On the Banks of the Amazon

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TEN.

  AN ENCOUNTER WITH SAVAGES.

  As there was still some daylight remaining, John took his gun to killsome parrots or other birds which might prove more palatable food thanthe peccary flesh.

  "Take care that you do not lose yourself again," I could not help sayingas he was starting.

  "Do not mock me, Harry," he answered. "I wish to gain experience, anddepend on it I shall be careful to take the bearings of the camp, so aseasily to find my way back to it. I do not intend to go many hundredyards off."

  Arthur and I were in the meantime engaged in trying to tame Master Tobyand the umbrella-bird, which we called Niger. Both seemed tolerablyreconciled to captivity. Ellen's little pet parrot, Poll, kept castingsuspicious glances at its feathered companion, not satisfied with theappearance of the curious-headed stranger, while Nimble watched everymovement of his cousin Toby.

  After assisting Ellen to feed her pets, Arthur and I agreed to go out insearch of John, taking Duppo with us as a guide. We had not gone farwhen we saw him coming limping towards us. We were afraid that he hadhurt his foot. "What is the matter?" I asked, when we met.

  "That is more than I can tell," he answered. "I have been for some timepast feeling a curious itching sensation in my feet, and now I canscarcely bear to put them to the ground."

  We helped him along to the camp, when, sitting down on a log, he tookoff his boots. We examined his feet, and found a few small blue spotsabout them.

  "I suspect, Senor John, I know what it is," said Maria, who saw us."Some chegoes have got into your feet, and if they are not taken outquickly they will cause you a great deal of suffering."

  "But I can see nothing to take out," said John, looking at his feet.

  "To be sure not," answered Maria, "because they have hidden themselvesaway under the skin. Let me see what I can do. My mother was famousfor taking out chegoes, and she showed me the way she managed."

  Maria, running into the hut, returned with a large needle. "Now, sitquiet, Senor John, and do not cry out, and I will soon cure you."

  Maria sat down, and taking John's foot on her knee, instantly began towork away with as much skill as the most experienced surgeon. We allstood by watching her. After a little time she produced between herfinger and thumb a creature considerably smaller than an ordinary flea,which she had taken out alive and uninjured. Giving it a squeeze, shethrew it to the ground with an expression of anger at its having daredto molest her young master; and thus in a very short time she hadextracted three or four insects from each of his feet. We had meantimebegun to feel something uncomfortable in ours, and on Maria's examiningthem, we found that a chego had taken possession of each of our bigtoes. The chego is a black little creature, which makes its way quietlyunder the skin, where, having got to a sufficient depth, it lays itseggs, and unless removed immediately, causes annoying and dangerousulcers. Ours were not there when we started to look for John, and bythis time they had worked their way completely out of sight. After thatwe carefully examined our legs and feet every night before going to bed,as during the time we were asleep they would have made themselvescompletely at home in our flesh, with house, nursery, and children toboot.

  Next morning, our feet being once more in good order, we put on thicksocks, and our alpargates over them, and John and I with our guns,Arthur with his bow and spear, accompanied by True, and led by Duppo,took our way through the forest. I kept True close to me; for after theexperience we had had, I was afraid of his encountering a jaguar, orpeccary, or boa, knowing, however formidable the creature might be, heto a certainty would attack it. I need not again describe the forestscenery. After going on for some time we stopped to lunch, when Arthur,who was at a little distance, called out to me. "Come here, Harry," hesaid, "and look at this curious wooden caterpillar." On joining him, Ifound on a leaf the head of a caterpillar projecting out of a woodencase fully two inches long. It was secured to the leaf by severalsilken lines. I took it up and examined it. There could be no doubtthat the case was the work of art, and not a natural growth, and that itwas formed of small pieces of stick fastened together with fine silkenthreads. Inside this case the creature can live secure from its enemieswhile feeding and growing. We afterwards found several of the samedescription. Another sort had made itself a bag of leaves open at bothends, the inside being lined with a thick web. It put us in mind of thecaddis worms which we had seen in ponds in England.

  We took care when going on always to keep in sight of each other.Arthur and I were together, and Duppo a little ahead. "Hark!" exclaimedArthur, "some one is singing in the distance." I listened, and feltsure that some native, who had climbed up a tree not far off to getfruit, was amusing himself by singing. John and Duppo stopped also,attracted by the same sounds. We looked about in every direction, butcould see no one. Now the tones changed somewhat, and became more likethose of a flageolet, very sweet, and we expected to hear it break intoa curious native air, when presently it stopped, and instead of theflute-like notes, some clicking, unmusical sounds like the piping of abarrel-organ out of wind and tune reached our ears. Not till then hadwe supposed that the songster was a bird. Again it struck up in exactlythe same way as before. Though we all four looked about in thedirection whence the notes came, the mysterious songster could not bediscovered. Duppo was evidently telling us a long story about it, butwhat he said we could not comprehend. I afterwards found that the birdis called by the Portuguese the realejo, or organ-bird (_Cyphorhinuscantans_). It is the chief songster of the Amazonian forests. Thenatives hold it in great respect, and Duppo seemed very unwilling to goon while the bird continued its notes.

  At length we reached the village, and were received in a friendly way byour young guide's mother. Oria also seemed very glad to see us, and thelittle fat child whom Arthur called Diogenes, because he had first seenhim seated in a tub, put out his hands to welcome us, in no way alarmedat what must have appeared to him our extraordinary appearance. Ourhostess appeared somewhat anxious, and she had good cause to be so, forno news had been received of the war-party. Duppo explained what we hadcome for. She replied that she was afraid all the canoes had beencarried off, though it was possible a small one might have beenoverlooked further up the stream, and, if such were the case, she woulddo her best to persuade the owner to sell it to us.

  We wanted to start off immediately, but she insisted on our partaking ofsome food, which she and Oria set to work to prepare.

  As we were anxious to know whether a canoe could be procured, we spentlittle time over our repast, and again set off along the bank of theigarape. We inquired at each of the huts we passed about a canoe, butDuppo invariably shook his head, to signify that he could not hear ofone. Still we went on, searching in every spot where he thought a canoemight be concealed. After some time, finding a tree bending almosthorizontally over the water, we climbed along it for some way, that wemight get a better view up and down the channel. Arthur was theoutermost of the party. "Why, what can that be?" he exclaimed. "Seethere!" and he pointed up the canal. There, bending over the trunk of alarge tree, which hung much in the same manner as the one we were on, Isaw a huge jaguar. Its claws seemed ready for immediate action. Itseyes were evidently fixed on the surface of the water.

  "It is fifty yards off. It is looking out for a cow-fish, as was theone we saw the other day," whispered Arthur.

  We told John, who was coming along the trunk, what we had seen.

  "We will let it catch the cow-fish first, then, and perhaps we may killboth creatures," he observed.

  While he was speaking, the creature darted out one of its huge paws, anddrew it back again with a fish hanging to it. Instantly the fish wastorn to pieces and transferred to its jaws. We waited till the jaguarhad begun to watch for another, and then crawling along the tree, madeour way towards it. John and I got our guns ready, hoping to kill thebeast before it had discovered us. Just as we got near, however, ithaving caught another fish in the me
antime, its eyes fell on us. Risingto its feet, it stood for a moment as if doubtful whether or not itshould attack us. I lifted my rifle to fire, but at that moment theanimal gave a bound and darted off through the thick foliage, amid whichit was hid from sight. We looked about, expecting to see it returning,but it had probably satisfied itself that we were too formidable enemiesto attack. We found some of the fish it had been eating on the trunk ofthe tree, and the remains of several others near it, which showed thatit had been successful in its sport.

  While searching round the tree Duppo gave a shout of satisfaction, andhastening up to him, we found a small canoe hid away under a thick bush.He soon discovered also two pairs of paddles, and made us understandthat we were welcome to the canoe. It was, however, so small that itwould barely carry all the party. It would certainly not have done sowith safety, except in the very smoothest water. We launched it, andJohn and Arthur, using great caution, got in. One of the paddles hadbeen left behind. Duppo ran back to get it. We saw him eagerlyglancing down an open glade which extended some distance into theforest. Suddenly he turned round, his countenance exhibiting terror,and stepping into the stern of the canoe, made signs to us to shove offand paddle away. He also began paddling with all his might. Wefollowed his example without stopping to inquire the cause of his alarm.We had got to some distance, when I happened to look round. I saw thatDuppo was doing the same. At that moment several figures appeared onthe bank near the spot we had left. They were savages, with theirbodies painted and decked with feathers. Bows were in their hands.They had apparently only that instant discovered us. The next a flightof arrows came whizzing after the canoe. They fell short, however, andwe redoubled our efforts to urge it forward. Still, deep in the wateras it was, we could scarcely hope to get beyond their reach.

  "Majeronas! Majeronas!" shouted Duppo, labouring away with his paddle.

  "On, boys, on!" cried John. "We must not allow them to come up with us.Active as they are, the forest is thick, and we may be able to getalong the water faster than they can make their way among the trees."

  Disappointed at finding that we were already beyond their reach, thesavages uttered piercing shrieks and cries to intimidate us. The waterbubbled and hissed as we drove our little canoe through it, comingfrequently over the bows. Still on we went. I could not, however, helpevery now and then looking round, expecting to see the savages on thebank neat us. Their shouts had ceased.

  "I am afraid our friends have been defeated," observed Arthur; "andtheir enemies have come to attack the village."

  "If so, we must defend it," said John. "They may possibly stand in aweof our firearms. We must, however, try to get to the village beforethey reach it, to warn the inhabitants."

  "But there are only old men, boys, and women to defend it," said Arthur."Could we not try to come to terms with their enemies?"

  "I am afraid the Majeronas, if they have been victorious, are not likelyto listen to anything we have to say," said John. "We must show themour rifles. They will understand that argument better than anythingelse."

  All this time we were paddling along as at first. Before us was anarrow part of the igarape, and I fully expected every instant to seethe savages appear on the bank. Still, we had made considerable way,and it was possible that we had kept ahead of them. I said nothing,however, lest it might discourage my companions.

  We were nearing the dreaded point. I saw that Duppo was keeping thecanoe over to the opposite side.

  "Would it not be better to get our guns ready to fire?" I said to John.

  "No, no," he answered. "Keep paddling away. There is no honour noradvantage to be gained by fighting. If we reach the village, we shallmeet the foe on better terms."

  It was anxious work. We could not tell whether the next moment mightnot be our last. Then what would become of poor dear Ellen? We knewthat Domingos and Maria would do their best. Still, how could theyescape alone?

  "Now," said John, "we must dash by that point as fast as we can! Nevermind if we ship a little water. We must not let the savages kill us ifwe can help it."

  The point was reached. I expected to see a party of the Majeronas startup from among the bushes. On we went. I held my breath as I paddledaway. The point was passed. No savages appeared.

  "Hurrah!" cried Arthur, who was seated in the bows. "There is thevillage!"

  In three minutes more we were on shore. Duppo set off running, shoutingat the top of his voice. The boys collected round him as he went, butinstantly dispersed to their huts. Before he was out of sight they hadagain collected, some with bows and arrows, others with _sumpitans_.Several old men appeared also, armed with larger weapons of the samedescription. Altogether, fully fifty men and boys were collected. Wecame to the conclusion that the enemy had hoped to surprise the village,and were approaching for that object when Duppo had discovered them.

  John advised that a breastwork should be thrown up, extending from theigarape across the path the Majeronas were likely to come by. Aftersome time, our friends seemed to comprehend what we wanted. Sometimbers for building a new hut were fortunately at hand. We droveseveral into the soft earth to form a palisade. The natives, on seeingus do this, understood what we wanted, and immediately the wholecommunity were busy at work, bringing up posts, and placing them as wedirected. They even pulled down three or four huts which stood near,the materials of which were suited to our purpose. The women workedaway as well as the men; and thus, with so many willing hands, in ashort time we had a fortification erected, which, though not verystrong, was sufficiently so to resist the attack of a party of nakedsavages. We encouraged them by explaining that our guns might do goodservice in their defence. By degrees we had formed a completehalf-circle, the ends resting on the igarape.

  As there still appeared to be time, we thought it better to fortify thewater side also. The people seemed clearly to understand our object.

  The evening was now drawing on. I was afraid that Ellen might becomeanxious at our non-appearance. I saw that something was on Arthur'smind. He came up to me.

  "Harry," he said, "I do not wish to alarm you unnecessarily, but it hasjust occurred to me that the savages may have made a circuit, and foundtheir way to our camp. Would it not be wise to go there in the canoe;you and Duppo, for instance, and leave John and I to assist thesepeople?"

  "Oh no! I cannot desert John," I answered. "But what a dreadfulthought! No; you must go, Arthur, and take them off in the canoe; or,as the canoe cannot carry you all, load the raft, and tow it out intothe river. The risk is great, but anything will be better than fallinginto the hands of the savages."

  "I will do as you wish," said Arthur; "but I do not like running awayfrom the post of the chief danger."

  "Why, Arthur, you see you could do but little with your bow," Ianswered; "John and I will stay with our guns. But I do not suppose thesavages have gone round that way; for recollect there is the lagoon topass, which must compel them to make a wide circuit; and I do not seehow they can know anything about our camp. Still, I wish you could goto Ellen, and tell her what a strong fortification we have thrown up,and that there is really no cause to be alarmed."

  I must confess, however, that all the time I was speaking I feltfearfully anxious.

  At that moment, two or three bigger boys, who had gone out as scoutsinto the forest, came running back, and shouting out to the people. Thenext instant, men, women, and children rushed into the enclosure loadedwith household goods and provisions; and the men set to work to block upa narrow space, which had hitherto been left open.

  A few minutes only had elapsed after this was done, when, as we lookedthrough the palisades, we caught sight of several human figuresstealthily creeping among the trees. Our friends crouched down to theground. We also carefully kept out of sight. The strangers approachednearer and nearer. Now they stopped, looking suspiciously at the fort.They evidently could not understand what it was. Several others,emerging from the depths of t
he forest, joined them. They seemed to beholding a consultation. Their numbers kept increasing, till they formeda formidable band. They were sufficiently near for us to distinguishtheir appearance, and we were thus sure that they were the same peoplewho had shot their arrows at us from the bank of the igarape. That theycame with hostile intent was very evident. After they had talked forsome time, one of their number crept forward, close to the ground,keeping as much under shelter as possible; yet I could easily havepicked him off had it been necessary. Having approached quite near, heagain stopped, and seemed to be surveying the fortress. Presently wesaw him making his way back to his companions. It was well for him thathe had not come nearer, or he would have received in his body a poisonedarrow from a bow or blow-pipe. Several of our Indians were preparing toshoot. Again a long consultation was held. And now once more thesavage warriors began to move towards us.

  I waited for John to give the order to fire. I saw the boys droppingarrows into their blow-pipes, and the old men getting ready their bows.Even Arthur, though hating the thought of injuring a fellow-creature,was fixing an arrow to his bow. The enemy advanced slowly, extendingtheir line on both sides. In a little time they were near enough fortheir arrows to reach us. Never having seen a shot fired in anger, Ifelt a repugnance at the thought of killing a fellow-creature. Idaresay my companions felt as I did. I knew that Arthur had oftenexpressed his horror at having to go into battle, not on account of therisk he might run of being killed, but at the thought of killing others.Still, I had persuaded him that, if people are attacked, they must usethe right of defending themselves.

  Again they came on; and then suddenly once more stopped, and, drawingtheir bows, shot a flight of arrows. Most of them stuck in thepalisades, but fortunately none came through. We kept perfectly silent,hiding ourselves, as before, from the enemy. I was still in hopes theymight take the alarm and go away without attacking us. Now, led by achief, in a head-dress of feathers, with a long spear in his hand,uttering loud shouts and shrieks, like the war-whoops of North AmericanIndians, they dashed on. As they got within twenty yards of us, ournative garrison sprang up, and shot forth a shower of arrows from theirbows and blow-pipes. The enemy were thrown somewhat into confusion byso unexpected a greeting, and sprang back several paces. Two or threeof their people had been struck, as we saw them drawing the arrows fromtheir breasts with looks of alarm, knowing well that though the woundswere slight they were nevertheless likely to prove fatal.

  "If they come on again we must fire," said John. "It may be true mercyin the end."

  We waited, expecting to see them once more rush on; but they evidentlyhad not calculated on opposition, and seemed very unwilling to courtdanger. They retreated further and further off. Still we could see thechief going among them, apparently trying to induce them to renew theattack. The muzzles of our rifles were projecting through thepalisades.

  "I am covering the chief," said John. "I think it would be better topick him off; and yet I am unwilling to take the life of the ignorantsavage."

  While John was speaking, the chief disappeared behind a tree; and thenext instant his companions were hid from sight. We began to hope that,after all, they would retreat without attempting to attack our fortress.We waited for some time, when I proposed that we should send out ouryoung scouts to try and ascertain what had become of them. Just as wewere trying to explain our wishes, some of our people gave vent to loudcries, and we saw smoke rising from the furthest-off huts of thevillage. It grew thicker and thicker. Then we saw flames burstingforth and extending from hut to hut. It was too evident that thesavages had gone round, and, to revenge themselves, had, afterplundering the huts, set them on fire. Had we had a few active warriorwith us, they might have rushed out and attacked the enemy while thusemployed; but as our fighting men were either too old or too young, noattempt of the sort could be made. The poor natives, therefore, had towait patiently in the fort, whilst their homes and property were beingdestroyed.

  While most of the party were looking towards the village, I happened tocast my eyes in the other direction, from whence the enemy had come.There I saw a large body of men making their way among the trees. Myheart sank within me. I was afraid that our enemies were about to bereinforced. And now, with their numbers increased, they would probablyagain attack us.

  "It cannot be helped," I said to John. "We must allow no feelings ofcompunction to prevent us from firing on them. Had we shot the chief,his followers would probably not have attempted to commit this barbarousact."

  At length I called Duppo, and pointed out the fresh band nowapproaching. Instead of being alarmed, as I had expected, hiscountenance brightened, and he instantly turned round and shouted outsome words in a cheerful tone. The whole of the villagers on thissprang up, and a look of satisfaction, such as Indians seldom exhibit,coming over their countenances, they began to shout in cheerful tones.Then several of them rushed to the entrance last closed, and pullingdown the stakes, hurried out towards the new-comers. As they drewnearer, I recognised one of the chiefs whom we had met--Maono, Duppo'sfather. A few words only were exchanged between the garrison and thewarriors, and then the latter rushed on towards the village. In a fewminutes loud cries and shouts arose, and we saw our late assailantsscampering through the woods, pursued by our friends. The former didnot attempt to stop and defend themselves. Several, shot by arrows orpierced by lances, lay on the ground. The remainder were soon lost tosight among the trees, pursued by the warriors who had just returned,and who seemed eager to wreak their revenge on the destroyers of theirvillage.

  No attempt was made to put out the flames; indeed, so rapidly did theyextend among the combustible materials of which they were constructed,that the whole of the huts standing within reach of each other werequickly burned to the ground. We now ventured to accompany Oria and hermother out of the fort. They were met by Maono, who received them incalm Indian fashion, without giving way to any exhibition of feeling.He, indeed, seemed to have some sad intelligence to communicate.Whatever it was, they soon recovered, and now seemed to be telling himhow much they owed their preservation to us--at least we supposed so bythe way he took our hands and pressed them to his breast. After sometime the rest of the warriors returned, and, as far as we could judge,they must have destroyed the greater number of their enemies. Maonoshowed more feeling when he spoke to his son, who gave him an account ofwhat had occurred. As we hoped to learn more from our young friend thanfrom any one else, we set to work, as soon as we could detach him fromhis companions, to make him give us an account of the expedition.

  As far as we could understand, Maono and his brother with theirfollowers had been unable for some time to fall in with the enemy. Atlength they met them in the neighbourhood of their own village, when afierce battle had been fought according to Indian fashion. Several menhad been killed on both sides, and among others who fell, pierced by apoisoned arrow, was Duppo's uncle, whose musket also had been captured.Several others had been taken prisoners, and, the lad added with ashudder, had been carried off to be eaten. In the meantime, it turnedout, another party of the Majeronas, hoping to find our friend's villageunprotected, had made their way through the forest to surprise it.

  It was very satisfactory to us, at all events, to find that we had beenthe means of protecting the families of these friendly Indians. Theytook the burning of their village very calmly, and at once set to workto put up shelter for the night; fires were lighted, and the women beganto cook the provisions they had saved. Maono invited us to partake ofthe meal which his wife and daughter had got ready. We would ratherhave set off at once to the camp, but night was now coming on, and whenwe proposed going, Duppo seemed very unwilling that we should do so. Weunderstood him to say that we might encounter jaguars or huge snakes,and we should be unable to see our way through the dark avenue of trees.As Ellen did not expect us to return, we agreed at length to follow hisadvice. I observed that our friends sent out scouts--apparently towatch lest any o
f the enemy should venture to return--a precaution I wasvery glad to see taken.

  As far as we could understand, the expedition had been far fromsuccessful, as none of the canoes had been recovered, and our friendsdid not even boast that they had gained a victory. From the terriblecharacter Duppo gave of the enemy, they perhaps had good reason to bethankful that they had escaped without greater loss.