Trevannion himself took the lead in suggesting the next plan. It was not intended to give up the idea of crossing the lagoon. It was a general belief that on the other side there must be land; and therefore to reach it became the paramount thought of the party. To go around it, by keeping upon the trees, was clearly out of the question. Even had these continued all the way with interlacing branches, still the journey would have been one that apes alone could perform. It would have occupied days, weeks, perhaps a month; and what certainty was there of finding food for such a length of time? Still, if they could not travel upon the tree-tops, what was to hinder them from going under them? Why should they not use the forest to steer by, swimming along the edge of the trees, and making use of them at intervals for rest, and for a sleeping-place during the night?
The idea was excellent, and, coming from Trevannion himself, was of course approved without one opposing voice. Even the Indian acknowledged that it was a sagacious design, and superior to his own. Fortunately it required but slight preparation for trial, and as the sun shone down from the zenith they forsook their resting-place, and once more betook themselves to the water, with their swimming-belts carefully adjusted again about them.
Chapter Fifty Two The Massaranduba
On account of such impediments they had not gone more than three miles from their point of starting, when the Mundurucú recommended a halt for the night, although it could not have been later than six oclock, as could be told by the sun, still high up in the heavens.
I am hungry, patron, said the Indian at last; so are you all. We must have some supper, else how can we go on?
Supper! echoed Trevannion. Yes, sure enough, we are hungry. I knew that an hour ago. But upon what do you propose to sup? I see nothing but trees with plenty of leaves, but no fruit. We cannot live upon leaves like the sloth. We must be starving before we take to that.
We shall sup upon milk, master, if you dont object to our making a camping-place close by.
Milk! exclaimed Tom. What div yez say, Misther Munday? Div yez mane milk? Och! dont be after temptin wans stomach with a dilicacy that cant be obtained in this land av wather! Shure now were not only a hundred modes from the tail av a cow, but a thousand, may be, from that same.
You may be wrong there, interrupted the Paraense. There are cows in the Gapo, as well as upon land. You have seen them yourself as we came down the river?
Troth, yis, if yez mane the fish-cow, (the Irishman alluded to the Vaca marina , or manatee, the peixe-boi or fish-cow of the Portuguese, several species of which inhabit the Amazon waters). But shure the great brute could not be milked, if we did cotch wan av them; an if we did we should not take the throuble, when by sthrippin the skin av her carcass wed get somethin far betther for our suppers, in the shape av a fat steak.
Yonder is what the Mundurucú means! said the guide. Yonder stands the cow that can supply us with milk for our supper, ay, and with bread too to go along with it; dont you see the Massaranduba ?
At first they could see nothing that particularly claimed attention. But by following the instructions of the guide, and raising their heads a little, they at length caught sight of a tree, standing at some distance from the forest edge, and so far overtopping the others as to appear like a giant among pygmies. It was in reality a vegetable giant, the great massaranduba
double desertion.
Chapter Fifty Five Only a Dead-Wood
A prayer to Him preceded their breakfast on the cream of the cow-tree, and with another they launched themselves upon their strings of shells, with renewed confidence, and proceeded along the curving selvage of the trees. As before, they found their progress impeded by the ovens of the piosoca; and despite their utmost exertions, at noon they had made scarce three miles from their starting-point, for the gigantic tree that had sheltered them was full in sight, and even at sunset they could not have been more than six miles from it.
In the forest about them there appeared no resting-place for the night. The trees stood closely together, but without any interlacing of branches, or large horizontal limbs upon which they might seek repose. For a time it appeared as if they would have to spend the night upon the water. This was a grave consideration, and the guide knew it. With their bodies immersed during the midnight hours, chill even within the tropics, the consequences might be serious, perhaps fatal. One way or another a lodgement must be obtained among the tree-tops. It was obtained, but after much difficulty. The climbing to it was a severe struggle, and the seat was of the most uncomfortable kind. There was no supper, or comfort of any kind.
With the earliest appearance of day they were all once more in the water, and slowly pursuing their weary way. Now slower than ever, for in proportion to their constantly decreasing strength the obstruction from the piosocas appeared to increase. The lagoon, or at least its border, had become a labyrinth of lilies.