to become in a few years the center of considerable commerce.
The river is very beautiful along this part of its course. The
influence of ordinary tides is not perceptible at Tabatinga, which is
more than six hundred leagues from the Atlantic. But it is not so
with the _”pororoca,”_ that species of eddy which for three days in
the height of the syzygies raises the waters of the Amazon, and turns
them back at the rate of seventeen kilometers per hour. They say that
the effects of this bore are felt up to the Brazilian frontier.
On the morrow, the 26th of June, the Garral family prepared to go off
and visit the village. Though Joam, Benito, and Manoel had already
set foot in a Brazilian town, it was otherwise with Yaquita and her
daughter; for them it was, so to speak, a taking possession. It is
conceivable, therefore, that Yaquita and Minha should attach some
importance to the event.
If, on his part, Fragoso, in his capacity of wandering barber, had
already run through the different provinces of South America, Lina,
like her young mistress, had never been on Brazilian soil.
But before leaving the jangada Fragoso had sought Joam Garral, and
had the following conversation with him.
“Mr. Garral,” said he, “from the day when you received me at the
fazenda of Iquitos, lodged, clothed, fed–in a word, took me in so
hospitably–I have owed you—-”
“You owe me absolutely nothing, my friend,” answered Joam, “so do not
insist—-”
“Oh, do not be alarmed!” exclaimed Fragoso, “I am not going to pay it
off! Let me add, that you took me on board the jangada and gave me
the means of descending the river. But here we are, on the soil of
Brazil, which, according to all probability, I ought never to have
seen again. Without that liana—-”
“It is to Lina, and to Lina alone, that you should tender your
thanks,” said Joam.
“I know,” said Fragoso, “and I will never forget what I owe here, any
more than what I owe you.”
“They tell me, Fragoso,” continued Joam, “that you are going to say
good-by, and intend to remain at Tabatinga.”
“By no means, Mr. Garral, since you have allowed me to accompany you
to Belem, where I hope at the least to be able to resume my old
trade.”
“Well, if that is your intention–what were you going to ask me?”
“I was going to ask if you saw any inconvenience in my working at my
profession on our route. There is no necessity for my hand to rust;
and, besides, a few handfuls of reis would not be so bad at the
bottom of my pocket, more particularly if I had earned them. You
know, Mr. Garral, that a barber who is also a hairdresser–and I
hardly like to say a doctor, out of respect to Mr. Manoel–always
finds customers in these Upper Amazon villages.”
“Particularly among the Brazilians,” answered Joam. “As for the
natives—-”
“I beg pardon,” replied Fragoso, “particularly among the natives. Ah!
although there is no beard to trim–for nature has been very stingy
toward them in that way–there are always some heads of hair to be
dressed in the latest fashion. They are very fond of it, these
savages, both the men and the women! I shall not be installed ten
minutes in the square at Tabatinga, with my cup and ball in hand–the
cup and ball I have brought on board, and which I can manage with
pretty pleasantly–before a circle of braves and squaws will have
formed around me. They will struggle for my favors. I could remain
here for a month, and the whole tribe of the Ticunas would come to me
to have their hair looked after! They won’t hesitate to make the
acquaintance of ‘curling tongs’–that is what they will call me–if I
revisit the walls of Tabatinga! I have already had two tries here,
and my scissors and comb have done marvels! It does not do to return
too often on the same track. The Indian ladies don’t have their hair
curled every day, like the beauties of our Brazilian cities. No; when
it is done, it is done for year, and during the twelvemonth they will