VOYAGE ON THE AMAZON--PARA--SAIL FOR RIO DE JANEIRO--ALL'S WELL THAT
ENDS WELL.
Our first care in the morning was to search for a tree which might serve
us to scoop into a canoe, till lower down the Amazon we might fall in
with one large enough to convey us to Para. Fortunately we discovered
one to suit our purpose close to the rock, and we instantly set to work
to bring it to the ground. Thanks to Manco's forethought in providing
us with good hatchets, in the course of three hours it lay prostrate on
the ground, a piece of about thirty-five feet long being marked off to
form the canoe. All day we worked at it, one man at a time being
stationed on the highest point of the rock to give notice of the
approach of an enemy. Before night we had made some progress in
fashioning the bow, and in scooping out the inside. The night passed
off as before, and we began to hope that the Cashibos had had a
sufficient taste of our quality, and did not intend to attack us. Ned
expressed his opinion that it would be necessary to build up some sides
to our canoe; and as we had no means of sawing planks, we looked out for
some tough smooth bark to answer the purpose. The Indians sewed the
pieces we stripped from the trees neatly together; and afterwards they
collected a quantity of black bees' wax, with which to cover the seams.
An Indian occupies the greater part of a year in making his canoe: we
calculated that we could do the work, with the aid of our iron tools, in
ten days or a fortnight. Three days had passed away, and still no
Cashibos had appeared.
"They will, I suspect, not come at all," I remarked to Manco.
"Do not be sure of that," he answered. "You do not know their savage
and revengeful natures. They will lie in wait often for weeks or months
together, to destroy an enemy. I'm afraid that they have only gone to
collect their friends, and will be down on us in greater numbers."
The fifth night passed away, and the sixth night came. Our canoe,
though far from complete, was sufficiently hollowed out to form a boat,
and Ned had that day shaped some paddles; but we had still to build up
the sides, and to pay over the whole with wax, to make it water-tight;
also to put in seats, and half-decks to the bow and stern, as well as to
provision her, to make her fit for our voyage down the river. It was my
watch, and Pedro and one of the Indians were with me.
"Hist, Senor!" said the latter. "I hear an enemy's footsteps on the
ground. The sound comes down upon the wind. They think we are asleep,
or they would be more cautious. Lie down, and we will not undeceive
them till they are close to us."
"You are right," I answered; and I crept silently to where Pedro was
standing, and told him what the Indian had said, desiring him also to
rouse up the rest to be ready for action.
In another minute all hands were at their posts. We were only just in
time; for presently we could distinguish through the stockades a number
of tall savage-looking figures collected among the trees; and an arrow,
with a burning head, was sent flying into the centre of our fort. It
stuck in the ground, and did no damage. Instantly it was followed by a
whole flight, and the most terrific yells and cries rent the air, as
some hundreds of the fiercest-looking savages were now rushing on
towards the fort.
"Now, be steady, and fire," cried Manco.
We did, and each of us hit his man; our Indians at the same time sending
their arrows from their bows as fast as they could draw the string,
returning those which the _Cashibos_ had sent. Several of our enemies
had fallen by the time they had reached the foot of the hill. Still
they came on, and began to climb the rocks. If they succeeded in
getting up, and climbing over the stockades, we saw we should to a
certainty be overwhelmed. On they came with terrific cries and yells.
Again and again we fired, and rarely missed; but their numbers were so
great, that little impression was made on them. They found, however, as
they got higher up, their difficulties increased. Our Indians plied
them rapidly with arrows, and at intervals tumbled down the stones on
their heads, and we continued loading and firing without cessation. We
could almost reach them with our spears; and so crowded together were
they, that they impeded each other's movements. This gave us a great
advantage, of which we did not fail to profit; and seizing the largest
stones at hand, we dashed them down on their faces, and knocked them off
the cliff. Their places were, however, speedily supplied by others, and
at length some of them succeeded in reaching the stockades. Now came
the tug of war; for the fighting was hand to hand, where numbers would
have the advantage. Just then I recollected the effect our horses had
had on them before; and calling Manco, we mounted two which stood behind
the hill, ready saddled, and dashed forward at the enemy with our spears
in our hands, uttering loud shouts. The apparition so startled the
foremost ranks, that they turned round to fly, hurrying those behind
them back also. Seeing the success of our manoeuvre, we told the rest
to follow our example. Nita, who had been by the side of Manco, leaped
on a horse. Ned took hold of her baby; and the Indians, leading the
baggage-horses, we prepared to gallop down the rock, and to charge the
main body of the _Cashibos_. It seemed an act of desperation, but it
was our only chance. Our arrows and stones were exhausted, and our
ammunition would not have held out much longer. Our enemies, seeing us
coming on with so bold a front, were seized with a panic; and, with loud
cries, they all turned round and fled into the woods, leaving some dozen
or more of their number dead on the field.
"We may now rest where we are, I suppose," I observed to Manco.
"No, no!" he answered. "They will go away, and hold a war council, and
return again before long. We must get away from hence, and put the
river between us before daylight, or we shall suffer from it."
Accordingly we descended from our rock, and security the horses to the
trees, we united our strength, and launched our unfinished canoe into
the water. The wood of which she was composed was so light that she
floated high; but to give her greater buoyancy, we secured a quantity of
dry rushes round the gunnel; and we found that when our stores were in
her, there was room for all the party.
"Come, mates, it's time to be under weigh, if we are not to wait till
the Injuns are back upon us," shouted Ned. But one of our Indians was
missing.
While I was looking round for him, a bright light shone from the top of
the rock, and soon afterwards he made his appearance. I found that he
had gone back to light a fire, to make the _Cashibos_ suppose we were
still on the rock. Ned's voice again summoning is, we embarked in the
canoe; and the horses being fastened to their halters, plunged into the
water after us, encouraged by the voices of the Indians. Ned, Manco,
Pedro, and I seized the paddles, and away we went down the stream,
gradually edging over to the opposite side. The horses, having been
accustomed to cross rivers, swam well; and for half an hour we continued
our course, till we reached a convenient landing place. Our poor horses
were very much exhausted; but we reflected that had we left them on the
other side, they would have fallen into the hands of the _Cashibos_.
Our intention had been to have sent them back with the Indians; but the
men had petitioned so hard to be allowed to accompany Manco, that he
could not refuse them; and we, therefore, were compelled to turn our
animals loose, with a hope that they might escape being devoured by
jaguars or shot by Indians.
We had landed in a little bay, the entrance of which was concealed, from
the opposite shore. By aid of our horses, we dragged up our canoe,
which already had begun to leak from want of caulking. Close to us was
a rock, very similar to the one we had left, and to this we resolved to
fly if we were again attacked; but Manco and the Indians expressed an
opinion that the _Cashibos_ would not attempt to follow us across the
stream.
As soon as daylight returned, all hands set to work to finish the canoe.
Some went to collect more bees' wax and bark, others fastened the bark
to the part scooped out, and others put in the seats and decks, Ned
acting the part of master-shipwright, and directing the whole, being
actively employed with his own fingers at the same time. Three more
days were occupied in finishing the canoe. At night we were afraid of
lighting a fire, lest we should show the Cashibos our position, or we
should have worked even then. We slept as before, with our arms ready
for instant action. Our Indians shot some monkeys and three peccaries,
with some birds, which served us for provision for some days; but we had
no fear of being in want of food, as we were certain of finding an
abundance of turtle on the banks of the river, and further down, of
being able to purchase from friendly Indians, plantains, bananas,
guavas, granadillas, pine-apples, water-melons, and many other fruits
and vegetables. We waited till morning, and having bade farewell to our
poor horses, we launched our canoe, and stepping into her, pushed off
into the stream. We were but just in time to escape our enemies, for as
we passed down we saw the shore lined with the Cashibos, who were
launching a number of balsas and rafts with the evident intention of
crossing to destroy us. They sent a flight of arrows after us, but as
the river was here though somewhat shallow, yet very broad, by keeping
over to the opposite bank, we escaped them. We had now paddles for all
hands, and we plied them vigorously. Pedro and I found it at first very
tiring work; but Manco, Ned, and the Indians were accustomed to it. The
scenery we passed was often very fine, when the river ran between high
rocks and ranges of hills. From the character of the country we felt
sure that we should far outstrip any pursuers. To make certain,
however, we paddled on the greater part of the night, the sharpest-eyed
of the Indians being stationed at the bow to warn us of any danger we
were approaching. Towards the morning we pulled into a little sandy
bay, where we landed, and threw ourselves down wrapped in our cloaks, to
obtain some rest. Scarcely was I asleep when I felt something pitch
down upon my nose. I looked up, but no one was near me. I went to
sleep again, when my head got a disagreeable thump, and so it went on.
At last I shifted my position, but still the knocks continued, though I
was too sleepy to heed them. Awaking at daylight I looked up, and in
the trees overhead I discovered a large family of monkeys, who had, I
doubt not, thus been amusing themselves at my expense. We were speedily
again under weigh, and the stream running rapidly, we made, I dare say,
from forty to fifty miles a day. We passed two or three rapids, down
which we had to lower our canoe, and to carry her cargo by land. One
was so dangerous that we judged it safer to haul her on shore, and to
drag her over the ground to the lower side. This we did by means of
rollers placed under her bottom, but the operation occupied us a whole
day, and so weary were we, that we were very thankful the Indians did
not think of attacking us that night. After this, the river became deep
and free from obstructions of all kinds, so that we were able to allow
the canoe to drop down the stream at night, two at a time only paddling,
while the others slept. In this manner we made rapid progress.
Sometimes, when there were no signs of natives, we landed, and built
huts to rest in at night. We generally took these occasions to catch
turtle, while our Indians went to hunt in the neighbourhood, and never
failed to bring us back a supply of game. In about ten days after our
escape from the Cashibos, we sighted a village built close to the banks
of the river. It consisted of only eight or ten houses, but then each
house was of great extent, with many divisions, and was the habitation
of a considerable number of families. The sides were of cane, without
any cement between the interstices, and the roofs were neatly formed of
palm leaves. A turn of the river brought us upon it before we had time
to pull to the opposite side, when a number of the inhabitants came
forth with _pacunas_, their deadly blow-pipes, in their hands, prepared
to shoot at us. Our Indians instantly hailed them, and informed them
that a great chief was in the canoe, and entreated their hospitality.
After a short consultation a friendly reply was given, and we pulled to
the shore. As soon as we landed they came down and led us up to their
houses.
There was something agreeable in their countenances, though their
flowing hair and painted faces and legs and bodies gave them an
extravagantly savage appearance, increased by their teeth being
blackened, and by the bead ornaments which they wore round their necks,
ankles, and wrists. The men wore a long loose robe, and the women one
of shorter dimensions. There was little neatness in the internal
economy of their dwellings. At the end farthest from the door was the
fire-place, surrounded with pots and jars of many sizes. On each side
were raised platforms for bed-places, and pieces of beaten bark for
bedding, covered with musquito curtains. Bows, arrows, lances,
_pacunas_ or blow-pipes, were hung to the posts or rafters, an axe and a
knife in some cases: bowls made from calabashes, earthen jars to hold
chica, water and young turtles; a few blocks of wood for seats, a few
baskets, a ladder to reach to the roof, a wooden trough in which
_masata_ is made, and a rude sort of loom, complete the furniture; from
which list must not be omitted the lady's dressing box which contains
her paints and brushes, as well as her trinkets. The centre of the
house is always left unoccupied, as beneath it are buried the members of
the family who die, the living thus becoming the guardians of the dead.
They gave us an abundant repast off _vaca marina_ or _manatee_, called
in English a sea-cow (a curious fish which I must describe), turtle,
monkeys, and a variety of vegetables and fruits.
Our friends were great fishermen as well as sportsmen. The next morning
I accompanied some of them in their canoes to catch a _vaca marina_.
They watched for the animal till his snout appeared above water, when
they killed it with their spears. In appearance it was something like a
huge seal; but it has no power to leave the water. It was about twelve
feet long, with a large muzzle armed with short bristles, and small eyes
and ears. It had two thick fins and a longish thick tail; was very fat,
and of a dark blue colour. To bring it home a canoe was sunk under its
body; and when bailed out, it floated it up with perfect ease. The meat
was in taste something between pork and beef. A large quantity of oil
was extracted from the blubber.
Turtle flesh forms one of the principal articles of food of the people
living on the banks of the rivers; and a very valuable oil is also
extracted from the eggs, of which one female lays a hundred and fifty in
a season. It is used instead of butter.
The fiercest inhabitants of the Amazon, and of its large and numerous
tributaries, are the _lagartos, caimanes_, or alligators. In some parts
they are seen basking in the sun, like logs of wood thrown up by the
tide, with their enormous mouths kept open ready to catch the flies
which settle on their lower jaw. Alligators lay eggs, and it is said
that as soon as they are hatched the young ones try to run on to their
mother's back, and that the male alligator, who has come for no other
purpose, eats all which fail to take refuge there, aided by the
gallinasos and other birds of prey. Their natural food appears to be
fish; and the Indians say that they will make a party of twelve or more,
and that while one division blockades the entrance of a creek, the other
will swim down, flapping their tails, and drive the fish into the jaws
of their devourers. When they cannot procure fish, they will land and
destroy calves and young foals, dragging them to the water's edge to eat
them. When once they have tasted human flesh, it is asserted that they
will take great pains to obtain it, upsetting canoes, and seizing people
asleep near the banks, or floating on their balsas. I have seen an
Indian attack and kill an alligator in the water with a sharp knife.
The Indian in one hand took a a fowl, and in the other his knife. He
swam till it got opposite the alligator, when it made a spring at the
fowl. On this he left the fowl floating, and diving below the surface,
cut the belly of the monster open with his knife. I have seen one
twenty feet long; and what with his enormous head, and horrid eyes
almost projecting out of his head, the impenetrable armour which covers
his body, the red colour of his jaws, his sharp teeth, and his huge paws
and tail, make him certainly a very hideous monster.
The most deadly weapon the Indian of the Pampas uses is his _pacuna_ or
blow-pipe, out of which he sends his arrows, dipped in the fatal
_wourali_ poison. The poison takes its name from the wourali vine, the
scraped wood of which, and some bitter roots, form the chief
ingredients, boiled together. The rites and incantations employed, and
the numerous other articles added to the poisonous cauldron, may remind
one of the weird sisters' concoction in Macbeth. The _pacuna_ is
composed of a very delicate thin reed, perfectly smooth inside and out,
which is encased in a stouter one. The arrows are from nine to ten
inches long, formed of the leaf of a species of palm, hard and brittle,
and pointed as sharp as a needle. At the butt-end some wild cotton is
twisted round, to fit the tube. About an inch of the pointed end is
poisoned. Quivers are made to hold five or six hundred of these darts.
The slightest wound causes certain death within a few minutes, as the
poison mixes with the blood, and completely paralyses the system,
causing, probably, little or no pain. The _pacuna_ is very similar to
the _sumpitan_, used by the inhabitants of Borneo and other people in
the Eastern Archipelago, though the latter are not acquainted with the
wourali poison.
I must hurry on, I find, with my adventures. For several days we
proceeded down the Ucayali, till we arrived at a point where a small
river, called the Shaunga, falls into it. The stream was broad and
tranquil, and vast trees grew down to the water's edge; while in the far
distance, to the south and east, rose ranges of lofty mountains,
reminding us of the distant Andes in miniature. Manco pointed them out
to Nita.
"There," he said, "is our future home, till the Spaniards have learned
not to despise the Indian race. Then we will return, and once more
endeavour to regain liberty for Peru, and to restore the dominion of the
Incas."
We here landed, and built some huts to last us a few days, while Manco
sent one of our Indians as an ambassador to the chiefs of the villages,
to crave the hospitality of the tribe. We employed the time till the
return of the messenger in fishing and shooting, and in preparing the
canoe for a longer voyage; for which purpose we fitted her with a mast
and sail, a very patch-work affair, made out of our saddle-cloths and
some bits of cotton stuff, which Manco had brought with him.
One day about noon, the sound of an Indian trumpet was heard; and soon
afterwards, a dozen warriors appeared, their faces and bodies highly
painted, and adorned with a profusion of beads. They were clothed in
the usual loose tunics, and armed with shields and clubs, ornamented
with the antlers of a stag and richly tinted feathers, one end being
sharp, to use as a spear; as also with bows and arrows, and lances.
They were, I found, of the Sencis tribe. These people live in good
houses, cultivate the ground, and use canoes, and are a very intelligent
and warlike people.
The present party came to welcome Manco to their country, and to express
their willingness to afford him an asylum as long as he chose to remain
among them, it was with deep regret that we parted from him and Nita and
their child. He was too sensible to ask me to remain with him, feeling
that, as a civilised man, I had my vocation elsewhere.
"I hope to be of some use to these poor people in improving their
condition," he observed with a sigh. "The employment will serve to
soothe my weary exile."
Manco, and Nita with her child in her arms, stood on the shore, as,
hoisting our sail, we steered our course down the river. I watched them
with aching eyes and a sad heart, till they faded from my sight. Many
years since then have passed away, but I have never received any account
of my brave and noble friend. He may have returned to Peru, when the
War of Independence broke out, and the Creoles threw off the yoke of
Spain. At that time a large number of Indians joined the liberal party,
under the idea that if the Spaniards were driven out, their freedom and
ancient institutions would be restored; but they found that under the
new republic their condition was but little if at all improved. Many, I
am told, however, still look forward to the time when Manco or his son
shall appear, and the Inca and his race shall rule the land.
I wish that I had space to describe our very interesting voyage down the
Amazon. I saw enough to convince me of the fertility of the soil, and
the vast number of productions to be found in its neighbourhood, and on
the banks of the many rivers which run into it.
After some weeks we reached the station of a Portuguese missionary
priest, who received us most hospitably; and finding that he was about
to despatch a vessel to Para, we were glad to abandon our canoe, and to
embark in her. She was about thirty feet long and eight broad, the
after part being decked with a house thatched with palm leaves, which
served as the cabin for the passengers. In the fore part was a
frame-work, covered also with palm leaves, under which the crew stood to
paddle. In the centre was a mast, with a large square sail set on it.
We had received as gifts several monkeys and parrots, and other birds
and beasts, which now served to amuse us, as our own toils were over.
Some parts of the Amazon, down which we sailed, were three miles wide,
and appeared like large lakes. For many hundreds of miles steamboats
might penetrate into the interior of that magnificent region; and I hope
that the enterprise which is every day making new fields for its
employment, may be directed ere long to that direction, to carry the
advantages of civilisation among the numerous interesting tribes who
inhabit its shores.
It was with much satisfaction that we reached the Portuguese city of
Para, situated on the river of that name. From the sandy nature of the
soil, and the steady trade-winds which blow from the east, the city,
though but little above the level of the sea at high water, is perfectly
healthy. There are a good many public buildings, and several largos or
open spaces in the city; but the private residences have little
pretension to beauty, though they are constructed with a due regard to
afford as much shade and coolness as possible. We remained here but two
days; for, finding a schooner sailing for Rio de Janeiro, and there
being no chance of a vessel direct to England for many months, we
resolved to go in her.
I shall never forget the intense delight with which Ned walked the deck
as he once more found himself afloat on the open ocean.
"This is what I call life, mate--true life," he exclaimed; "and it will
be a long time before you find me out of sight of blue water again."
Our schooner, the "Felicidade," had a rapid passage to Rio de Janeiro.
I cannot stop to describe that city, which has now become the capital of
an empire. Indeed I saw very little of it. Nor can I picture its
magnificent harbour, large enough to hold all the navies in the world.
My first care, on going on shore, was to learn what ships were about to
start for Europe. I found that one was sailing the very next morning.
Ned, on hearing this, said he would go on board and look at the craft,
while Pedro and I waited for him on the quay. He soon came back, and
said that the "Susan" was a fine large brig; that he liked her
appearance, and as she was short of hands he had engaged for the passage
home at good wages. There was, he understood, an English family going
home in her; but as she would have room for two more passengers, he
advised me to return with him to secure berths for Pedro and myself.
We, accordingly, forthwith went on board.
"Your name, sir," said the master, when I told him my object.
"David Rexton," I replied.
"Rexton! that is very extraordinary," he replied. "Why, that is the
name of my other passengers."
Oh! how my heart beat with strange, wild, fearful, yet hopeful emotions
at these words. I should have fallen on the deck, had not the
kind-hearted man supported me.
"Where are they?" I at length found words to say.
"In the cabin at this moment," he replied. "But stay, I have heard much
about them, and suspect who you are. Do you go forward with my mate
there, and stay quiet for a little time; while I go and prepare them for
your appearance. By-and-by we will introduce your friend here, and he
can tell them he has seen you alive and well."
I put myself under the good master's directions; and I need scarcely say
that Heaven had mercifully preserved my beloved parents, and thought fit
to re-unite me to them. The very night the village, where they had
taken refuge, was attacked, the faithful Ithulpo had warned them in time
to enable them to fly to the mountains, where they had concealed
themselves in the hut of an aged Indian. Ithulpo had, unfortunately,
quitted them, to look for some of their horses; and they had seen no
more of him. From the hut of the Indian, after a detention of some
weeks, they succeeded in reaching the coast, and getting on board a
merchantman, engaged in smuggling. She directly afterwards sailed; and
rounding Cape Horn, they put into the magnificent harbour of Rio de
Janeiro, for water and provisions. Here my father found that the
affairs of a branch of their house would much benefit by his presence.
He accordingly had remained, till I so fortunately arrived.
We finally reached England in safety. Ned refused to touch any of the
gold given to us by Manco; and I, feeling that I could do no less than
follow the noble fellow's generous example, devoted it to the service of
Pedro, who was thus enabled to obtain the best education England could
afford. Some years afterwards he went to Peru, and succeeded in
recovering the larger portion of his father's property. He fought in
the War of Independence, when his native country threw off the yoke of
Spain; but deeply disappointed in the result of that struggle, he lived
in retirement on his estate, devoting himself to doing good to the
surrounding population.
He wrote me word that he had made every inquiry for Manco, but could
hear nothing of him. The Inca noble probably perceived that the War of
Independence could do little to ameliorate the condition of his people,
and refused to leave his retreat.
My tale is ended. Since the period of my adventures in Peru I have
visited many countries, and witnessed many strange scenes; and this I
can assert, that every event of my life has tended to confirm the
lessons given me by my father, to increase my reliance on God, and to
convince me more and more that He orders all things for the best; and
that when He thinks fit to afflict His creatures, He has some wise
object in view, even though we may not be able to discover it.
Therefore, I say to my young friends, learn what is right to be done,
and do it, fearless of consequences, and trusting in Heaven. Seek not
for the reward of man, and be assured that God will care for you here,
and more than amply repay you hereafter.