I am prone to anthropomorphize. In other words, I have a tendency to ascribe human attributes to things in nature. When I do this people around me usually roll their eyes, “There he goes again.” I recently met someone whose proclivity for anthropomorphism is greater than mine.
I say met. Actually, I just finished Expeditions into the Amazon Valley 1539, 1540, 1639. This is an amazing book, containing the Expedition of Gonzalo Pizarro 1539-42, The voyage of Francisco de Orellana 1540-41, New discovery of the Great River of the Amazons by Father Cristoval de Acuña 1639, and a List of the principal tribes of the Valley of the Amazons.
While the accounts of Pizarro and Orellana are interesting, they were not written by actual participants. But, Father Acuña had actually traveled the entire length of the Amazon and his report, written right after his voyage, is a very early eye-witness account. In his book he not only gives an account of the trip, he also describes the rivers they encountered. I love the portrait he paints:
It flows along, meandering in wide reaches ; and, as absolute lord of all the other rivers which run into it, sends out branches, which are like faithful vassals, with whose aid it goes forth, and, receiving from the smaller streams the lawful tribute of their waters, they become incorporated in the main channel. It is worthy of remark that according to the dignity of the guest, is the harbinger who is sent to receive him ; thus with ordinary arms it receives the more common rivers, increasing them for those of more importance ; and for some which are so great as almost to be able to put shoulder to shoulder, it comes forth in person with its whole current.
The first entrance which, on the side of the new kingdom of Granada, is known to lead to this immense sea of fresh water, is by the province of Micoa, which belongs to the Government of Popayan ; by following the current of the great river Caqueta, which is the lord and master of all the streams which flow from the side of Santa Fe de Bogota, Timana, and El Caguan, and which are famed, among the natives, for the vast provinces of infidels who live on their banks. This river has many branches flowing through wide districts, and, as it approaches to join the Amazons, it forms a great multitude of islands, all inhabited by many savages.
It flows, for a great distance, in the same direction as the Amazons, accompanying that river, though at some distance, and from time to time sending forth branches, which might well be the main streams of any other great river. Finally it collects all its force in 4° of latitude, and surrenders itself.
This river of Napo flows from its source, between great masses of rock, and is not navigable until it reaches the port where the citizens of Archidona have established the hamlet for their Indians. Here it becomes more humane, and less warlike, and consents to bear a few ordinary canoes on its shoulders, conveying provisions ; but, from this point, for four or five leagues, it does not forget its former fury, until it unites with the river Coca.
Eighty leagues from the Curaray, on the same side, the famous river Tumburagua empties itself; which, as I said before, descends from Maynas, with the name of Maranon. It makes itself respected by the river of Amazons, insomuch that with its united force it forms for itself a mouth of more than a league in breadth, by which it enters to kiss the hand of the greater river, paying it not only the ordinary tribute of its waters, but another very abundant one of many kinds of fish, which were not known in the Amazons, until it reaches the mouth of this river.
Not quite thirty good leagues below the Basururu, likewise on the north side, in 4° of latitude, there comes forth to meet the Amazons, the largest and most beautiful river [the Rio Negro] which, in the space of more than thirteen hundred leagues, does it homage. It appears that it comes to recognize another larger one, though it is so powerful that its mouth is a league and a half broad - and though the Amazons opens its arms with all its force, the new river does not wish to become subject to it, without receiving some marks of respect ; and it thus masters one half of the whole Amazons, accompanying it for more than twelve leagues, so that the waters of the two can be clearly distinguished from each other.
At last the Amazons, not permitting so much superiority, forces it to mingle with its own turbulent waves, and recognize for a master, the river which it desired to make a vassal.
Twenty leagues from the Island of the Sun, under the equinoctial line, spread out into eighty-four mouths, having the Zaparara on the south side, and the north cape opposite ; the largest sea of fresh water, that has been discovered, empties itself into the ocean ; the most powerful river in the whole world, the phoenix of rivers, the true Marañon so longed for and never attained by the people of Peru, the ancient Orellana, and to sum up all at once, the great river of the Amazons.
After having bathed with its waters a distance of thirteen hundred and fifty-six leagues of longitude, after sustaining on its banks an infinite number of barbarous tribes, after fertilizing vast territories, and after having passed through the centre of Peru, and, like a principal channel, collected the largest and richest of all its affluents, it renders its tribute to the ocean.
I don’t know if this was simply a literary device or if Father Acuña actually thought like this, but I do and I find his account fascinating.
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