green mansions-第4部分

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From　the　mouth　of　the　Meta　I　journeyed　on；　intending　to　visit　the　settlement　of　Atahapo；　where　the　great　River　Guaviare；　with　other　rivers；　empties　itself　into　the　Orinoco。　　But　I　was　not　destined　to　reach　it；　for　at　the　small　settlement　of　Manapuri　I　fell　ill　of　a　low　fever；　and　here　ended　the　first　half…year　of　my　wanderings；　about　which　no　more　need　be　told。

A　more　miserable　place　than　Manapuri　for　a　man　to　be　ill　of　a　low　fever　in　could　not　well　be　imagined。　　The　settlement；　composed　of　mean　hovels；　with　a　few　large　structures　of　mud；　or　plastered　wattle；　thatched　with　palm　leaves；　was　surrounded　by　water；　marsh；　and　forest；　the　breeding…place　of　myriads　of　croaking　frogs　and　of　clouds　of　mosquitoes；　even　to　one　in　perfect　health　existence　in　such　a　place　would　have　been　a　burden。　　The　inhabitants　mustered　about　eighty　or　ninety；　mostly　Indians　of　that　degenerate　class　frequently　to　be　met　with　in　small　trading　outposts。　　The　savages　of　Guayana　are　great　drinkers；　but　not　drunkards　in　our　sense；　since　their　fermented　liquors　contain　so　little　alcohol　that　inordinate　quantities　must　be　swallowed　to　produce　intoxication；　in　the　settlements　they　prefer　the　white　man's　more　potent　poisons；　with　the　result　that　in　a　small　place　like　Manapuri　one　can　see　enacted；　as　on　a　stage；　the　last　act　in　the　great　American　tragedy。　　To　be　succeeded；　doubtless；　by　other　and　possibly　greater　tragedies。　　My　thoughts　at　that　period　of　suffering　were　pessimistic　in　the　extreme。　　Sometimes；　when　the　almost　continuous　rain　held　up　for　half　a　day；　I　would　manage　to　creep　out　a　short　distance；　but　I　was　almost　past　making　any　exertion；　scarcely　caring　to　live；　and　taking　absolutely　no　interest　in　the　news　from　Caracas；　which　reached　me　at　long　intervals。　　At　the　end　of　two　months；　feeling　a　slight　improvement　in　my　health；　and　with　it　a　returning　interest　in　life　and　its　affairs；　it　occurred　to　me　to　get　out　my　diary　and　write　a　brief　account　of　my　sojourn　at　Manapuri。　　I　had　placed　it　for　safety　in　a　small　deal　box；　lent　to　me　for　the　purpose　by　a　Venezuelan　trader；　an　old　resident　at　the　settlement；　by　name　Pantaleoncalled　by　all　Don　Pantaone　who　openly　kept　half　a　dozen　Indian　wives　in　his　house；　and　was　noted　for　his　dishonesty　and　greed；　but　who　had　proved　himself　a　good　friend　to　me。　　The　box　was　in　a　corner　of　the　wretched　palm…thatched　hovel　I　inhabited；　but　on　taking　it　out　I　discovered　that　for　several　weeks　the　rain　had　been　dripping　on　it；　and　that　the　manuscript　was　reduced　to　a　sodden　pulp。　　I　flung　it　upon　the　floor　with　a　curse　and　threw　myself　back　on　my　bed　with　a　groan。

In　that　desponding　state　I　was　found　by　my　friend　Panta；　who　was　constant　in　his　visits　at　all　hours；　and　when　in　answer　to　his　anxious　inquiries　I　pointed　to　the　pulpy　mass　on　the　mud　floor；　he　turned　it　over　with　his　foot；　and　then；　bursting　into　a　loud　laugh；　kicked　it　out；　remarking　that　he　had　mistaken　the　object　for　some　unknown　reptile　that　had　crawled　in　out　of　the　rain。　　He　affected　to　be　astonished　that　I　should　regret　its　loss。　　It　was　all　a　true　narrative；　he　exclaimed；　if　I　wished　to　write　a　book　for　the　stay…at…homes　to　read；　I　could　easily　invent　a　thousand　lies　far　more　entertaining　than　any　real　experiences。　　He　had　come　to　me；　he　said；　to　propose　something。　　He　had　lived　twenty　years　at　that　place；　and　had　got　accustomed　to　the　climate；　but　it　would　not　do　for　me　to　remain　any　longer　if　I　wished　to　live。　　I　must　go　away　at　once　to　a　different　countryto　the　mountains；　where　it　was　open　and　dry。　　〃And　if　you　want　quinine　when　you　are　there；〃　he　concluded；　〃smell　the　wind　when　it　blows　from　the　south…west；　and　you　will　inhale　it　into　your　system；　fresh　from　the　forest。〃　　When　I　remarked　despondingly　that　in　my　condition　it　would　be　impossible　to　quit　Manapuri；　he　went　on　to　say　that　a　small　party　of　Indians　was　now　in　the　settlement；　that　they　had　come；　not　only　to　trade；　but　to　visit　one　of　their　own　tribe；　who　was　his　wife；　purchased　some　years　ago　from　her　father。　　〃And　the　money　she　cost　me　I　have　never　regretted　to　this　day；〃　said　he；　〃for　she　is　a　good　wife　not　jealous；〃　he　added；　with　a　curse　on　all　the　others。　　These　Indians　came　all　the　way　from　the　Queneveta　mountains；　and　were　of　the　Maquiritari　tribe。　　He；　Panta；　and；　better　still；　his　good　wife　would　interest　them　on　my　behalf；　and　for　a　suitable　reward　they　would　take　me　by　slow；　easy　stages　to　their　own　country；　where　I　would　be　treated　well　and　recover　my　health。

This　proposal；　after　I　had　considered　it　well；　produced　so　good　an　effect　on　me　that　I　not　only　gave　a　glad　consent；　but；　on　the　following　day；　I　was　able　to　get　about　and　begin　the　preparations　for　my　journey　with　some　spirit。

In　about　eight　days　I　bade　good…bye　to　my　generous　friend　Panta；　whom　I　regarded；　after　having　seen　much　of　him；　as　a　kind　of　savage　beast　that　had　sprung　on　me；　not　to　rend；　but　to　rescue　from　death；　for　we　know　that　even　cruel　savage　brutes　and　evil　men　have　at　times　sweet；　beneficent　impulses；　during　which　they　act　in　a　way　contrary　to　their　natures；　like　passive　agents　of　some　higher　power。　　It　was　a　continual　pain　to　travel　in　my　weak　condition；　and　the　patience　of　my　Indians　was　severely　taxed；　but　they　did　not　forsake　me；　and　at　last　the　entire　distance；　which　I　conjectured　to　be　about　sixty…five　leagues；　was　accomplished；　and　at　the　end　I　was　actually　stronger　and　better　in　every　way　than　at　the　start。　　From　this　time　my　progress　towards　complete　recovery　was　rapid。　　The　air；　with　or　without　any　medicinal　virtue　blown　from　the　cinchona　trees　in　the　far…off　Andean　forest；　was　tonic；　and　when　I　took　my　walks　on　the　hillside　above　the　Indian　village；　or　later　when　able　to　climb　to　the　summits；　the　world　as　seen　from　those　wild　Queneveta　mountains　had　a　largeness　and　varied　glory　of　scenery　peculiarly　refreshing　and　delightful　to　the　soul。

With　the　Maquiritari　tribe　I　passed　some　weeks；　and　the　sweet　sensations　of　returning　health　made　me　happy　for　a　time；　but　such　sensations　seldom　outlast　convalescence。　　I　was　no　sooner　well　again　than　I　began　to　feel　a　restless　spirit　stirring　in　me。　　The　monotony　of　savage　life　in　this　place　became　intolerable。　　After　my　long　listless　period　the　reaction　had　come；　and　I　wished　only　for　action；　adventureno　matter　how　dangerous；　and　for　new　scenes；　new　faces；　new　dialects。　　In　the　end　I　conceived　the　idea　of　going　on　to　the　Casiquiare　river；　where　I　would　find　a　few　small　settlements；　and　perhaps　obtain　help　from　the　authorities　there　which　would　enable　me　to　reach　the　Rio　Negro。　For　it　was　now　in　my　mind　to　follow　that　river　to　the　Amazons；　and　so　down　to　Para　and　the　Atlantic　coast。

Leaving　the　Queneveta　range；　I　started　with　two　of　the　Indians　as　guides　and　travelling　companions；　but　their　journey　ended　only　half…way　to　the　river　I　wished　to　reach；　and　they　left　me　with　some　friendly　savages　living　on　the　Chunapay；　a　tributary　of　the　Cunucumana；　which　flows　to　the　Orinoco。　　Here　I　had　no　choice　but　to　wait　until　an　opportunity　of　attaching　myself　to　some　party　of　travelling　Indians　going　south…west　should　arrive；　for　by　this　time　I　had　expended　the　whole　of　my　small　capital　in　ornaments　and　calico　brought　from　Manapuri；　so　that　I　could　no　longer　purchase　any　man's　service。　　And　perhaps　it　will　be　as　well　to　state　at　this　point　just　what　I　possessed。　　For　some　time　I　had　worn　nothing　but　sandals　to　protect　my　feet；　my　garments　consisted　of　a　single　suit；　and　one　flannel　shirt；　which　I　washed　frequently；　going　shirtless　while　it　was　drying。　　Fortunately　I　had　an　excellent　blue　cloth　cloak；　durable　and　handsome；　given　to　me　by　a　friend　at　Angostura；　whose　prophecy　on　presenting　it；　that　it　would　outlast　ME；　very　nearly　came　true。　　It　served　as　a　covering　by　night；　and　to　keep　a　man　warm　and　comfortable　when　travelling　in　cold　and　wet　weather　no　better　garment　was　ever　made。　　I　had　a　revolver　and　metal　cartridge…box　in　my　broad　leather　belt；　also　a　good　hunting…knife　with　strong　buckhorn　handle　and　a　heavy　blade　about　nine　inches　long。　　In　the　pocket　of　my　cloak　I　had　a　pretty　silver　tinder…box；　and　a　match…boxto　be　mentioned　again　in　this　narrative

and　one　or　two　other　trifling　objects；　these　I　was　determined　to　keep　until　they　could　be　kept　no　longer。

During　the　tedious　interval　of　waiting　on　the　Chunapay　I　was　told　a　flattering　tale　by　the　village　Indians；　which　eventually　caused　me　to　abandon　the　proposed　journey　to　the　Rio　Negro。　　These　Indians　wore　necklets；　like　nearly　all　the　Guayana　savages；　but　one；　I　observed；　possessed　a　necklet　unlike　that　of　the　others；　which　greatly　aroused　my　curiosity。　　It　was　made　of　thirteen　gold　plates；　irregular　in　form；　about　as　broad　as　a　man's　thumb…nail；　and　linked　together　with　fibres。　　I　was　allowed　to　examine　it；　and　had　no　doubt　that　the　pieces　were　of　pure　gold；　beaten　flat　by　the　savages。　　When　questioned　about　it；　they　said　it　was　originally　obtained　from　the　Indians　of　Parahuari；　and　Parahuari；　they　further　said；　was　a　mountainous　country　west　of　the　Orinoco。　　Every　man　and　woman　in　that　place；　they　assured　me；　had　such　a　necklet。　　This　report　inflamed　my　mind　to　such　a　degree　that　I　could　not　rest　by　night　or　day　for　dreaming　golden　dreams；　and　considering　how　to　get　to　that　rich　district；　unknown　t