WE LIGHT A FIRE--A MORNING SCENE--DESCRIPTION OF "GROVE ISLAND"--
ATTACKED BY MACAWS--THE SLOTH--KALLOLO TAMES A PARROT.
We had no fear of starving, even though we might not be able to quit our
present abode for many days to come, but we were surrounded by dangers
to which we could not shut our eyes. The trees, vast as they were,
might be uprooted and hurled prostrate into the flood, should another
storm come on; or the lightning might strike them, and every one of us
be destroyed. Besides, many weeks might pass before we could descend
and travel over the dry ground; and even then, in what direction should
we go? Very probably we should fall into the hands of savages, who
would keep us in slavery; at all events, we should have to encounter
several wild beasts and venomous serpents,--the mighty boa, or anaconda,
or the still more terrible bush-master, or labarri, so dreaded in this
region.
What had become of our father and the brave skipper, Jan van Dunk, we
could not tell. Uncle Paul did his utmost to keep up our spirits,
setting us the example by his cheerfulness, and by showing his perfect
confidence in Providence.
We had, as I have said, a supply of food; but how to cook it? was the
question. Kallolo declared there would be no danger in lighting a fire
in the fork of the tree, provided we did not allow it to burn longer
than was necessary, and kept a watch to prevent its extending up the
bark on either side. Uncle Paul always carried a small tinder-box and
matches, so that we could at once obtain a light. We accordingly
collected a supply of dry branches, of which there was an abundance
attached to the various parts of the trees. Kallolo again set off,
taking my wand and noose; and by the time the fire had been lighted and
had burned up sufficiently, he returned with several birds, adding
considerably to our stock of provisions. They were all quickly plucked
and spitted, and we were soon busily engaged in cooking them. Tim
insisted on dressing his frogs, and Sambo the lizard he had caught, both
declaring that they would prove more tender than the birds. How they
might have appeared had they been put into a pot and boiled, I cannot
say; as it was, they certainly presented an unattractive appearance.
Some large leaves served us as plates, and we had to use our fingers
instead of knives and forks; but notwithstanding, we made a very hearty
meal. I tasted part of the hind leg of one of the frogs, and I
certainly should not have known it from a tender young chicken cooked in
the same way. Kallolo in his last trip had brought down a few more
figs, one of which he presented to each of us as a dessert. Tim
declared that the banquet would have been perfect if we could have had a
little of the "cratur," or, in the absence of it, a cup of hot coffee.
We had to quench our thirst with some of the very turbid water
surrounding us, which we brought up in our hats.
The day passed far more rapidly than I could have supposed possible.
The storm had completely subsided, but the waters in no way lessened;
indeed, they were slightly higher than on the previous night. Uncle
Paul advised that we should all look out for sleeping-places, where we
might rest without the danger of tumbling off. Our first care was to
find one for Marian. A mass of sepos hung down and formed a regular
hammock close under a bough, and by carefully arranging a few more
sepos, Uncle Paul and Arthur made it so secure that it was impossible
for her to fall out. They told me to take a berth of a similar
character close to her, while Uncle Paul formed one for himself on a
bough, a little on one side. The rest of the party arranged themselves
as they thought fit; Kallolo, with his new friend, climbing up to one of
the higher boughs, on which he stretched himself, with the monkey
crouching down close to him. The way in which he kept close to the
native showed that he had long been accustomed to human society, and was
delighted to find himself in it again.
Our first night in our tree-home was passed in perfect tranquillity.
Scarcely a breath of air moved the leaves. The sky was clear, and the
crescent moon overhead afforded just sufficient light to enable us to
get into our respective berths. We were all weary with the exertions
and anxiety we had gone through, and the want of sleep during the
previous night, and scarcely had we got into our nests when the eyes of
most of us, I suspect, were closed. I just kept awake long enough to
see that Marian had gone off into a quiet slumber, and then quickly
dropped into the land of dreams; and I don't think I ever slept more
soundly than I did in my strange resting-place.
I might possibly have slumbered on till the sun was high in the sky, but
I was awakened, ere the light of early dawn had penetrated amid the
thick foliage which surrounded us, by a strange concert of sounds.
Monkeys were jabbering overhead; tree-frogs were quacking; parrots were
chattering and macaws were screeching more loudly than all, as they flew
over the topmost boughs. For some time I was too much confused to
remember where I was, or what was producing the strange din in my ears.
In vain I tried to go to sleep again, and at length I was completely
aroused. My first impulse was to look out for Marian. She was still
sleeping calmly, while the rest of the party, as far as I could discern
by the uncertain light, were resting in the positions in which I had
seen them at night. Gradually the dawn drew on, and on sitting up I
caught sight of half a dozen ugly-looking faces peering down on us. I
knew that they were those of monkeys which had descended from the
topmost boughs, whither they had retreated when we took possession of
their abode. Two or three of them then approached Quacko, and tried to
induce him to rejoin them. He answered their invitations by indignant
gestures, which seemed to say that he had no intention, after finding
himself again in civilised society, of returning to savage life. The
noise he made awoke his new friend Kallolo, however, who began to talk
to him in the language which he seemed to understand, and presently the
monkey came down from his perch and nestled in his arms.
The rays of the rising sun streaming amid the boughs awoke the rest of
the party, who, getting out of their respective nests, scrambled on to
the main bough. Uncle Paul suggested that we should set to work
immediately to procure food for breakfast. My plan for noosing birds
being generally adopted, Arthur, as well as Kallolo and Sambo, at once
cut some wands and fitted them in a manner similar to mine.
We agreed to let Marian sleep on till breakfast was ready. Before the
food could be eaten, however, it had to be hunted for and cooked, and as
we were all hungry, we set off among the branches in search of whatever
we could find. I climbed higher than I had before done, and reached a
small fig-tree growing in the fork of a large branch. A number of birds
were perched on it, some with black and red plumage, others with heads
and necks of a bright red, while the wings and tails were of a dark
green and black. They were employed in eating the ripe fruit. I
determined to catch as many as I could before securing some of the
latter. Carefully climbing on, I set to work, and succeeded in noosing
four of each species. Having filled my pockets and cap with as many of
the ripe figs as I could carry, after I had driven the birds away with
loud shouts, hoping they would not return till I had made a second visit
to the fig-tree, I began to descend, though not without difficulty; for,
as every one knows, it is easier to climb up than to get down a tree,
and a fall from a branch would have been a serious matter.
I reached our resting-place in safety, and found Marian seated by the
side of Uncle Paul. The rest of the party came in soon after, all
having had some success. Tim, however, had got only one bird, but he
boasted of having collected half a dozen frogs; while Sambo had caught
the same number of lizards. Arthur had secured a couple of good-sized
parrots; and Kallolo had discovered a macaw's nest, the young of which
he had taken, with a good supply of figs. Altogether, we had reason to
be satisfied with our morning's hunt, as we had food enough to last us
for the day. The birds I had caught were found to be manakins and
tiger-birds. The latter were small, and though their bodies were
ill-shaped, their flesh was tender and well-tasted.
Though our position was full of anxiety, we should not have been unhappy
could we have known that our father had escaped. Uncle Paul told us
that he had been to the end of a bough from which he could obtain a view
both up and down the stream, but that he had failed to get a sight of
the sloop; neither could he see anything of the mate and the Indian, who
had been carried overboard when attempting to secure the vessel to the
trunk of a tree.
We collected some more dried branches and withered leaves, sufficient to
make a fire for cooking our provisions.
"I wish we had a pot for boiling water," I remarked.
"It would be a mighty good thing, Mr Guy, if we had any tay to make in
it, and some sugar to sweeten it," observed Tim.
"In the meantime, we should be thankful that we have got so much
wholesome food, and cold water to quench our thirst; though, for
Marian's sake, I should be glad to have had some tea," said Uncle Paul.
"Oh, don't think about me," exclaimed Marian. "I am perfectly content
to drink cold water, and do not wish for anything which it is impossible
to obtain."
"You are a sensible girl," said Uncle Paul, patting her cheek. "The
uncomplaining spirit you possess will greatly aid you in going through
the dangers and hardships we may have to encounter."
I must confess that we made a very hearty meal, though it would have
been more palatable had we possessed some salt. That I knew, however,
it would be impossible to obtain, situated where we were. Having partly
roasted the remainder of the birds, as well as the frogs and lizards, to
assist in preserving them we hung them up in a shady place which we
called our larder, under a thick branch, where we hoped they would keep
sweet till they were required for food. Marian felt her position more
irksome than did any one else, as she was unable to climb about, though
Arthur and I helped her to walk up and down the thick bough; but it was
very much like a fisherman's walk,--three steps and overboard. However,
it was preferable to sitting still, and prevented her limbs from
becoming cramped. She then went and sat down again, when Uncle Paul,
Arthur, and I started off on an exploring expedition through our grove.
There were not, altogether, more than seven main trunks; but numberless
sepos interlaced the boughs, and striking downwards, where they had
apparently taken root, had again sprung upwards, forming spiral stems,
some considerably thicker than a man's body, others as thin as the
smallest ropes of a ship's rigging. We had no great difficulty in
making our way, but caution was necessary to save ourselves from
tumbling down into the water. Among the trees was a beautiful cedar,
three palm-trees of different species, and a cotton-tree of prodigious
height, with widespreading top. Another was called the mulatto-tree;
which had a tall, slim trunk, and leaves of a dark green, with branches
spreading amid those of its neighbours, and covered with clusters of
small white flowers. But I cannot attempt to describe either the trees
or the numerous parasitic plants, some worthy to be called trees from
their size, which formed this curious grove. Several besides the
fig-trees bore fruit and nuts, affording food to monkeys and other
animals, and to various species of birds.
One end of the grove was less closely united than the main portion, but
still two projecting boughs interlaced, and were joined likewise by
chains of sepos, forming an easy communication between the two parts.
Arthur and I, wishing to explore the whole of this somewhat confined
region of which we were for a time the inhabitants, made our way across
this natural bridge I have described. When we got to the further end we
heard a concert of gentle "caws," far less sonorous than those made by
the parrots we had seen passing near the grove on the previous day, the
sounds now rising, now falling. Stopping to ascertain from what
direction in the grove the noises proceeded, we soon discovered that
they came from a tree which shot out several branches about a dozen or
twenty feet from the surface of the water.
"Those noises must come from parrots, I am sure," said Arthur, after we
had listened a little time. "We shall be able to get a fine collection
of young birds, which will be far more tender than the old ones. We
will just take a few for supper to-night, and we can return when we want
more."
Accordingly, we climbed along among the branches.
"I see some old birds there too," observed Arthur. "If they are
parrots, they are very large ones. I suspect that they are macaws. We
shall soon find out, however."
We had stopped to rest, for that sort of climbing was somewhat fatiguing
work; but again we went on, Arthur leading the way. He had a large
sheath-knife, which Sambo the black had lent him, secured to his waist.
The tree we had reached was of great age, and was full of holes and
numerous hollow stumps of boughs broken off by tempests or lightning.
In each of these hollows was a large nest with a couple of fledgelings;
but no sooner did Arthur and I stretch out our hands to seize some of
the young birds, intending to transfer them to the bags which we carried
at our backs, than the old birds sitting on the branches above us set up
a deafening screaming and screeching, while others appeared from all
quarters. Some flew across, as it seemed, from the opposite forest;
others came forth from various parts of the surrounding foliage, by
which they had been concealed, with the evident intention of doing
battle for their young. Down they flew, screaming loudly, with open
beaks and fierce eyes, and surrounded us on all sides; some assailing
our heads, and some our bare legs and feet, while others got hold of our
shirts and pulled lustily at them. It was only with the greatest
difficulty that we could defend our eyes, which they seemed resolved to
tear out.
"Leap, Guy--leap into the water; that is the only chance we have of
saving ourselves!" exclaimed Arthur, drawing his knife and attempting to
keep the savage birds at bay. I had no weapon to defend myself with,
so, following his advice, I leaped down to a part of the tree whence I
could spring into the water, and putting my hands above my head, plunged
into the turbid flood, diving down some feet, regardless of the risk I
ran of striking any concealed boughs beneath the surface. Escaping
injury, I quickly rose again, in time to hear Arthur's plunge as he
followed me. The macaws darted down upon us; but as we again dived,
they flew up--to ascertain, we supposed, whether we had plundered their
nests. Happily, the current not being very strong, we were able to stem
it, and make good way, till we reached the main part of the grove,
where, getting hold of some sepos which hung down into the water, we
clambered up again to a branch, on which we were glad to rest after our
exertions, having escaped a danger which might have been of a very
serious nature. We agreed, however, that should we be pressed for food,
we would, notwithstanding, make another attack on the "macawery," to
coin a word, and carry off some of the young birds. We found that we
had not escaped altogether free. I had received two or three ugly pecks
from the birds' beaks, which had torn my flesh, the wounds now smarting
considerably; while Arthur had fared even worse, two of them having made
rents in his shirt, and pecked out three or four pieces of his flesh.
Having rested, we now began to make our way back to our friends; but I
had not gone far when I caught sight of a large hairy creature hanging
on to a bough at no great distance, apparently watching us as we made
our way amid the branches.
"O Arthur!" I exclaimed, "there's a bear. He will be down upon us, and
treat us much worse than the macaws have done."
Arthur looked in the direction I pointed. "Don't be afraid," he
answered. "It will not attack us. The animal is a sloth, as harmless
as any living creature. We may consider him among the other beasts in
our domain destined if necessary for our use. He cannot get away, so we
will not attempt to interfere with him at present. He will not venture
into the water; and even had we ground below us, he would not descend,
as he would be sure to be caught if he did. We will climb nearer, so as
to get a better view of him, for he seems to have no dread of us, and
will not try to escape."
We did as Arthur proposed, and found the creature had a short head, with
a small round face, and was covered with coarse, shaggy hair, looking
very much like withered grass. It had powerful claws and long arms,
with which it clung to the branch; while its hinder legs, which were
half the length of the others, had feet of peculiar formation, which
enabled it to hold on to the bough. In truth, we discerned what we had
before heard, that the sloth is especially formed to live in trees--
though not on the branches, like the squirrel, but under them; indeed,
it generally moves suspended from the branch, and at night, when
sleeping, rests in the same attitude, under the branch, hanging on by
its powerful arms and legs. Its arms being very long and powerful, with
strong claws instead of fingers, it is enabled to defend itself against
the large snakes which frequently attack it. We could only hope that it
was not alone, and that should we require sloth-steaks we might be able
to have an ample supply. We had no fears, indeed, about obtaining as
much animal food as we might require, though it was possible that we
might, before we could escape, eat up all the food to be found in our
domain.
At length we got back to where we had left Uncle Paul and Marian. We
recounted our adventures to them, when Marian was not a little agitated
at hearing of our encounter with the macaws, and at our having been
compelled to leap into the river.
"Oh, how dreadful it would have been had you been drowned," she
exclaimed; "or had a shark or alligator, or an anaconda, snapped you
up!"
"There was very little danger of that," answered Arthur. "We had not
very far to swim before we got hold of a branch and drew ourselves out
of the water."
"I am not quite so certain about that as you are, Arthur," observed
Uncle Paul. "We all have reason to be thankful that you escaped the
danger in which you were placed."
When Kallolo returned, after another exploring expedition, and heard of
our adventures, he said that he would go at night and capture the young
macaws, when the parents would not attempt to defend them; and that he
should probably, at the same time, be able to catch some of the older
birds. He had brought with him an ara parrot, as he called it, which,
young as it was, had already grown to a considerable size. Though it
had not yet obtained its full plumage, its colours were very beautiful.
Its body was of a flaming scarlet, while the wings were red, yellow,
blue, and green; its tail, which was of great length, being scarlet and
blue. He had caught the bird with a noose, just as it was about to
leave the nest, and he said that he had hopes of being able to tame it.
The creature seemed but little disconcerted, and finding that it was
treated kindly, at once fed willingly out of his hand. He secured it by
a piece of string to a small branch near us, where it could perch at its
ease. Quacko the monkey looked at it with a somewhat jealous eye, but
Kallolo made him understand that he must not interfere with the new
favourite, and Ara and Quacko soon became friends.
The day passed away in our truly sylvan abode much faster than I could
have expected; and could we but have been assured that my father was
safe, we should, considering the circumstances, have been tolerably
happy and contented. At night we all went to sleep in the positions we
had before occupied.