| Black Water | | | | your whole leg off in a matter of minutes." He |
| At noon we were in the air, leaving the Lima, Airport | | | | commented. |
| for Iquitos, a Peruvian city along the shores of the | | | | I saw the Captain move back now, and Jose about |
| Amazon. When we landed, we were quickly picked | | | | to leap up, and then, suddenly, he yells, "I think so, |
| up and brought to the pier. There were a few other | | | | one got the bottom of my foot, I think so, I think |
| planes in back of us coming in. It had looked like it | | | | so...oo!" and the captain swung his long stick in the |
| had just rained, as nearly as I could figure, because | | | | water, making splashes, hit the fish across the side |
| everything was watery, and the dock area muddy. | | | | of its face, no bigger than a sunfish, and it ripped a |
| Once on the pier, we met several of the Company's | | | | piece of skin off Jose's heel, and then he was on |
| representatives, the driver of the boat that was to | | | | board, bleeding. |
| take us down river and a few guests, all in all we had | | | | "Let's take a look;" said the captain, "I don't think the |
| worked through a network of people, getting our | | | | fish got all that much." |
| gear ready to go on an Amazon Jungle safari of | | | | "Did you kill it," asked Jose. |
| sorts (or expedition). | | | | "If not he'll not...never mind, how do you feel?" |
| | | | "Do I get a day off with pay for this?" He asked the |
| Once in motion, heading to our destination, our | | | | Captain, seriously. |
| propeller under the boat was spinning nosily, I could | | | | And the Captain laughed, saying, "Jose, no, it's not |
| hear it, it sounded like my old 1950 Ford, as if the | | | | that bad, you don't get a day off, lucky he was not |
| motor was loose on its understructure; the thing to | | | | with his clan, but I bet they are nearby. Put some |
| do now was simply rest and enjoy the ride, the | | | | iodine on it Manuel for him, then write it up as an |
| scenery, I told myself. | | | | accident incase I will have to report it, you know," |
| The Captain's name of the boat was Marcelo, he was | | | | said the Captain to Manuel and Jose "he'll be all right, |
| up front, doing the steering of the boat, Jose and | | | | just a sore foot, with a little meat gone. You've had |
| Manuel, his assistant workers were sitting with us, | | | | worse." |
| one or the other would go check the back, where | | | | The engine started and we were back on track, |
| the gasoline was being stored, along with other | | | | back on our way down river. |
| items, and then he'd re check us to make sure we | | | | "It is a fine lodge you folks are going to but we got |
| kept our life jackets on secure, and smiled. There | | | | to make one more stop along the way, drop six |
| was a third employee; he would be dropped off | | | | passengers off, and the rest of you will go to the |
| about fifty miles down river, a kitchen worker at one | | | | lodge deeper into the jungle," said Jose, meaning the |
| of the smaller lodges. The whole trip would be | | | | one we were going to. |
| 125-miles down river. | | | | Ahead the river got wider and wider, at one point it |
| For a long time it seemed no one among us said a | | | | was six-miles wide, it was like a giant highway, that |
| word, I think we were in a daze and trying to | | | | didn't cease. We talked some more among ourselves |
| normalize ourselves, if not acquaint our bodies with | | | | and the boat was going fast against time. |
| the new environment, physically, and mentally, and | | | | We made our second stop, and it looked a little less |
| sensory, all in all, to get acclimated. | | | | elegant than the previous resort, I figured ours would |
| "Come on," I said to Rosa, "say something, it is too | | | | be, even less. I kind of thought: what am I doing |
| boring, I mean the scenery is beautiful, right?" | | | | here, but it was an adventure I had somewhat |
| "We have to hold on tight when we get to the two | | | | dreamed about, I mean who hasn't thought about |
| rivers emerging, two currents hit one another and | | | | going down the longest and most dangerous river in |
| that causes friction." Said a voice, it sounded like the | | | | the world, with all its wildlife and unknown secrets |
| captain's, it came from in front of us, so everyone | | | | awaiting for ones arrival. |
| grabbed onto the railings. | | | | The sky was clouding up again, and it was raining |
| "Dear," said Rosa, "don't turn about to quickly you | | | | slightly, and after ten minutes of rain, it somehow |
| can fall backwards, and fall through these upper | | | | disappeared, we drove out of it. Then we turned |
| railings into the river itself." And then she started | | | | down another tributary, and deeper into the Amazon |
| hanging on to me, as if she was going to save me. | | | | green. The shores looked muddy and across the wet |
| And it is usually the other way around. | | | | embankments we passed were scattered individuals |
| "Let me go, and hang onto the railing, like the man | | | | fishing, kids swimming, dogs running, monkey's |
| said," I told her. I put her hand around the metal | | | | playing, a few long looking black cats racing in the |
| railing, and she griped it. Once in the Gran Sabana, | | | | wild, three or four feet long. A few pink dolphins |
| under a waterfalls, I had to hang onto her, she was | | | | popping their heads up in the river; then we came to |
| on a rope, and had let go to hang onto me as if I | | | | a dock area. |
| was going to slide down into the falls and be gone | | | | "Come one at a time," said the captain on the dock, |
| forever, and I had to grab her, and the rope; and | | | | his hand extended for us. It was like a little bridge |
| once in the ocean (along side, Copacabana Beech, in | | | | out into the tributary, that lead up to the lodge, and |
| Rio Janeiro) she came out to save me from a big | | | | along side the main lodge, were little huts, and |
| wave, and I had to grab her, because the wave | | | | wooden walkways, all leading into one another, and |
| swept her up, and was about to sweep her away, I | | | | to the main lodge, where there was the cafeteria, |
| know how she can get when she panics, she's like a | | | | lounge and small souvenir shop. The Captain |
| pistol against a man's head, you got to move her | | | | introduced us to the general staff throughout the |
| physically or it will be the death of both you. She | | | | place. |
| means well, but becomes dangerous in the process. | | | | Breakfast and the Drizzle |
| Bump! Splash! Bump! Splash! We were like on a roller | | | | In the morning everything was wet, it had rained |
| coaster for a moment, and then it all settled back to | | | | throughout the night. The mist of the rain was just |
| normality, if there is such a word in the Amazon. | | | | lifting I noticed outside my window of our hut, I could |
| Then after two long hours (of the six-hour trip), the | | | | see the tops of the trees, the inlet that stretched |
| Captain drove alongside a dock area, dropping the | | | | out to the mouth of the Amazon was vaguely visible. |
| cook's helper off and two guests, now there were | | | | The air was fresh but soggy, heavy with water. |
| ten of us, plus the captain, and the two assistants. | | | | There were giant bugs on my net that covered the |
| He put the engine in reverse, drove it out, it got | | | | net around me and my bed, bugs with thick long |
| stuck in some weeds and roots, and the propeller | | | | wings, and fat bodies, drooping bellies, long legged |
| spun, and then got snagged. | | | | bugs, and small beetle like bugs, and bugs with big |
| "Well," said the Captain, "which one of you wants to | | | | eyes like headlights, a few as big as sparrows. A few |
| go in and straighten up everything under the boat?" | | | | spiders, hairy legs, and bloody-eyed creatures, about |
| No one answered, and I wasn't sure why, it looked | | | | the size of a half dollar; I hit the net, and most fell |
| like an easy task. But I was glad I did not volunteer, | | | | off or flew off or jumped off, I got up, then I |
| after I found out what I found out. | | | | walked out beyond the hooch. Everything was wet, |
| "Can't we row to shore and do it there?" asked Jose. | | | | the wooden sidewalks that acted as bridges |
| "I don't think so," said the Captain, "it will take all | | | | throughout the compound were soaked. There was |
| day." | | | | still a light drizzle, a steady drizzle, everyone was |
| Then the captain went back to the backside of the | | | | rushing to the main lodge with things covering their |
| boat, looked down into the water, "It's no good, a | | | | heads, umbrellas, newspapers, hats, and so forth. |
| big something on there!" he shouted back. | | | | The cafeteria seemed crowded compared to when |
| "What do you say," said Jose. | | | | we arrived yesterday, a few hours before dusk. In |
| "We got to cut the roots off the propeller, that's | | | | the far corner of the cafeteria, the corner that |
| what I said." | | | | looked out towards the boats, were three natives, |
| The clouds were shifting above us it looked like rain. | | | | one playing a drum, one playing a flute, the other a |
| The captain turned the engine back on, the rotor | | | | guitar, all three harmonizing some song. I sat at one |
| spun a foot, but it only tightened the roots around | | | | of the tables with Rosa, and I suppose everyone |
| the propeller more so. | | | | saw my tight- wound, still somewhat muscularly, pure |
| "It's-dead," said Jose, meaning the propeller. And had | | | | white legs, and said: I bet he's from the Arctic. A |
| they tried any more, the engine would have burnt up. | | | | few older women came in, shaking water off from |
| "Better jump in," said the captain. | | | | their umbrellas, spreading them out to dry out. |
| "What about..." Jose didn't finish his sentence, when | | | | "Breakfast will be ready shortly," said the cook. |
| the Captain said, "It's your turn, let's get to it!" | | | | "Jose, how's your foot?" I yelled as he finished his |
| "What's the big reason no one wants to go to work | | | | breakfast with the captain of the boat, at another |
| on the blade?" | | | | table. |
| "Senor," said the captain, we are in a tributary of the | | | | "Fine," he said. |
| Amazon, it is black water, which comes from the | | | | "No work to-day?" |
| roots of the trees, we don't know what is in the | | | | "I wish," he said. |
| black water, and often there are piranhas all about. | | | | "Where is Manuel?" I asked. |
| They come in hordes, and, well you know what they | | | | "He's cleaning the boat." |
| can do, they rip at your skin, take hunks of meat | | | | "Look," he said, "Have you met Avelino yet?" |
| out of you, in a matter of seconds. Sometimes they | | | | "No." |
| nibble by you, give you a running start, and | | | | "He'll be your personal guide. He picked you out |
| sometimes they don't." | | | | himself." |
| "Oh," I said, and then I heard a splash, and Jose | | | | "Why is that?" I asked. |
| cutting the roots like a madman off the propeller, I | | | | "He heard you like things your way, and being with a |
| could hear his heavy breathing. | | | | group my present some problems, plus he likes big |
| "Captain, I got a nibble on my leg," Jose said, "come | | | | tips, and he thinks you got money!" |
| over here and move a stick about to frighten | | | | "Yes, I see, thanks for the update." |
| whatever is down there away!" | | | | "Avelino, come here and meet your clients!" said Jose. |
| I looked at Jose, through the back opening of the | | | | "Sit down and join us," I said to our new guide. |
| boat, he looked afraid, and I would too I told myself. | | | | "I can't now, I'm doing some paperwork, but I'll see |
| No money could get me in there, but I would later on | | | | you after breakfast." |
| swim in the Amazon, although not in black water. | | | | I finished eating, washed up in cold water, from an |
| Along each side of the boat was a canvas top, one | | | | outdoor fascist. |
| in the middle also, that was now open, the others | | | | "Look," said Rosa, "the manager gave me this note, a |
| coverings were over our heads to protect us against | | | | message from Avelino, says: 'Meet you at 10:30 a.m., |
| the light rain that was now starting to fall. | | | | in back of he last hut, by the opening of the jungle, |
| I watched the captain move his stick about, as | | | | we're going to a native village." Singed: Avelino. |
| Manuel was-I think, saying his prayers he'd not be | | | | "Well," I said, "if we can't find the spot, he'll simply |
| asked to jump in and help Jose. | | | | have to find us." And Rosa and I had a chuckle. |
| "They feel braver in a bunch," said Manuel, "they take | | | | |