Afloat in the Forest Part 6

Having deposited the dead bird in the fork of the tree, the serpent changed its coiled att.i.tude into one that would give it a chance of filling its belly with less inconvenience. There was not room for it to extend itself fully; and, in default of this, the tail was allowed to drop down along the stem of the tree, at least two thirds of the body remaining in a horizontal position. Having arranged itself apparently to its satisfaction, it now directed its attention to the paroquet.

Once more taking the dead bird between its teeth, it turned it over and over until the head lay opposite to its own, the body aligned in a longitudinal direction. The jaws of the snake were now widely extended, while the tongue, loaded with saliva, was protruded and retracted with great rapidity. The serpent continued this licking process until the short feathers covering the head of the bird, as also its neck and shoulders, seemed to be saturated with a substance resembling soap or starch. When a sufficient coating had been laid on to satisfy the instincts of the serpent, the creature once more opened its jaws, and, making a sudden gulp, took in the head of the paroquet, with the neck and shoulders. For a time no further action was perceptible. Yet a movement was going on: and it was to a.s.sure himself of this that the Mozambique was so attentive.

We have said that he had a motive for permitting the pet to be sacrificed, which was now on the eve of being revealed to his companions. They all saw that there was something upon his mind, and eagerly antic.i.p.ated the revelation. Just as the jararaca had succeeded in bolting the anterior portion of the paroquet,--that is, the head, neck, and shoulders,--Mozey rose from his seat, stole towards the stem of the tree, and let himself down toward the fork, without saying a word. His purpose, however, was manifest the moment after, for he stretched out his right hand, clutched the jararaca around the small of the neck, and flung the serpent--no longer capable of defending itself-- far out into the waters of the Gapo! The monster, with its feathered morsel still in its mouth, sank instantly, to be seen no more; so thought Mozey and his a.s.sociates in the sapucaya.

But, as the event proved, they had hastened to an erroneous conclusion.

Scarce had their triumphant cheer echoed across the silent bosom of the Gapo, when the paroquet was observed floating upon the water; and the snake, having ejected the half-swallowed pill, was once more upon the surface, swimming with sinuous but brisk rendings of its body in rapid return to the tree. The situation seemed more alarming than ever. The fiend himself could hardly have shown a more implacable determination.

To all appearance the jararaca was now returning to take revenge for the insult and disappointment to which it had been subjected. Mozey, losing confidence in his own cunning, retreated up the tree. He perceived, now that it was too late, the imprudence of which he had been guilty. He should have permitted the snake to proceed a step further in the process of deglut.i.tion, until the disgorging of the paroquet, against the grain of its feathers, should have become impossible. He had been too hasty, and must now answer the consequences. Sure enough, the serpent returned to the sapucaya and commenced reascending, availing itself of the lliana, by which all of its enemies had effected their ascent. In a few seconds it had mounted into the fork, and, still adhering to the parasite, was continuing its upward way.

"O heavens!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Trevannion, "one of us must become the prey of this pitiless monster! What can be done to destroy it?"

"Dar's a chance yet, Ma.s.s'r," cried Mozey, who had suddenly conceived a splendid thought. "Dar's a chance yet. All ob you lay hold on de creepin' vine, an' pull um out from de tree. We chuck de varmint back into the water. Now den,--all togedder! Pull like good uns!"

As the negro spoke, he seized the lliana, by which the serpent was making its spiral ascent, and put out all his strength to detach it from the trunk of the sapucaya. The others instantly understood his design, and grasping the parasite, with a simultaneous effort tried to tear it off. A quick jerk broke the lliana loose; and the jararaca, shaken from its hold, was sent whirling and writhing through the air, till it fell with a plunging noise upon the water below. Once more a triumphant cheer went up through the sapucaya branches, once more to be stifled ere it had received the answer of its own echoes; for the jararaca was again seen upon the surface, as before, determinedly approaching the tree.

It was a sight for despair. There was something supernatural in the behaviour of the snake. It was a monster not to be conquered by human strength, nor circ.u.mvented by human cunning. Was there any use in continuing the attempt to subdue it? Mozey, a fatalist, felt half disposed to submit to a destiny that could not be averted; and even Tipperary Tom began to despair of the power of his prayers to Saint Patrick. The ex-miner, however, as well acquainted with the subterraneous regions as with upper earth, had no superst.i.tion to hinder him from action, and, instead of desponding he at once adopted the proper course. Catching hold of the creeper, that had already been loosened from the trunk, and calling upon the others to a.s.sist him, he tore the creeper entirely from the tree, flinging its severed stem far out upon the water. In a moment after, the snake came up, intending to climb into the sapucaya, as no doubt it had often done before. We wonder what were its feelings on finding that the ladder had been removed, and that an ascent of the smooth trunk of the sapucaya was no longer possible, even to a tree snake! After swimming round and round, and trying a variety of places, the discomfited jararaca turned away in apparent disgust; and, launching out on the bosom of the Gapo, swam off in the direction of the thicket,--on the identical track that had been taken by Richard and the Mundurucu.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

SERPENT FASCINATION.

It was some time before Trevannion and his companions in misfortune could recover from the excitement and awe of their adventure. They began to believe that the strange tales told them of the Gapo and its denizens had more than a substratum of truth; for the protracted and implacable hostility shown by the snake, and its mysterious power over the bird, seemed surely supernatural. Trevannion reflected on the singular behaviour of the jararaca. That a reptile of such contemptible dimensions should exhibit so much cunning and courage as to return to the attack after being repeatedly foiled, and by an enemy so far its superior in strength and numbers, together with its hideous aspect, could not fail to impress him with a feeling akin to horror, in which all those around him shared. The very monkeys and birds must have felt it; for when in the presence of snakes, they had never before exhibited such trepidation and excitement. Long after the serpent had been pitched for the second time into the water, the coaita kept up its terrified gibbering, the macaw screamed, and the tiny ouist.i.ti, returning to Rosa's protection,--no longer to be shared with its late rival,--sat trembling in her lap, as if the dreaded reptile were still within dangerous proximity.

This feeling was but temporary, however. Trevannion was a man of strong intellect, trained and cultivated by experience and education; and after a rational review of the circ.u.mstances, he became convinced that there was nothing very extraordinary, certainly nothing supernatural, in what transpired. The jararaca--as he had heard, and as everybody living on the Amazon knew--was one of the most venomous of serpents, if not the most venomous of all. Even the birds and beasts were acquainted with this common fact, and dreaded the reptile accordingly, not from mere _instinct_, but from actual knowledge possessed and communicated in some mysterious way to one another. This would account for the wild terror just exhibited, which in the case of the paroquet had come to a fatal end. There was a mystery about this for which Trevannion could not account. The power which the serpent appeared to have obtained over the bird, controlling its movements without any apparent action of its own, was beyond comprehension. Whether or not it be ent.i.tled to the name given it,--_fascination_, certainly it is a fact,--one that has been repeatedly observed, and to which not only birds, but quadrupeds, have been the victims; and not only by ordinary observers, but by men skilled in the knowledge of nature, who have been equally at a loss to account for it by natural causes. But this link in the chain of incidents, though mysterious, was not new nor peculiar to this situation. It had been known to occur in all countries and climes, and so soon ceased to excite any weird influence on the mind of Trevannion.

For the other circ.u.mstances that had occurred there was an explanation still more natural. The jararaca, peculiarly an inhabitant of the Gapo lands, had simply been sunning itself upon the sapucaya. It may have been prowling about in the water when overtaken by the tornado; and, not wis.h.i.+ng to be carried away from its haunt, had sought a temporary shelter in the tree, to which an unlucky chance had guided the galatea.

Its descent was due to the behaviour of the birds, which, after having for a time tantalised it,--provoking its spite, and in all likelihood its hungry appet.i.te,--had temporarily suspended their attack, returning down the tree with Ralph and the negro. It was in pursuit of them, therefore, it had forsaken its original perch. The commotion caused by its descent, but more especially the ducking it had received, and the presence of the two human forms in the water below, had induced it to halt in the forking of the tree, where shortly after its natural prey again presented itself,--ending in an episode that was to it an ordinary occurrence. The choking it had received in the hands of the negro, and its unexpected immersion, had caused the involuntary rejection of the half-swallowed morsel. In the opaque water it had lost sight of the bird, and was returning to the sapucaya either in search of its food, or to reoccupy its resting-place.

It is well-known that the jararaca has no fear of man, but will attack him whenever he intrudes upon its domain. The Indians a.s.sert that it will even go out of its way for this purpose, unlike the rattlesnake and other venomous reptiles, which rarely exert their dangerous power except in self-defence. So this jararaca reascended the sapucaya undismayed by the human enemies it saw there, one or more of whom might have become its victims but for the timely removal of the lliana ladder.

On this review of facts and fancies, the equanimity of our adventurers was nearly restored. At all events, they were relieved from the horrible thoughts of the supernatural, that for a time held ascendancy over them. Their hunger and thirst again manifested themselves, though little Rosa and her preserver no longer suffered from the last. In their short excursion both had been repeatedly under water, and had swallowed enough to last them for that day at least. Yet they were in want of food, and Ralph once more climbed the tree to obtain it. He soon possessed himself of half a dozen of the huge nut capsules, which were tossed into the hands of those below, and, water being drawn up in one of the emptied sh.e.l.ls, a meal was made, which if not hearty, was satisfactory. The group could do no more than await the return of their absent companions; and with eyes fixed intently and anxiously upon the dark water, and beneath the close-growing trees, they watched for the first ripple that might betoken their coming.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

THE WATER ARCADE.

We must leave for a time the castaways in the tree-top, and follow the fortunes of the two swimmers on their exploring expedition.

On reaching the edge of the submerged forest, their first thought was to clutch the nearest branch, and rest themselves by clinging to it. They were no longer in doubt as to the character of the scene that surrounded them, for their experience enabled them to comprehend it.

"The Gapo!" muttered Munday, as they glided in under the shadows. "No dry land here, young master," he added, clutching hold of a lliana. "We may as well look out for a roost, and rest ourselves. It's full ten fathoms deep. The Mundurucu can tell that by the sort of trees rising over it."

"I didn't expect anything else," rejoined young Trevannion, imitating his companion by taking hold of a branch and climbing up. "My only hope is that we may find some float timber to ferry the others across. Not that there's much in it if we do. How we're to find our way out of this mess is more than either you or I can tell."

"The Mundurucu never despairs,--not even in the middle of the Gapo," was the Indian's proud reply.

"You have hope, then? You think we shall find timber enough for a raft to carry us clear of the inundation."

"No!" answered the Indian. "We have got too far from the channel of the big river. We shall see no floating trees here,--nothing to make a raft that would carry us."

"Why then did we come here, if not for the purpose of finding dead timber for that object?"

"Dead timber? No! If that was our errand, we might go back as we've come,--empty-handed. We shall float all the people over here without that. Follow me, young master. We must go farther into the Gapo. Let old Munday show you how to construct a raft without trees, only making use of their fruit."

"Lead on!" cried the Paraense. "I'm ready to a.s.sist you; though I haven't the slightest conception of what you mean to do."

"You shall see presently, young master," rejoined Munday, once more spreading himself to swim. "Come on! follow me! If I'm not mistaken, we'll soon find the materials for a raft,--or something that will answer as well for the present. Come along, there! Come!"--and he launched himself into the water.

Trevannion followed his example, and, once more consigning himself to the flood, he swam on in the Indian's wake. Through aisles dimmed with a twilight like that of approaching night, along arcades covered with foliage so luxuriant as to be scarce penetrable by the rays of a tropic sun, the two swimmers, the Indian ever in advance, held their way.

To Richard Trevannion the Mundurucu was comparatively a stranger, known only as a _tapuyo_ employed by his uncle in the management of the galatea. He knew the tribe by rumours even more than sinister. They were reputed in Para to be the most bloodthirsty of savages, who took delight not only in the destruction of their enemies, but in keeping up a ghastly souvenir of hostility by preserving their heads. In the company of a Mundurucu, especially in such a place,--swimming under the sombre shadows of a submerged forest,--it can scarce be wondered at that the youth felt suspicion, if not actual fear. But Richard Trevannion was a boy of bold heart, and bravely awaited the _denouement_ of the dismal journey.

Their swim terminated at length, and the Indian, pointing to a tree, cried out: "Yonder--yonder is the very thing of which I was in search.

Hoo-hoo! Covered with sipos too,--another thing we stand in need of,-- cord and pitch both growing together. The Great Spirit is kind to us, young master."

"What is it?" demanded Richard. "I see a great tree, loaded with climbers as you say. But what of that? It is green, and growing. The wood is full of sap, and would scarce float itself; you can't construct a raft out of that. The sipos might serve well enough for rope; but the timber won't do, even if we had an axe to cut it down."

"The Mundurucu needs no axe, nor yet timber to construct his raft. All he wants here is the sap of that tree, and some of the sipos clinging to its branches. The timber we shall find on the sapucaya, after we go back. Look at the tree, young master! Do you not know it?"

The Paraense, thus appealed to, turned his eyes toward the tree, and scanned it more carefully. Festooned by many kinds of climbing plants, it was not so easy to distinguish its foliage from that of the parasites it upheld; enough of the leaves, however, appeared conspicuous to enable him to recognise the tree as one of the best known and most valuable to the inhabitants, not only of his native Para, but of all the Amazonian region, "Certainly," he replied, "I see what sort of tree it is. It's the _Seringa_,--the tree from which they obtain caoutchouc. But what do you want with that? You can't make a raft out of India-rubber, can you?"

"You shall see, young master; you shall see!"

During this conversation the Mundurucu had mounted among the branches of the seringa, calling upon his companion to come after him, who hastily responded to the call.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE SYRINGE-TREE.

The tree into whose top the swimmers had ascended was, as Richard had rightly stated, that from which the caoutchouc, or India-rubber, is obtained. It was the _Siphonia elastica_, of the order _Euphorbiaceae_, of the Amazonian valley. Not that the _Siphonia_ is the only tree which produces the world-renowned substance, which has of late years effected almost a revolution in many arts, manufactures, and domestic economies of civilised life. There are numerous other trees, both in the Old and New World, most of them belonging to the famed family of the figs, which in some degree afford the caoutchouc of commerce. Of all, however, that yielded by the _Siphonia elastica_ is the best, and commands the highest price among dealers. The young Paraense called it _Seringa_, and this is the name he had been accustomed to hear given to it. _Seringa_ is simply the Portuguese for syringe, and the name has attached itself to the tree, because the use which the aborigines were first observed to make of the elastic tubes of the caoutchouc was that of squirts or syringes, the idea being suggested by their noticing the natural tubes formed by the sap around twigs, when flowing spontaneously from the tree. For syringes it is employed extensively to this day by Brazilians of all cla.s.ses, who construct them by moulding the sap, while in its fluid state, into pear-shaped bottles, and inserting a piece of cane in the long neck.

The caoutchouc is collected in the simplest way, which affords a regular business to many Amazonians, chiefly native Indians, who dispose of it to the Portuguese or Brazilian traders. The time is in August, when the subsidence of the annual inundation permits approach to the trees; for the _Seringa_ is one of those species that prefer the low flooded lands, though it is not altogether peculiar to the Gapo. It grows throughout the whole region of the Amazon, wherever the soil is alluvial and marshy. The India-rubber harvest, if we may use the term, continues throughout the dry months, during which time very large quant.i.ties of the sap are collected, and carried over to the export market of Para. A number of trees growing within a prescribed circle are allotted to each individual, whose business it is--man, woman, or boy--to attend to the a.s.signed set of trees; and this is the routine of their day's duty.

In the evening the trees are tapped; that is, a gash or incision is made in the bark,--each evening in a fresh place,--and under each is carefully placed a little clay cup, or else the sh.e.l.l of an _Ampullasia_, to catch the milky sap that oozes from the wound. After sunrise in the morning, the "milkers" again revisit the scene of operations, and empty all the cups into a large vessel, which is carried to one common receptacle. By this time the sap, which is still of a white colour, is of the consistency of cream, and ready for moulding.

The collectors have already provided themselves with moulds of many kinds, according to the shape they wish the caoutchouc to a.s.sume, such as shoes, round b.a.l.l.s, bottles with long necks, and the like. These are dipped into the liquid, a thin stratum of which adheres to them, to be made thicker by repeated immersions, until the proper dimensions are obtained. After the last coat has been laid on, lines and ornamental tracings are made upon the surface, while still in a soft state; and a rich brown colour is obtained by pa.s.sing the articles repeatedly through a thick black smoke, given out by a fire of palm-wood,--several species of these trees being specially employed for this purpose. As the moulds are usually solid substances, and the shoes, b.a.l.l.s, and bottles are cast _on_, and not _in_ them, it may be wondered how the latter can be taken off, or the former got out. King George would have been as badly puzzled about this, as he was in regard to the apples in the pudding.

The idea of the Amazonian aboriginal, though far more ingenious, is equally easy of explanation. His bottle-moulds are no better than b.a.l.l.s of dried mud, or clay; and so too, the lasts upon which he fas.h.i.+ons the India-rubber shoes. Half an hour's immersion in water is sufficient to restore them to their original condition of soft mud; when a little sc.r.a.ping and was.h.i.+ng completes the manufacture, and leaves the commodity in readiness for the merchant and the market.

The _Seringa_ is not a tree of very distinguished appearance, and but for its valuable sap might be pa.s.sed in a forest of Amazonia, where so many magnificent trees meet the eye, without eliciting a remark. Both in the colour of its bark and the outline of its leaves it bears a considerable resemblance to the European ash,--only that it grows to a far greater size, and with a stem that is branchless, often to the height of thirty or forty feet above the ground. The trunk of that on which the Mundurucu and his companion had climbed was under water to that depth, else they could not so easily have ascended. It was growing in its favourite situation,--the Gapo,--its top festooned, as we have said, with scores of parasitical plants, of many different species, forming a complete labyrinth of limbs, leaves, fruits, and flowers.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.