deprive you of the society of your friend," he said, "but
he will be of great assistance to me if he can remain; and you can call
for him when you come down the river. Instead of him, take the boy
Duppo with you. He may be of more use in guiding you through the
forest. The Indian woman will probably wish to remain with her
husband."
I found that Arthur was ready to stay with the recluse. "Poor man," he
said, "I may, I think, be of some service in soothing his mind, as well
as assisting him as he wishes. I do not like to leave you, Harry; but
if you do not object, I will remain. I wish, however, that you would go
in the canoe."
"She is too heavy, I fear, to paddle against the stream," I answered;
"and if I have Duppo as a guide, I would rather return through the
forest."
I explained this to the Indians, who at once consented that Duppo should
return with me; while Illora remained to nurse her husband. As there
was time to reach our location before dark, I begged to set off at once.
Duppo and I stored our wallets with fresh farinha; and I hoped to kill
a toucan, or a brace of parrots, on our way, which would afford us
sufficient food. As no time was to be lost, we set off at once. Duppo
showed some affection when parting from his mother. She was certainly
less demonstrative, however, than a European would have been. He was
evidently very proud of being allowed to attend on me.
He led the way with unerring instinct through the forest; and I felt
that there was no danger of losing the path, as John and I had done when
travelling in the same direction. I kept my eyes about me as we
proceeded, hoping to shoot some game, as we had but a limited supply of
food. I got a shot at a toucan, which was climbing with bill and claws
up a tree above our heads. It hung on to the branch for an instant, and
I was afraid I should lose it. Its claws and beak, however, soon let
go, and down it came, its beautiful plumage shining in the sun as it
fell. I could scarcely bring myself to kill it; but I had to confess
that necessity has no laws, and should as willingly at that moment have
shot the most gaily-coloured macaw or parroquet. It would, however,
afford Duppo and I, and True, but a scanty meal; I therefore kept my gun
ready for another shot.
Going on a little further, directly in front of us a beautiful deer
started up from behind a thicket. True darted forward, and flew at the
creature, which turned round and round to defend itself. I thus had the
opportunity of having a good aim, and wounded the deer in the neck.
Duppo started off in pursuit. He had brought his father's blow-pipe
instead of his own, which he had lost. It was too heavy, however, for
him to manage. I thought we should have lost the deer; but kneeling
down, he raised it on a hanging sipo, and let fly an arrow, which struck
the animal. He had time to send another shaft before the deer got out
of sight. Then calling to me, he urged me to pursue it. Away we went
through the forest, True at the heels of the deer, and I following Duppo
as closely as I could. Still, notwithstanding its wounded condition,
there seemed every probability of its escaping. Duppo thought
otherwise, and continued the pursuit; though I could not perceive either
the animal or its track. He was right, however; for in ten minutes we
again caught sight of it, moving slowly. Just as we reached it, it sank
to the ground. It was the first deer we had killed; though I had seen
several scampering in the distance through the more open parts of the
forest, and I believe they are numerous along the banks of the Amazon
and its tributaries. We packed up as much of the flesh as we could
carry, and hung the remainder on the branch of a tree.
We were walking on with our loads, when a loud crashing sound echoed
through the forest. I had never seen Duppo show any sign of fear
before, but he now came close up to me, trembling all over. "What is
the matter?" I asked. All was again silent for some minutes. Then
came from the far distance the melancholy howl, which had often kept us
awake at night--the cries, I felt sure, of howling monkeys. They again
ceased; and a loud clang sounded through the forest, such as I had read
of in that wonderful romance, "The Castle of Otranto." Duppo grew more
and more alarmed; and now caught hold of my jacket, as if I could
protect him. I was puzzled to account for the sound; but still I saw
nothing very alarming in it. When, however, a loud piercing cry rent
the air, coming, I could not tell from whence, I confess that I felt
somewhat uncomfortable. Poor Duppo trembled all over, and clung to my
arm, exclaiming, "_Curupira_! _curupira_!" True pricked up his ears,
and barked in return. "Do not be afraid, Duppo," I said, trying to
encourage him. "It may have been only the shriek of a monkey, caught by
a jaguar or puma." He, however, seemed in no way disposed to be
satisfied by any explanations which I could suggest of the noises we had
heard.
As we proceeded, he tried to explain to me that he was sure that that
part of the forest was haunted by a spirit, which made the noises. It
was like a huge monkey, covered with long shaggy hair. He committed, he
said, all sorts of mischief. He had a wife and family, whom he taught
to do as much harm as himself; and that, if they caught us, they would
certainly play us some trick. I tried to laugh away his fears, but not
with much success.
At last he gained a little more confidence, and walked on ahead to show
the way. No other sound was heard. He looked back anxiously to see
that I was close to him.
Among the fruits I observed numbers of a curious bean-like description.
Several species had pods fully a yard long hanging to delicate stalks,
and, of course, very slender. Others were four inches wide, and short.
While I was looking down to pick up some of the curious beans I have
mentioned, I saw the big head of a creature projecting from a hole. For
a moment I thought it was a large serpent, but presently out hopped a
huge toad in pursuit of some little animal which had incautiously
ventured near its den. Presently it gave sound to a most extraordinary
loud snoring kind of bellow, when True dashed forward and caught it. I
rescued the creature before his teeth had crushed it. On recovering its
liberty, it croaked away as lustily as before. On measuring it, I found
it fully seven inches long, and as many broad. It had a considerable
enlargement of the bone over the eyes, while the glands behind the head
were of great size. I knew it thus to be the agua toad--_Bufa agua_. I
had no doubt that he and his brothers produced some of the hideous
noises we had heard at night. I have since read that these toads will
kill rats, and that a number of them were carried to Jamaica for the
purpose of keeping down the swarms of rats which devastated the
plantations of that island. I found, indeed, the bones of several
rodent animals near its den. It was somewhat remarkable, but a few
minutes afterwards I saw another toad lying quietly on the ground. I
kept True back, not wishing to let him hurt the creature. I saw some
small animals moving on its back, and stooping down, what was my
surprise to see a number of little toads scrambling out of holes
apparently in its skin. First out came one, and slipping down the fat
sides of the big toad, hopped along on the ground. Another little head
directly afterwards burst its way through the skin, and imitated the
example of its small brother. Several others followed. Even Duppo, in
spite of his late fright, could not help bursting out laughing. The
colour of the big toad was a brownish-olive and white below; but the
head was most extraordinary, as it had a snout almost pointed, the
nostrils forming a kind of leathery tube. The creature was, I at once
guessed, the Surinam toad--_Pipa Americana_--which I knew was found, not
only in Surinam, but in other parts of this region. It is, though one
of the ugliest of its race, one of the most interesting. The male toad,
as soon as the eggs are laid, takes them in its paws, and places them on
the back of the female. Here, by means of a glutinous secretion, they
adhere, and are imbedded, as it were, in a number of cells formed for
them in the skin. Ultimately a membrane grows over the cells and closes
them up. The eggs are here hatched, and the young remain in them till
their limbs have grown and they can manage to take care of themselves.
The skin of the back is very thick, and allows room for the formation of
the cells, each of which is sufficiently large to contain a small-sized
bean placed in it edgeways. As soon as the brood have left the cells,
they are again closed, giving a very wrinkled appearance to the back.
Duppo made signs to me that the creature was good to eat; but I must
say, I should have been very hard pressed for food before I should have
been tempted to try it. I succeeded in dragging True away, and
prevented him interfering with the family arrangements of the wonderful
_batrachian_.
We met with several other curious frogs and toads, but the creatures
which abounded everywhere, and unfortunately surpassed all others in
numbers, were the ants--_termites_. The termites, I should remark,
differ from the true ants by appearing out of the egg with their limbs
formed, and in the same shape they bear through life. Some we met with
in our walk were an inch and a quarter in length, and stout in
proportion. The creatures were marching in single file, coming out from
a hole formed in the roots of a small tree. I took up one to examine
it, and received a sting for my pains, but the pain soon went off. We
all suffered much more from the stings of several smaller ants,
especially the fire-ants, by which we had on more than one occasion been
attacked.
Although I had twice before made the trip through the forest, I still
felt certain that we were far from the hut, when Duppo signified to me
that we should soon reach it. Just then I heard a shot, and a
magnificent macaw fell down a short distance ahead of us. True dashed
forward, and directly afterwards I heard John's voice. I hurried on.
"Yes, we are all well," answered John to my inquiries, as he took my
load of venison and slung it over his more sturdy shoulders. "The canoe
is finished, and we were only waiting for your return to set out. No
positive news about our parents; but the Indians describe having seen a
canoe with white people, women among them, pass down the river several
weeks ago Ellen feels sure it was they who were seen; though, as is
sometimes the case with her, dear girl, she can give no other reason
than her own feelings. I am disappointed at not seeing Arthur; but we
must put in to take him on board, and save him the journey through the
forest."
Of course John wanted to know all about our adventures, and I briefly
recounted them as we walked homewards.
"It is, indeed, a mercy that your life was saved," he observed. "I
would almost advise you not to tell Ellen all the fearful dangers you
went through; it will make her nervous, for she even now sometimes
dreads that the Majeronas will again attack us."
"They will certainly not come so far by water," I remarked; "and our
friends will give us warning should they venture by land. Still, as the
canoe is ready, we ought not to delay in commencing our voyage."
As soon as we emerged from the thick part of the forest, we caught sight
of Ellen watching for us in front of the hut. She came running forward,
followed by Maria and Oria, and not only by Nimble and Toby, but a whole
troop of other creatures. John laughed. "There comes our little
sister," he said, "with her happy family. She and her young companions
have not been idle. It is wonderful how they have contrived to tame all
those creatures."
In another minute Ellen and I were in each other's arms. She looked
very well, and glad to see me, but her eye roved about in quest of
Arthur. She was satisfied, however, when I told her that he had
remained behind to attend to the recluse.
"I am not surprised at it," she said; "for I could not help fancying
that there was some relationship between the two. Our strange friend
was evidently more interested in Arthur than in any of us. In spite of
his cold and repelling manner, Arthur, too, took greatly to him.
However, perhaps I am wrong."
"Yes; I suspect, Ellen, it is but one of your fancies. You would like
it to be the case; it would be so interesting and romantic, and so you
cannot help thinking that it must be so," observed John.
Ellen was eager at once to introduce me to her pets. Nimble and Toby
knew me immediately, and climbed up my back without hesitation.
"Here," said Ellen, "is a dear little bird." It was a small heron of a
very graceful shape. The plumage was variegated with bars and spots of
several colours, as are the wings of certain moths. She called it, and
it immediately came up to her with a peculiarly dainty, careful gait.
An insect was crawling along the ground. It immediately afterwards
pierced it with its slender beak, and gobbled it up. It was the _ardea
helias_. John said he had seen the birds perched on the lower branches
of trees in shady spots: their note is a soft, long-drawn whistle; they
build their nests in trees, of clay, very beautifully constructed.
"Now I must introduce my _curassow_ turkey," she said, calling another
very handsome bird, almost as large as an ordinary turkey. It was of a
dark-violet colour, with a purplish-green gloss on the back and breast.
The lower part was of the purest white, while the crest was of a bright
golden-yellow, greatly increasing the beauty of the bird. John called
it the crested curassow--the _crax alector_.
"See," she said, "I have greatly increased the number of my feathered
friends. Look at this beautiful marianna."
It was a small parrot, with a black head, a white breast, and orange
neck and thighs--a most lovely little creature. As soon as she called
it, it came down from its perch and sprang upon her wrist. When she
again let it go, off it went, poking its head into the various articles
on the verandah, examining a basket of fruits which Oria had just
brought in, and the pots of which Domingos had charge; now pecking at
one thing, now another. Our Indian friend had brought her another
parrot called an _anaca_. This was also a beautiful bird, its breast
and belly banded with blue and red, while the back of the neck and head
were covered with long bright-red feathers margined with blue. True
approaching it, up went the crest, looking remarkably handsome. From
this crest it obtains the name of the hawk-head parrot. It came when
called, but quickly retired in rather a solemn fashion to its perch.
"Do you know," said Ellen, "Oria has brought me that beautiful little
duck you described. I would rather take that home with me than all the
other pets, and yet I should be sorry to lose any of them."
"I tell Ellen that her menagerie is a mere bait to jaguars or boas, or
other prowling animals of the forest," observed John. "What a nice
breakfast one of them would make if it found its way into our
settlement!"
"You shall not frighten me with any such ideas," she answered; "and I
hope before we leave the country that I may add many more to my
collection. But I have not shown you my humming-bird yet," she said.
"I keep it in a cage in the house for fear the others should get at it;
but it takes a flight by itself every day, and comes back again when it
wants a sip of sirrup, or wishes to go to roost. I must show you some
nests of the beautiful little birds which have built not far off. Would
you like to go and see them at once?"
Knowing it would please her, while Domingos and Maria were preparing our
evening meal, I accompanied her to a little distance, where, hanging to
some long, pendant leaves, she pointed out two little purse-shaped
nests, composed, apparently, of some cottony material bound together
with spider-web. A graceful little bird was sitting in each of them,
with tails having long, pointed feathers. The upper part of their
bodies were of a green bronze, except the tail-coverts, which were of a
somewhat rusty red; while the tails themselves were of a bronzed tint,
broadly tipped with white. I knew them by the shape of their bills and
their nests to belong to the genus _Phaethornis_.
"They are quite accustomed to me now," she said, "and will not fly away
even when I go near them."
While we were looking, the mate of one of the birds came up and perched
close above the nest. As we were going away I saw two others pass by
us, of the same size, it seemed to me. Another settled on a flower near
at hand, when the idea seized me that I could catch it. I struck it
with my hat, and down it fell. Ellen uttered a cry of sorrow; but
stooping down, what was my surprise to find, instead of a humming-bird,
a moth so exactly in shape and appearance like the humming-birds, that
it was no wonder I had been deceived.
"You would not have killed a humming-bird so easily," said Ellen; "but I
am sorry for the poor moth."
The moth, however, though stunned, was not killed. On taking it to the
hut I compared it with her tame pet, and was struck by the remarkable
similarity in the shape of the head and position of the eye. The
extended proboscis represented the long beak of the bird, while at the
end of the moth's body was a brush of long hairs, which, as it flew
along, being expanded, looked very much like the feathers of the bird's
tail. Oria, when she saw the moth, told Ellen that it would some day
turn into a bird; and Ellen, I believe, did not succeed in persuading
her that such would certainly never happen. The resemblance, of course,
is merely superficial, their internal construction being totally
different. I have not as yet described nearly all Ellen's new pets; but
just then, as I was very hungry, I had something else to think of.