Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Continue Sailing

In the early morning of the next day, June 27, the big raft was unmoored and set off in the twilight of the morning, and continued to sail along the Amazon River. There was one more person on board.Where did this man who called himself Torres actually come from?No one knows.Where is he going?According to himself, he was going to Manao.Moreover, Torres was careful not to reveal to anyone the clues of his past life and his occupation two months ago. No one expected that a former forest captain was taken in on the big raft.Joam.Galar was reluctant to ask more questions, lest he mar his good deed.

The owner of the manor kept him on the big raft out of humanitarian spirit.In the vast and inhospitable Amazon region, especially in this era before the steamboat was able to ride the wind and waves, it was difficult to find a safe and fast means of transportation.With no regular boats, travelers often have to travel through the forest.This is how Torres came, and he would have continued.It was an unexpected fortune for him to be able to ride a raft. Benito's account of his encounter with Torres was an introduction.Torres, too, sees himself as one of those great ships.He was free to participate in life on the big raft, to be with the others when he was happy, and to be alone when he was in a bad mood.

For at least the first few days, it was clear that Torres did not want to be close to the Galars.He is very cautious, only answering a few words when others ask him, but he never asks himself. Only with Fragoso did he like to show affection.Shouldn't this lively companion be thanked for offering him a ride on the great raft?Sometimes he asked him implicitly about the situation of the Galars in Iquitos, carefully asked the young girl about Manoel.Valdez's feelings.Usually, when he was not walking alone in the prow, he was in his cabin. He and Joam.The Galar family had lunch and dinner.But he seldom speaks, and leaves immediately after eating.

All morning the great raft passed among the picturesque islets near the mouth of the Havalli.The Havalli River is an important tributary of the Amazon River. It flows from the southwest without encountering any islets or rapids.The mouth of the estuary is about three thousand feet wide, and a few miles away lies the ruins of a city of the same name, which had been the object of long struggle between the Spaniards and the Portuguese. Until the early morning of June 30, nothing special happened during the journey.Sometimes, you will meet several small boats gliding along the coast, one after the other, so that only one Indian can drive the whole fleet.The locals call this way of sailing Navigara｜Bubina, which means: confident sailing.

Then it passed the islands of Aralia, Calderon, Cabiatu, and several other islands not yet known to geographers.On June 30, the driver was in a village called Ruirupali on the right bank of the river.We stopped at the small village of Tapela, where the big raft stayed for two or three hours. Manoel and Benito hunted some game such as pheasants nearby and put them in the storage room.At the same time, the two captured an animal, which attracted the attention of the naturalist more than the cook. It was a dark quadruped, sort of like a big Newfoundland. It's an anteater.Benito yelled and threw it on the raft.

And it's a wonderful specimen that would make a great addition to any museum.Manoel added. You must have struggled a bit to catch this rare beast?Mina asked. Of course, sister, said Benito, it is a good thing you are not there, or you would have pleaded for it!Oh!These dogs are so deadly, it took three bullets to get them down! This anteater is very beautiful, with a long tail mixed with long gray hairs, a pointed mouth that can reach into ant nests, ants are its main food, and five-inch long sharp spikes on its long and thin feet The toenails of the human body can be stretched and retracted like human hands.How dexterous the anteater's claws are!Once you grab something, you never let go unless you chop it off.In this regard, the traveler Emile.Calle's words are quite true: a tiger dies in its grip too.

On the morning of July 2, the big raft came to St.Pablo.Under Daoliwangsa city.Before, the great raft traversed numerous islands.They are covered with shade all year round, lush and green.The main islands are Ruilu Pali Island, Lida Island, Malaga Natna Island and Jululu.Sapo Island.There were also several times when the raft had to sail along the mouths of several blackened rivulets or tributaries. The color of these rivers is a rather strange phenomenon.This phenomenon is found in some estuaries along the Amazon, both large and small, and is peculiar to them. Manoel pointed out that the water was very dark in tone, as it was clearly visible against the whiteness of the river.

Various explanations have been proposed for the cause of this water color, he said, but I don't think it is possible for scholars to come up with a satisfactory explanation. Reflected in the dazzling golden light, the water was indeed black.The girl said, pointing to a stretch of golden-brown water parallel to the raft. Yes, said Manoel, Humboldt had noticed this interesting reflex as you had.But, on closer inspection, we see that it's more like the color of a cuttlefish. OK!Loudly, Benito, is yet another phenomenon debated by scholars. Maybe we could ask alligators, dolphins and manatees for their opinion on this, Fragoso said, because they prefer to play in dark waters.

It's true that black water is particularly attractive to these animals, Manoel said, but why?It's hard to tell!So, is the color of the water due to dissolved hydrocarbons in the water, or is it because the river bed is rich in peat, bituminous coal or anthracite; or is it because of the large number of small plants growing in the water?No one can give a definite answer to this.In any case, the water quality is still suitable for drinking, especially in the current climate, taking a sip will feel refreshing and pleasant, without any miscellaneous smell, and it will never damage your health.Have a taste, dear Mina, it won't hurt.

The river water is indeed clear and refreshing.Enough to replace drinking water on European tables.Everyone drew a few barrels for use. As mentioned above, on the morning of July 2nd, the big raft arrived at St.Pablo.Daoliwangsa City, where thousands of long rosary beads are produced, it is made from the peel of the Biasaba coconut.This item is extremely popular.It seems strange that the Dubinamba and Dubiniki people who have ruled here for generations now make Catholic sacrifices as their main occupation.But, when it comes down to it, why not do it?Indians today are very different from those of the past.Didn't you see them take off their national costumes, take off their parrot-feather crowns, drop their bows and blowpipes, and put on American clothes, white trousers, and cotton cloaks?The cotton cloaks had been woven by the wives themselves, and they were now very good at it.

St.Pablo.Daoliwangsa City is quite magnificent, with no less than 2,000 residents, who come from various nearby tribes.Currently, it is the capital of the Upper Amazon region.At first, it was just a small missionary station, which was built in 1692 by some saintess orders in Portugal, and was later occupied by Jesuit missionaries. In principle, this is the territory of the Omaga people, and the meaning of Omaga is flat head.The name comes from a savage custom in which an Indian mother clamps the head of a newborn baby between two wooden boards so that the child's head becomes square.This practice was very popular at the time.But as all customs change, it is no exception, and now that the head has regained its natural shape, no trace of the deformity of the past can be seen on the heads of the rosary-makers. Except Joam.Outside Galar, the whole family disembarked from the ship.Torres also liked being on the boat, and he had no desire to visit St.Pablo.Daoliwangsa City, although he has never been to this city. Obviously, although this adventurer has always been taciturn, he must admit that he lacks curiosity. Benito succeeded in making several transactions in order to replenish the supplies on the raft.He and his family were warmly received by the city's top figures, the city defense commander and the customs chief.Their positions do not prevent them from engaging in business activities.You can even entrust many young merchants to sell local products in Manao or Belem for them. There are more than 60 houses in the city, distributed on a high land by the river.Some roofs are tiled, a rarity in the area; but, on the contrary, the churches dedicated to St. Pierre and St. Paul are modest, with only thatched roofs for protection from the elements, in one of the most predominantly Catholic countries in the world. One, but her church is more like a barn in Bethlehem than a temple. The commander of the city defense, his lieutenant and the chief of police were invited to have lunch with the Joam family, Joam.Galar entertained them according to their respective status. During the dinner, Torres was more chatty than usual, describing some of his travels in Brazil and seemed to know the country well. However, in the process of talking about the trip, Torres did not forget to ask the commander if he knew Manao, whether his colleagues were there, and whether the chief judge of the province had a habit of taking vacations during the hot season.When Torres asked this series of questions, he stole a look at Joam.Galal's reaction.The move was so obvious that Benito noticed it too, and he was surprised to find that his father was also listening to Torres' strange questions with special attention. The commander of the city defense please rest assured that all the government agencies in Manao are currently in office, and he even asked Joam.Galar saluted them.It was calculated that the raft arrived at Manao seven weeks later, that is, between the twentieth and twenty-fifth of August. At dusk, the guests rose to take their leave.Next morning, the 3rd of July, the great raft sailed again. At noon, the large raft passed the mouth of the Yagurupa River on the left bank.It is a canal to be precise, since it empties into the Issa River, a tributary on the left bank of the Amazon.It's a curious phenomenon: the Amazon feeds its tributaries in many stretches. At about three o'clock in the afternoon, the big raft passed the mouth of the Tuba River on the riverside. The sparkling black water flowed from the southwest, irrigating the land of the Gulino Indians all the way, and finally passed 400 meters The wide estuary empties into the Amazon River. There are countless islands along the way, including Pimatikaria.Katuria, Shiko, Motashina; some islands are inhabited, some are uninhabited, but all are covered with beautiful vegetation, forming a continuous stretch of greenery linking the two ends of the Amazon River bring.