LITTLE REMAINS1 to tell of the second part of the voyage down the mighty2 river. It was but a series of days of joy. Joam Dacosta returned to a new life, which shed its happiness on all who belonged to him.
The giant raft glided3 along with greater rapidity on the waters now swollen4 by the floods. On the left they passed the small village of Don Jose de Maturi, and on the right the mouth of that Madeira which owes its name to the floating masses of vegetable remains and trunks denuded6 of their foliage7 which it bears from the depths of Bolivia. They passed the archipelago of Caniny, whose islets are veritable boxes of palms, and before the village of Serpa, which, successively transported from one back to the other, has definitely settled on the left of the river, with its little houses, whose thresholds stand on the yellow carpet of the beach.
The village of Silves, built on the left of the Amazon, and the town of Villa5 Bella, which is the principal guarana market in the whole province, were soon left behind by the giant raft. And so was the village of Faro and its celebrated8 river of the Nhamundas, on which, in 1539, Orellana asserted he was attacked by female warriors9, who have never been seen again since, and thus gave us the legend which justifies10 the immortal11 name of the river of the Amazons.
Here it is that the province of Rio Negro terminates. The jurisdiction12 of Para then commences; and on the 22d of September the family, marveling much at a valley which has no equal in the world, entered that portion of the Brazilian empire which has no boundary to the east except the Atlantic.
“How magnificent!” remarked Minha, over and over again.
“How long!” murmured Manoel.
“How beautiful!” repeated Lina.
“When shall we get there?” murmured Fragoso.
And this was what might have been expected of these folks from the different points of view, though time passed pleasantly enough with them all the same. Benito, who was neither patient nor impatient, had recovered all his former good humor.
Soon the jangada glided between interminable plantations13 of cocoa-trees with their somber14 green flanked by the yellow thatch15 or ruddy tiles of the roofs of the huts of the settlers on both banks from Obidos up to the town of Monto Alegre.
Then there opened out the mouth of the Rio Trombetas, bathing with its black waters the houses of Obidos, situated16 at about one hundred and eighty miles from Belem, quite a small town, and even a “citade” with large streets bordered with handsome habitations, and a great center for cocoa produce. Then they saw another tributary17, the Tapajos, with its greenish-gray waters descending18 from the south-west; and then Santarem, a wealthy town of not less than five thousand inhabitants, Indians for the most part, whose nearest houses were built on the vast beach of white sand.
After its departure from Manaos the jangada did not stop anywhere as it passed down the much less encumbered19 course of the Amazon. Day and night it moved along under the vigilant20 care of its trusty pilot; no more stoppages either for the gratification of the passengers or for business purposes. Unceasingly it progressed, and the end rapidly grew nearer.
On leaving Alemquer, situated on the left bank, a new horizon appeared in view. In place of the curtain of forests which had shut them in up to then, our friends beheld21 a foreground of hills, whose undulations could be easily descried22, and beyond them the faint summits of veritable mountains vandyked across the distant depth of sky. Neither Yaquita, nor her daughter, nor Lina, nor old Cybele, had ever seen anything like this.
But in this jurisdiction of Para, Manoel was at home, and he could tell them the names of the double chain which gradually narrowed the valley of the huge river.
“To the right,” said he, “that is the Sierra de Paracuarta, which curves in a half-circle to the south! To the left, that is the Sierra de Curuva, of which we have already passed the first outposts.”
“Then they close in?” asked Fragoso.
“They close in!” replied Manoel.
And the two young men seemed to understand each other, for the same slight but significant nodding of the head accompanied the question and reply.
At last, notwithstanding the tide, which since leaving Obidos had begun to be felt, and which somewhat checked the progress of the raft, the town of Monto Alegre was passed, then that of Pravnha de Onteiro, then the mouth of the Xingu, frequented by Yurumas Indians, whose principal industry consists in preparing their enemies’ heads for natural history cabinets.
To what a superb size the Amazon had now developed as already this monarch23 of rivers gave signs of opening out like a sea! Plants from eight to ten feet high clustered along the beach, and bordered it with a forest of reeds. Porto de Mos, Boa Vista24, and Gurupa, whose prosperity is on the decline, were soon among the places left in the rear.
Then the river divided into two important branches, which flowed off toward the Atlantic, one going away northeastward, the other eastward25, and between them appeared the beginning of the large island of Marajo. This island is quite a province in itself. It measures no less than a hundred and eighty leagues in circumference26. Cut up by marshes27 and rivers, all savannah to the east, all forest to the west, it offers most excellent advantages for the raising of cattle, which can here be seen in their thousands. This immense barricade28 of Marajo is the natural obstacle which has compelled the Amazon to divide before precipitating29 its torrents30 of water into the sea. Following the upper branch, the jangada, after passing the islands of Caviana and Mexiana, would have found an embouchure of some fifty leagues across, but it would also have bet with the bar of the prororoca, that terrible eddy31 which, for the three days preceding the new or full moon, takes but two minutes instead of six hours to raise the river from twelve to fifteen feet above ordinary high-water mark.
This is by far the most formidable of tide-races. Most fortunately the lower branch, known as the Canal of Breves, which is the natural area of the Para, is not subject to the visitations of this terrible phenomenon, and its tides are of a more regular description. Araujo, the pilot, was quite aware of this. He steered32, therefore, into the midst of magnificent forests, here and there gliding33 past island covered with muritis palms; and the weather was so favorable that they did not experience any of the storms which so frequently rage along this Breves Canal.
A few days afterward34 the jangada passed the village of the same name, which, although built on the ground flooded for many months in the year, has become, since 1845, an important town of a hundred houses. Throughout these districts, which are frequented by Tapuyas, the Indians of the Lower Amazon become more and more commingled35 with the white population, and promise to be completely absorbed by them.
And still the jangada continued its journey down the river. Here, at the risk of entanglement37, it grazed the branches of the mangliers, whose roots stretched down into the waters like the claws of gigantic crustaceans38; then the smooth trunks of the paletuviers, with their pale-green foliage, served as the resting-places for the long poles of the crew as they kept the raft in the strength of the current.
Then came the Tocantins, whose waters, due to the different rivers of the province of Goyaz, mingle36 with those of the Amazon by an embouchure of great size, then the Moju, then the town of Santa Ana.
Majestically39 the panorama40 of both banks moved along without a pause, as though some ingenious mechanism41 necessitated42 its unrolling in the opposite direction to that of the stream.
Already numerous vessels43 descending the river, ubas, egariteas, vigilandas, pirogues of all builds, and small coasters from the lower districts of the Amazon and the Atlantic seaboard, formed a procession with the giant raft, and seemed lke sloops44 beside some might man-of-war.
At length here appeared on the left Santa Maria de Belem do Para — the “town” as they call it in that country — with its picturesque45 lines of white houses at many different levels, its convents nestled among the palm-trees, the steeples of its cathedral and of Nostra Senora de Merced, and the flotilla of its brigantines, brigs, and barks, which form its commercial communications with the old world.
The hearts of the passengers of the giant raft beat high. At length they were coming to the end of the voyage which they had thought they would never reach. While the arrest of Joam detained them at Manaos, halfway46 on their journey, could they ever have hoped to see the capital of the province of Para?
It was in the course of this day, the 15th of October — four months and a half after leaving the fazenda of Iquitos — that, as they rounded a sharp bend in the river, Belem came into sight.
The arrival of the jangada had been signaled for some days. The whole town knew the story of Joam Dacosta. They came forth47 to welcome him, and to him and his people accorded a most sympathetic reception.
Hundreds of craft of all sorts conveyed them to the fazender, and soon the jangada was invaded by all those who wished to welcome the return of their compatriot after his long exile. Thousands of sight-seers — or more correctly speaking, thousands of friends crowded on to the floating village as soon as it came to its moorings, and it was vast and solid enough to support the entire population. Among those who hurried on board one of the first pirogues had brought Madame Valdez. Manoel’s mother was at last able to clasp to her arms the daughter whom her son had chosen. If the good lady had not been able to come to Iquitos, was it not as though a portion of the fazenda, with her new family, had come down the Amazon to her?
Before evening the pilot Araujo had securely moored48 the raft at the entrance of a creek49 behind the arsenal50. That was to be its last resting-place, its last halt, after its voyage of eight hundred leagues on the great Brazilian artery51. There the huts of the Indians, the cottage of the negroes, the store-rooms which held the valuable cargo52, would be gradually demolished53; there the principal dwelling54, nestled beneath its verdant55 tapestry56 of flowers and foliage, and the little chapel57 whose humble58 bell was then replying to the sounding clangor from the steeples of Belem, would each in its turn disappear.
But, ere this was done, a ceremony had to take place on the jangada — the marriage of Manoel and Minha, the marriage of Lina and Fragoso. To Father Passanha fell the duty of celebrating the double union which promised so happily. In that little chapel the two couples were to receive the nuptial59 benediction60 from his hands.
If it happened to be so small as to be only capable of holding the members of Dacosta’s family, was not the giant raft large enough to receive all those who wished to assist at the ceremony? and if not, and the crowd became swo great, did not the ledges61 of the river banks afford sifficient room for as many others of the sympathizing crowd as were desirous of welcoming him whom so signal a reparation had made the hero of the day?
It was on the morrow, the 16th of October, that with great pomp the marriages were celebrated.
It was a magnificent day, and from about ten o’clock in the morning the raft began to receive its crowd of guests. On the bank could be seen almost the entire population of Belem in holiday costume. On the river, vessels of all sorts crammed62 with visitors gathered round the enormous mass of timber, and the waters of the Amazon literally63 disappeared even up to the left bank beneath the vast flotilla.
When the chapel bell rang out its opening note it seemed like a signal of joy to ear and eye. In an instant the churches of Belem replied to the bell of the jangada. The vessels in the port decked themselves with flags up to their mastheads, and the Brazilian colors were saluted64 by the many other national flags. Discharges of musketry reverberated65 on all sides, and it was only with difficulty that their joyous66 detonations67 could cope with the loud hurrahs from the assembled thousands.
The Dacosta family came forth from their house and moved through the crowd toward the little chapel. Joam was received with absolutely frantic68 applause. He gave his arm to Madame Valdez; Yaquita was escorted by the governor of Belem, who, accompanied by the friends of the young army surgeon, had expressed a wish to honor the ceremony with his presence. Manoel walked by the side of Minha, who looked most fascinating in her bride’s costume, and then came Fragoso, holding the hand of Lina, who seemed quite radiant with joy. Then followed Benito, then old Cybele and the servants of the worthy69 family between the double ranks of the crew of the jangada.
Padre Passanha awaited the two couples at the entrance of the chapel. The ceremony was very simple, and the same bands which had formerly70 blessed Joam and Yaquita were again stretched forth to give the nuptial benediction to their child.
So much happiness was not likely to be interrupted by the sorrow of long separation. In fact, Manoel Valdez almost immediately sent in his resignation, so as to join the family at Iquitos, where he is still following the profession of a country doctor.
Naturally the Fragosos did not hesitate to go back with those who were to them friends rather than masters.
Madame Valdez had no desire to separate so happy a group, but she insisted on one thing, and that was that they should often come and see her at Belem. Nothing could be easier. Was not the mighty river a bond of communication between Belem and Iquitos? In a few days the first mail steamer was to begin a regular and rapid service, and it would then only take a week to ascend71 the Amazon, on which it had taken the giant raft so many months to drift. The important commercial negotiations72, ably managed by Benito, were carried through under the best of conditions, and soon of what had formed this jangada — that is to say, the huge raft of timber constructed from an entire forest at Iquitos — there remained not a trace.
A month afterward the fazender, his wife, his son, Manoel and Minha Valdez, Lina and Fragoso, departed by one of the Amazon steamers for the immense establishment at Iquitos of which Benito was to take the management.
Joam Dacosta re-entered his home with his head erect73, and it was indeed a family of happy hearts which he brought back with him from beyond the Brazilian frontier. As for Fragoso, twenty times a day was he heard to repeat, “What! without the liana?” and he wound up by bestowing74 the name on the young mulatto who, by her affection for the gallant75 fellow, fully76 justified77 its appropriateness. “If it were not for the one letter,” he said, “would not Lina and Liana be the same?”
The End
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1
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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denuded
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| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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circumference
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| n.圆周，周长，圆周线 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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precipitating
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| adj.急落的，猛冲的v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的现在分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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commingled
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| v.混合，掺和，合并( commingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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entanglement
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| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
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crustaceans
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| n.甲壳纲动物（如蟹、龙虾）( crustacean的名词复数 ) | |
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majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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necessitated
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| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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44
sloops
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| n.单桅纵帆船( sloop的名词复数 ) | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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48
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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50
arsenal
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| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
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51
artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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52
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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53
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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54
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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56
tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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57
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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58
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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nuptial
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| adj.婚姻的，婚礼的 | |
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benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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61
ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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63
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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66
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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detonations
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| n.爆炸 （声）( detonation的名词复数 ) | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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72
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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73
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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74
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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75
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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76
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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77
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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