CAPTURE OF A YOUNG MACAW--THE POTTERY MANUFACTORY AND OTHER
EMPLOYMENTS--THE INDIARUBBER OR SERINGA TREE--HOW UNCLE PAUL MADE OUR
SHOES--THE IGUANA--CAPTURE A CURASSOW AND A TAPIR--MARIAN'S ENCOUNTER
WITH THE LABARRI SNAKE--A LAUGHABLE SCENE.
Quacko and Ara, though the only idle members on our estate, were,
contrary to the usual rule, perfectly happy, and certainly afforded us
all constant amusement. Tim observed that they were growing conceited,
and thought too much of themselves. He proposed, therefore, to try to
catch a few more pets, in order to teach them to behave properly, and to
show them that they were not of so much importance as they were inclined
to suppose. Tim, whenever he could get away from work, was fond of
making exploring expeditions on either side of the settlement. He had
discovered, not far off, the roosting-place of a flock of macaws, and
had determined to capture one. I reminded him of the way Arthur and I
had been attacked when we had attempted to rob their nests on Grove
Island.
"To be sure, Master Guy; but it will be a very different matter here,"
he answered. "We shall be on firm ground, and able to use our legs if
they attack us; for, as you see, they are all perched up on the trees,
and will not be inclined to come off for the sake of looking after a
friend or two who may tumble to the ground."
Tim had told Kallolo of his intention, and we all set off together,
Kallolo with his blowpipe, Tim and I with our bows and arrows. Tim, in
addition, carried a long mat fastened at one end, a string being drawn
through the other. Kallolo told us, as he went along, that had he
possessed some salt he should have had no difficulty in catching as many
macaws alive as we might wish for; but as yet we had not discovered that
necessary of life.
We soon reached the birds' roosting-place; but no sooner did they see us
than, contrary to Tim's expectations, they all arose and began circling
round our heads, screaming vociferously. Kallolo, looking on calmly,
did not shoot. Tim and I let fly a couple of arrows, but both missed.
At last the birds began to settle down, and I again shot an arrow, when
down tumbled a young macaw. The missile had passed through its wing.
Away it scuttled, uttering loud shrieks from pain and terror. Tim and I
made chase, he holding the mat with the joined part in front ready to
throw over the bird. We quickly overtook it, when, finding that it
could not escape, it turned round and did battle bravely for its
liberty, attempting to bite our legs with its sharp beak; but Tim's sack
was speedily over it, and drawing the string, he had it a close
prisoner. Meantime Kallolo had brought down three of its companions
with his deadly blowpipe. Though they struggled at first, they speedily
succumbed to the effects of the poison, and were tied by the feet and
slung over his back.
Laden with our prizes we returned homewards. The dead birds were at
once stripped of their feathers, spitted, and placed before the fire to
roast for supper; for had they been allowed to cool they would have
proved somewhat tough, but treated as they were they were perfectly
tender. The live macaw was allowed to remain in the bag all night, when
its spirit being somewhat quelled by hunger, we gave it some nuts, which
it took readily; and in the course of the day it consented to come out
and get a string tied round its leg. At night it went to roost; and by
the next morning it was perfectly tame, and willingly took the fruit and
nuts offered it. Its plumage was blue and yellow; and though not so
pretty as some of its more gaily-coloured relatives, as its temper
improved it became a great favourite.
We had by this time erected a complete village of huts. The good
captain and his mate, that we might have more room, had built one for
themselves. Tim and Sambo put up another, and the three Indians erected
a fifth. They had no pretensions to architectural beauty, but were
quite sufficient for all the shelter required in that warm climate. For
our dining-hall we had an open shed, where we were sheltered from the
rays of the sun. We were also making good progress with the vessel: the
stem and the stern, with several ribs, had already been fixed. Cutting
out the ribs with the scanty tools we possessed was a slow process; and
a Dutchman alone could have conceived the possibility of succeeding in
such an undertaking, with the numerous difficulties to be encountered.
"Never fear, my friends; we will do it," the skipper was continually
saying. "Only take care not to break the axes. If we do, we shall have
to work with our knives. But remember it could be done even then; only
we should be much longer about the job. `Slow and steady wins the
race.'"
Slow our work certainly was, but every day saw some progress. While the
captain and Peter were working at the timber, the rest of us were
smoothing down the planks; and we had now a large pile ready to fix on
as soon as the ribs were set up. My father, Marian, and I were
improving in the manufacture of matting. We could not, however, make it
of sufficient strength for the sails; still, the material we
manufactured would serve to form a roof for the cabin, or it might do
for kilts or for cloaks.
We had established several other manufactories. A pottery was the
first. Fortunately, we had found some clay well adapted for our
purpose; and my father was acquainted with the principles of the art and
the mode of working. A small kiln was first put up; and we then,
kneading our clay, formed it into vessels of various shapes and sizes.
Our great object was to burn some sufficiently hard to serve for cooking
purposes. We cracked a good many, and it must be confessed they were
all somewhat rough and unshapely; but we improved in that respect, and
eventually succeeded in producing several pots which stood the fire
remarkably well. At Uncle Paul's desire, we also formed a number of
small cups, though he did not at the time tell us for what object he
required them.
He had not forgotten his promise to supply us with shoes when ours
should be worn-out. We had for some time been going about with bare
feet. We found it, however, both painful and dangerous to wander
through the forest with our feet unprotected. I reminded him one day of
what he had undertaken to do.
"I have not forgotten it, and will at once fulfil my promise," he
answered. "Come with me into the forest; before we start, however, you
must pack up the small pots you made at my request the other day."
"What are they for?" I asked.
"You shall see when we arrive at the manufactory," he answered.
We set out towards the west. After having proceeded some way we found,
scattered here and there among the other trees, a number of trees of
great height, and from two to three feet in diameter. The trunks were
round and strong, and the bark of a light colour, and not very smooth.
Their summits did not spread wide, but their appearance was especially
beautiful, from their long, thin leaves, which grew in clusters of three
together, and were of an ovate shape, the centre one rather more than a
foot in length, the others a little shorter.
"These are seringa trees," said Uncle Paul, pointing them out. "It is
with the sap which proceeds from them that I purpose to manufacture our
shoes."
I stared with astonishment, for I saw that he was not joking. He now
took the pots, to which strings had been fastened, and secured two or
three to each tree by small pegs, which he took out of his pocket.
Above each peg he made a deep incision with his stone axe, and almost
immediately a milky substance began to ooze out and drop into the pots.
Taking some himself, he bade me taste it, assuring me that it was
perfectly harmless. Its taste was agreeable,--much like sweetened
cream, which it resembled in colour.
We went on from tree to tree, cutting deeply into the bark of each, and
hanging up our pots till we had exhausted all we carried. This being
done, all hands under his direction set to work to build a hut; and he
then bade the Indians search for a nut of a peculiar palm which was
required for the operation.
These preliminary operations being concluded, we returned to the
settlement, where Uncle Paul set us to work to form several lasts suited
to the size of the feet of the different members of the party. He made
a pair for Marian; but the rest of us, he said, must be content with
shoes of the same shape for both feet; and though very rough, and not
very well shaped, they would answer our purpose. We had not time to
bestow much labour on them.
Next morning we again set out, carrying this time a couple of large
bowls, which, Uncle Paul said, would be required. On arriving at the
hut, he placed one of them on the ground, and then piled up inside the
hut a number of the palm-nuts collected on the previous day. Having
surrounded them with stones, he placed the bowl, in the bottom of which
a hole had been made, in an inverted position on the top of them. We
next went out to collect the pots we had hung up on the seringa trees.
They were all full of juice, and were brought to the hut and emptied
into the other bowl. This done, we took the pots back and hung them up
again. The lasts we now smeared with clay, of which some had been found
at hand. The nuts were lighted, and a dense white smoke ascended
through the hole in the bottom of the bowl. One of the lasts, to which
wooden handles had been fixed, we now dipped into the bowl of
indiarubber juice; and when it was drawn out, a thin layer of juice was
found adhering to it. On being held over the smoke this quickly dried,
and became rather darker than at first. The process was repeated a
dozen times, till the shoe was of sufficient thickness; care being taken
to give a greater number of coatings to the sole. We found, after a
little time, that the various operations required about five minutes,--
then the shoe was complete. One after another the lasts were dipped in
the same way; and the shoes were then hung on cross sticks which had
been put up outside the hut, that they might be exposed to the sun.
There being no risk of our shoes being stolen, we left them, and
returned home as before, having plenty of occupation for the rest of the
day.
Next morning we went back to the hut, and having collected the juice
which had in the meantime trickled into the pots, we finished off the
shoes which had been made on the previous day; and having scored the
soles to prevent them from slipping, we cut them off the lasts, which
were thus ready again for use. We now manufactured some more shoes and
left them to dry, carrying with us those which had just been finished.
Marian was delighted with hers, which were very soft and elastic, though
they would not do to walk far in.
We had now not only the means of making shoes, but bottles and cups; and
Uncle Paul even thought of manufacturing a material which would serve
instead of cloth, and might be formed into cloaks and kilts, if not
trousers--though, as he had no substance to lay it on, he was afraid
that it would easily tear. We agreed, however, that, except in rainy
weather, the matting was likely to prove the more useful article.
We were returning from our indiarubber manufactory the next day, when we
saw an object moving among the boughs of a tree at no great distance
from us. Tim ran forward to ascertain what it was.
"Arrah now, if it's not a live alligator, I don't know what it is," he
exclaimed. "It's my belief that the baste has climbed up into the tree
that he may pounce down upon us as we pass by."
"No fear of that," answered Uncle Paul. "Alligators, although they
venture out of the water, never go far from it. The creature you see,
large as it looks, is only an iguana, a sort of lizard which lives in
trees; and though it is ugly to look at, it is said to be very good to
eat, so we will try to get the gentleman."
On getting under the tree, we saw what certainly looked like a huge
lizard, about four feet in length, including its long tail. The tree
not being a large one, we shook it, when down came the creature to the
ground. In spite of its rather formidable appearance, Tim dashed boldly
forward and caught it by the neck and the small of the back, and held it
fast. It lashed about very fiercely with its tail, its only weapon of
defence, as its teeth, though numerous, were small. Uncle Paul having
formed a noose, slipped it over the creature's head and told me to hold
it tight while he made another, which he dexterously threw over its
tail. Tim and I then going ahead began to drag it along; and though it
made some resistance, we at length got it to the settlement.
As we knew that Marian would like to see it alive, Uncle Paul went to
call her. The creature, with its huge dewlap, ugly face, long claws,
and row of spines on its back, looked indeed truly formidable. Marian,
who with Arthur and our father soon came, recollecting all about the
alligator, cried out under the idea that it might break loose and attack
us. Just at that moment the after-rope, which Tim was holding loosely,
slipped off the tail of the creature; when finding that member at
liberty, it began to lash about with it on every side. Tim
thoughtlessly rushed forward to seize it; but it gave him a cut on the
leg, which brought him to the ground howling with pain; and had not
Uncle Paul hauled him out of the creature's way, he might have received
a still more serious blow. As it showed an inclination to inflict
further damage, Sambo coming up speedily despatched it by a blow on the
head. Ugly as it looked, he assured us that it would afford us most
delicious food; and at dinnertime we found his prediction amply
fulfilled. We had become so accustomed to eat odd-looking creatures,
that however repulsive the appearance of an animal, we never hesitated
to try it; and we agreed that we should have no objection to eat another
iguana as soon as one could be caught.
Kallolo was our chief hunter; and Arthur and I, when we could spare time
from our regular work, were glad, for the sake of variety, to go out
with him. We were walking along the shore of the lake, when from the
top of a low tree a huge bird, its plumage chiefly black, with a crest
of curled feathers on its head and a white breast, flew off over the
water.
"We have lost the bird, but we will try to find something instead," said
Kallolo, giving me his blowpipe and bow to hold. He then climbed up the
tree till he reached the bird's nest, from which he extracted two eggs,
and brought them down safety. They were considerably larger than a
duck's egg, white and granulated all over, though the bird itself did
not appear to be above the size of an ordinary duck. It was, I found, a
crested curassow. The eggs being newly laid were very palatable.
Kallolo then ascended the tree again and laid a snare, hoping to catch
the hen-bird; which, he said, might become domesticated, if carefully
treated.
As we were going through the forest shortly afterwards I heard a
rustling sound among the underwood, and saw, close ahead of me, a
dark-skinned creature about the size of a calf rush on towards the
water. Its head, of which I caught a glimpse, was peculiarly long, with
a proboscis-like snout. I guessed from this that the animal was a
tapir. Calling to Kallolo, I told him what I had seen. He came up, and
examining the ground, gave it as his opinion that the creature
frequently passed that way, and that he had little doubt we should be
able to catch it.
On returning to the settlement he invited Tim and Sambo to accompany
him, and to dig a pit in which to catch the animal. We had a short time
before manufactured some wooden spades, which served very well for
digging in soft ground: we each took one, and Kallolo having fixed on a
spot over which he considered the tapir was accustomed to pass, we set
to work to dig the pit. The tapir being unable to climb, we made our
pit only about four feet deep, seven long, and four wide. Having
shovelled away the earth as far as we could throw it, we covered the pit
over with thin branches and light twigs, which would at once give way
under the animal's weight.
Next morning, as the rest of the party were busily employed, I alone
accompanied Kallolo. We each carried a spade, with some rope and pieces
of matting.
We first visited the tree on which he had set the snare for the
curassow. As we approached we observed a fluttering on the top of it,
and there, sure enough, was the bird caught by the legs. Kallolo
climbed up, and detaching the snare from the tree brought the bird
safely to the ground. It was too much frightened to attempt resistance,
and before it recovered, the Indian had covered its head up with a piece
of matting, so that it could not see; and then taking it under his arm,
we set off to examine our pit. Even before we got up to it, we saw that
the covering had given way; and sure enough, there was the tapir safe
within. The creature could not turn round, and was standing perfectly
still, utterly unable to help itself. Kallolo had brought a bag, the
mouth secured by a string; this he managed to slip over its head, so
that it, like the curassow, was completely blindfolded. He then passed
another rope round its forelegs, and passing the end round the trunk of
a tree, hauled it tight. Putting the curassow on the ground, with its
legs tied, Kallolo begged me to assist him in throwing a quantity of
earth over the front of the pit. In a short time we had made an
incline, up which the tapir of its own accord climbed; expecting,
probably, when at the top to find itself free. In this it was
disappointed; but its strength being considerable, it would speedily
have broken loose had not its eyes been blindfolded. Kallolo now
approaching, spoke to it in soothing terms, patted it on the back, and
at length it stood perfectly still, its alarm having apparently been
completely calmed.
"We will now return home with our prizes, and I hope that in a short
time they will become tame," he observed; and having transferred the
rope from its legs to its neck, he led it along, while I followed with
the curassow. On our arrival with our two prizes we were warmly greeted
by all hands, and Marian begged that she might be allowed to tame the
bird.
"I should like to make friends with the tapir," she added; "but I am
afraid that it would prove an unruly pupil."
"You need not be afraid of that," said Kallolo. "In a short time the
tapir will become as tame as a dog, and will follow you about wherever
you go."
Kallolo certainly exhibited a wonderful skill in taming animals. He
managed to do so entirely by kindness, though in the first instance he
starved them to make them ready to receive food from his hands. He did
not, however, allow the tapir to go loose for some days, but regularly
brought it the food he knew it liked best. He then took it down to the
water to bathe, keeping the rope tight that it might not swim off.
Marian imitated his example with regard to her curassow; and the bird
soon knew her, and showed its pleasure when she approached with its
favourite fruit. At length, feeling pretty sure that it would not fly
away, she let it loose just before its usual feeding time, and then held
out some fruit which she had got in readiness. The bird flew towards
her; and from that day followed her about wherever she went. "Crass,"
(the name we gave to the curassow), soon became a great favourite, and
made Quacko and Ara very jealous. The monkey would, now and then, steal
down and slyly try to pluck the feathers out of Crass, which would
immediately run for protection to Marian; while Ara would fly down and
perch on its head, and peck at its crest.
We had now a little menagerie. Three parrots, of different species, and
another monkey, had been added to our collection. The tapir became
perfectly domesticated, and could be trusted to go out and have a bathe
by itself, when it would invariably come back and lie down in front of
our hut, knowing that it was there safe from its arch enemy the jaguar.
We, however, could not bestow much time on our animals, as we were
employed in the more important business of building our vessel and
supplying our larder. We were never, indeed, in want of food, but we
had to consider the means of preserving a supply for our voyage. The
days passed quickly by; and though the carpenters appeared to work very
slowly, each day saw the vessel further advanced, and it was a
satisfaction to count the numerous ribs which now rose from the keel of
our vessel.
We were all at work one day on the vessel, with the exception of Tim and
Sambo, who had gone out to fish on the lake at a short distance from the
shore, when cunning Master Quacko, observing us engaged, and catching
sight of Crass feeding at a little distance from the huts, slyly stole
towards her. Crass turned her head just in time to see him coming, and
recollecting that she had wings as well as legs, rose in the air and
flew towards a neighbouring tree. Quacko, who had not forgotten the art
of climbing, made chase, and soon got up to the bough on which Crass was
perched. Crass, who had been watching him, flew off to another tree
close to the shore of the lake. Quacko, however, liking the fun, threw
himself from bough to bough and drove Crass further and further off.
Marian, who had been busy at her loom, looking up caught sight of Quacko
and Crass flying away in the far distance. Guessing the cause of her
favourite's flight, she ran to call Quacko back, and to try to recover
her bird. As she was making her way through the thick underwood, I
fortunately happened to see her, and calling to Arthur, we both ran to
her assistance. So thick was the forest, however, at this spot, that we
soon lost sight of her; and though we shouted to her to return, she made
no reply. Recollecting the fearful danger to which she had before been
exposed on the bank of the stream, I could not help fearing that some
accident had happened to her.
We went on till we saw Crass on the bough of a tree just ahead of us,
and I was sure that Marian could not be far off. Just then it occurred
to me that she was perhaps only trying to frighten us; so, instead of
following her further, I resolved to climb the tree and secure the bird.
Calling to Arthur, we both easily mounted by means of several sepos
which hung down from it, and of three or four boughs which projected
from the lower part of the trunk. No sooner had Arthur and I got up
than we caught sight of Marian clinging to a palm-tree, horror depicted
in her countenance as she gazed at something on the ground. At the same
moment Crass flew off towards her; while Arthur, exclaiming, "A snake! a
snake! it is about to attack her," leaped down to her assistance. It
was a moment of fearful suspense. I expected to see the horrible
reptile spring at my sister. It appeared to me, as I caught sight of
its head, to be one of the most venomous species--the labarri.
Just then I heard a voice shout out, "Stay quiet, Miss Marian, and keep
your eye fixed on the creature."
I did not till then observe that the raft had come close in, and I now
saw Sambo, who had leaped from it, making rapidly towards the shore with
a long stick in his hand. The snake, whose tail had been coiled round
the root of a tree, had all the time remained perfectly still, though
uttering ominous hisses. In another instant the reptile would have made
its fatal spring; but Sambo, climbing up the bank, dealt it a furious
blow on the head. This made it uncoil its tail; then he followed up the
attack by a second blow. The snake dropped its head.
Marian, relieved of her terror, fell fainting to the ground just as
Arthur and I reached her, while Crass immediately came flying down to
her feet. Having satisfied ourselves that the snake was really killed,
we hastened back with Marian to the settlement, followed by Crass, which
came willingly after its mistress. She was so nervous, however, that
she could with difficulty walk. At every instant she started, as if
expecting to see another snake appear before her to dispute her passage.
Quacko, who knew very well that he had been misbehaving, made his way
back before us; and when we arrived we found him seated in front of the
hut, looking as sedate as a judge, evidently fancying that his conduct
had been unobserved.
We again charged Marian not to leave the camp by herself, warning her
that she might not only meet with another snake, but might fall in,
perhaps, with a prowling jaguar or puma, or an anaconda, such as had
attacked us on the lake.
"But I could not bear the thought of losing my dear Crass; and I had no
idea that I should have been led so far away," she answered, almost
crying, as if she had done something wrong.
"We are not blaming you, my dear Marian," said Uncle Paul, "but
cautioning you for your own benefit,--and ours, too, for we should be
miserable should any harm happen to you. People, when they begin to act
imprudently, never can tell where they may stop; and a very good lesson
may be imparted to others from your adventure and the fearful danger to
which you have been exposed. But do not suppose, my dear, that we blame
you, though you did give us all a great fright. We must appoint a
guard, not to watch you, but to protect you from danger."
"Oh, do not draw anyone off from the important work in which you are all
engaged, for my sake," exclaimed Marian. "I will be very prudent in
future, indeed, I will; and if any of my favourites run away, I will
immediately come to you, that, if you think fit, somebody may be sent to
bring them back."
Marian's resolution was sorely tried a few days afterwards. The Ara
parrot, the companion of our troubles, which had learned to speak, as
Tim averred, as well as a real Christian, and was so very affectionate
and domesticated, took it into its head, from some unknown cause, to fly
off before Marian's eyes. According to her promise, she did not follow
it, though she believed that it had perched on a tree not far off, but
hurried to where we were at work. When, however, Maco went to look for
it, the bird was nowhere to be seen. The whole day passed by, and
Marian began to give up all hopes of ever recovering her pet. The next
morning our attention was attracted by the most extraordinary noises,
arising from a flock of parrots at a little distance. Now all was
hushed; then again there broke forth a torrent of screams, which
reminded us of the noise made by a flock of crows gathered around a
solitary owl found out of its ivy-mantled tower after sunrise. What was
the cause of the noise? No one could decide. Arthur suggested that the
tree-tops thereabout might form a parliament-house to the surrounding
nation of parrots, and that, their session having commenced, they had
met to discuss some new legislative act for the good of the community,
or, perhaps, some point calculated to lead to a general war,--the
overbearing conduct of the macaws, or the increasing insults of the
parakeets.
With bows and blowpipes in hand, Arthur, Tim, and I, and the three
Indians, crept silently towards them, when, to our great astonishment,
we discovered the cause of the hubbub. Mounted full in view on a
treetop stood Master Ara; while around him, upon adjacent branches, were
collected a host of his peers! There was a pause.
"Haul away! ye ho, boys!" came down from the top of the tree, followed
by bursts of imitative shrieks and vociferous applause. "Ha! ha! ha!"
shouted Master Ara, as he rolled his head and doubled up his body quite
beside himself with laughter. Then came tumultuous applause and
encores, and further shouts of "Ha! ha! ha! Haul away! ye ho, boys!"
Then Ara spread his wings, and began with evident delight to bow and
dance, and to turn round and round on the bough he had chosen for his
rostrum. The effect upon his auditory was remarkable. Every parrot
began to twist and to turn about in the same fashion, endeavouring with
very considerable success to utter the same sounds, till we might have
supposed that the crew of a merchant ship were shouting together, and
engaged in weighing anchor to put to sea. Presently one of the assembly
caught sight of us, and giving the alarm to the others, they suddenly
changed their hilarious notes to cries of alarm, when off they flew,
leaving Ara to harangue to empty benches, or rather to vacant boughs;
for he, not holding us in dread, did not deem it necessary to decamp.
The question now was how to catch him. Kallolo's blowpipe could have
brought him down from his lofty perch; but it would have been at the
risk of preparing him for parrot-pie, and our object was to take him
alive. Had we possessed any salt, Kallolo said that there would have
been no danger, as a few grains would have effectually neutralised the
effects of the poison.
"Sure he would come if the mistress were to call him," observed Tim.
Arthur, thinking so too, ran back and brought Marian; who, indeed, was
very willing to come. On our retiring out of sight, she began to call
to Ara, using the endearing expressions she had been accustomed to apply
to him. He looked down and nodded, and then flew to a lower bough. She
went on, and held out her hand with some palm-fruit, of which he was
especially fond. Again he descended; and at length, attracted partly by
her sweet voice, and partly, it may be suspected, by the sweet fruit,
came and perched on her hand. Then she took him back in triumph to the
settlement, telling him, as she did so, how imprudent he had been to run
away so far.
"Remember, Ara," I heard her say, with all the gravity possible,
"people, when they begin to act imprudently, never can tell where they
may stop. You might have been caught by a tree-snake, or by some savage
vulture, and we should never have seen you more. Promise me never to go
wandering again without a proper escort;--you will, won't you?"
"Haul away! ye ho, boys!" answered Ara. "Ha! ha! ha!"
This was the only reply she could obtain. She, however, as the bird
nestled affectionately in her arms, seemed perfectly satisfied that he
would not again go gadding.