第1章 SCENES IN THE TROPICS 热带景观
I. THE FOEEST
In hot countries the woods are not like our woods. They are great dark forests, where the trees grow so closely together, and are so tall, that if you looked up you could hardly see the sky.
Then there are a great many climbing plants, that twist themselves round and round the trunks and branches of the trees. They are called vegetable cables, because they are so much like ropes. They reach from one tree to another, and almost fill up the spaces between. The white man has to carve out his way with his hatchet, or else bum a passage for himself through the dense mass.
Dangers of every kind lurk in the forest. The quick subtle Indian dare not venture there without his poisoned arrows, nor the white man without the thunder and lightning of his gun. The venomous snake may lie coiled among the bushes,or traces of the savage jaguar may be seen upon the path.
Birds, beasts, and insects live there, for the most part, undisturbed. It is their home; and on every side they are at work, hunting their prey, or escaping from danger. For though man seldom wages war upon them, these wild creatures of the forest are engaged in constant warfare with each other;and the weak are always using some contrivance to protect themselves from the strong.
There are a great many curious things to be seen in these South American forests.
In the deepest gloom, where the trees shut out the sun, myriads of lights flit about, and twinkle like little stars. As they flash here and there, you might fancy that troops of fairies were floating about with torches in their hands; but there are no fairies in the case, —the lights are only the torches of the fire-flies that live in the recesses of the woods, and every night make a kind of illumination amongst the trees.
There are troops of monkeys, that run along the vegetable cables from one tree to another, or swing from the branches by their tails, making a noise all the time as if they were talking to each other. When night comes they roll themselves into a ball, huddled together as close as may be, to keep themselves warm.
Sometimes it happens that a few little monkeys have not been alert enough to get into the ball, and are left shivering outside. They keep up a pitiful howling the whole night through, as if they were telling the rest how cold and miserable they are, and begging to be let in. But the others pay no attention, and go quietly off to sleep.
Then there are all sorts of wonderful birds, such as we never see in our country, except in cages.
Flocks of parrots glisten in the sun, clad in glowing scarlet, and green, and gold. Humming-birds, like gems of beauty, come to seek honey and insects from the forest flowers. Fly-catchers gleam and sparkle everywhere. Water-fowl of snowy plumage sport on the streams, their white dresses contrasting with those of the red flamingo, or the scarlet ibis, that stand patiently fishing on the shore.
Questions
Why are the forests in hot countries so dark? What are the climbing-plants called? Why?How does the white man make a way for himself through the forest? What dangers lurk there? Of what is the forest specially the home? What are the lights that flit about in the gloom? How do the monkeys swing themselves from one tree to another? How do they keep themselves warm at night? What birds are found in these forests?
Pronunciation
climb'-ing pro-tect' mon'-keys qni'-et-ly
veg'-e-ta-ble cu'-ri-ous shiv'-er-ing spar'-kle
poi'-oned car'-ry-ing pit'-i-ful plu'-mage
un-dis-turbed' il-lu-mi-na'-tion mis'-er-a-ble fiam-in'-go
crea'-tures hud'-dled at-ten'-tion pa'-tient-Jly
Dictation
In the dense forests of South America, birds, beasts, and insects Hue, for the most part, undisturbed by man.
But though man does not wage war upon them, they are engaged in constant warfare with each other.
II. THE BIRD OF PARADISE
If you turn now to the map of Asia, you will find a number of islands lying to the south of Malacca, and forming a link between Asia and Australia.
These islands are in the very midst of the Tropics. The warm tropical seas bathe their coasts; and dark, dense forests, cover many of them from the sea-shore to the top of the highest mountain.
One of the largest of these islands, called New Guinea, and a few small islands near it, are the home of the splendid Bird of Paradise. These birds live nowhere else. The natives call them God's Birds, because they think them more splendid than any other that he has made.
The head and neck of the Bird of Paradise are as soft as velvet, and of a golden tint, that changes, while you are looking at it, into all the colours of the rainbow. Its tail is a magnificent plume of fairy-like feathers, partly white and partly yellow,so that you might think they were made of silver and gold. This plume is very much longer than the body, and makes the bird appear larger than it is; for in reality it is only about the size of a pigeon.
We can hardly fancy a flock of these beautiful birds upon the wing, floating at their ease, or pursuing the insects of various kinds that serve them for food. But this is no uncommon sight in that land of flowers and spices — a land that seems exactly fitted to be the home of the Bird of Paradise.
But there, as in all tropical countries, there is a season of rain and storm. Then the birds disappear, as the swallows do with us, and seek some sheltered place. But when the rain is over, and the spices in the woods breathe out fresh fragrance, they return to their old haunts, and the gay plumes of the male birds may be seen glittering amongst the trees as before.
When the Birds of Paradise are about to take one of their long flights, they choose a leader to be king over them. Where he goes they go, and where he settles they settle, perching on the same tree.
He generally flies high up in the air, far above the heads of his subjects; and he takes care to lead them against the wind, so that their loose floating plumes may not be blown over their heads. If a storm comes, they then rise higher and higher, and keep mounting until they reach a calmer and serener region.
The natives always know the king, by the spots which he has upon his tail, like the eyes upon the feathers of the peacock. When they go into the woods to shoot these birds, they try to kill him first. In order to get a good shot, they make a little bower of leaves and branches of trees, within which they can hide themselves and yet see all that is going on.
The birds are perched around them, suspecting no danger; but arrow after arrow comes out of this leafy bower, and strikes down first one, and then another, till the natives think that they have enough. They cut off the legs, and stuff the bodies with spices, and make a famous trade of selling them to Europeans.
The natives used to pretend that this bird had neither legs nor stomach! Thus it was believed for a long time that it fed on the dew, and never alighted on the ground. This is why it has been called the “Bird of Paradise.”
Questions
Where does the Bird of Paradise live? What do the natives call it? Why? What is remarkable in the colour of its head and neck? and in the colour and size of its tail? When do these birds disappear? Who leads these birds in their long flights? How do the natives know the king? Where do they conceal themselves when shooting these birds? How do they prepare them for the European market? What did the natives use to pretend about them? Why was it called the Bird of Paradise?
Pronunciation
de-li'-cious pur-su'-ing shel'-tered be-lieved’
Par'-a-dise in'-sects perch'-ing sus-pect'-ing
mag-nif'-i-cent dis-ap-pear' gen'-er-al-ly Eu-ro-pe'-ans
Dictation
The chiefs of the islands where the Birds of Paradise are found, use them in their turbans.
In many parts of the East, as well as in this country, parts of these birds are used by ladies as ornaments in their head-dress.
Ⅰ.热带森林
热带国家的森林不像我们国家的森林。那里枝繁叶密，树与树之间紧密相连，它们非常高大，如果你仰起头看，很难看到天空。
这里有许多攀缘类植物，它们缠绕着树干和树枝，被人们称作树藤，因为它们特别像绳子。它们从这棵树蔓延到另一棵树，几乎将两棵树之间的空间全部填满。路人必须用斧子开辟出一条道路，或是在枝繁叶茂的树林里另劈出一条路。
森林里到处都是潜伏的危险。如果不随身带着毒箭，即便是动作快速灵巧的印第安人也没胆量进来，如果白种人不带着杀伤力巨大的猎枪，也不敢贸然进入。毒蛇也许就盘绕在灌木丛中，人们在路上也能看到凶残美洲虎的踪迹。
这里生活着鸟、兽以及昆虫，它们大多数并未受到外界的干扰。这里是它们的家园；他们在这里工作，捕食猎物或是逃离危险。虽然人类很少在这里引发战争，森林里的野兽们却是打斗不断；弱小的一方总是想方设法保护自己免受强者的袭击。
南美的森林里有着许许多多令人好奇的事物。
在森林的最深处，树木将太阳光遮住，数不清的亮光飞来飞去，亮闪闪得就像小星星一样。它们到处闪着光芒，你或许想象是一群仙女大军手里拿着火炬飘过，但是现实里不存在仙女，那束光芒仅仅是来自森林最深处的萤火虫发出的，每个晚上他们都会让森林光芒四起。
森林里的猴子成群结队，沿着树藤从一棵树跑到另一棵树，或是用尾巴在树枝间摇荡，它们总是吵闹个不停就像在彼此交流。当夜幕降临的时候，它们会把自己团成一个球，紧紧地抱在一起，好像是想取暖。
有时，一些猴子一不小心来到队伍里，它们会被隔在外面瑟瑟发抖。一晚上都在发出令人同情的哀号，如同它们在跟其他人诉说自己有多冷、多凄惨，恳求同伴让它们进去。但是其他同伴并未注意到它们，它们已经悄然进入了梦乡。
森林里有各种各样的漂亮的鸟类，这些鸟类在我们国家只能在笼子里看到。
成群的鹦鹉在太阳下闪闪发光，身上遍布耀眼的鲜红色、绿色和金色。
蜂鸟犹如漂亮的宝石，在森林的花丛里寻找蜂蜜和昆虫。银鹟到处闪耀着光芒。浑身白色羽毛的水鸟栖息在小溪旁，它们白色的外衣同火烈鸟的红色以及在海岸边耐心捕鱼的朱鹭的鲜红色形成了鲜明的对比。
Ⅱ.鸟类的天堂
假如你现在打开亚洲地图，会发现马六甲南部分布着若干个岛屿，它们将亚洲和澳洲连接在一起。
这些岛在热带中部地区。暖洋洋的热带海水冲刷着海岸，茂密的森林从海岸线一直蔓延到山群中最高峰的山顶。
其中有一个最大的岛屿，名叫新几内亚。周围的一些小岛，就是辉煌壮阔的天堂鸟之家。这里的鸟儿无处不在。当地人称之为上帝之鸟，因为它们认为这些鸟比上帝创造的其他鸟类更漂亮。
天堂鸟的头和颈宛如天鹅绒般柔软，能够变成金色，当你看着它们时，它们会变成彩虹的颜色。它的尾巴犹如精灵的翅膀，半边白色，半边黄色，所以你可能认为它是金银色的。它的羽毛比身体还要长，这使得它看上去比自己的真实体型更大；而事实上它只有鸽子般大小。
我们很难想象这样一群漂亮的鸟儿扑闪着翅膀，在空中惬意地飘动，或是追逐各种各样的昆虫填饱肚子。但是这样的景象在拥有鲜花和清香的土地——一片看似最适合成为天堂鸟的家园的土地上却十分常见。
同所有的热带地区一样，这里也有雨季。这些鸟儿，如同我们身边的燕子，会凭空消失去寻找一些避难所。不过等雨季过去，森林里的鸟类就会出来呼吸清新的空气，它们返回从前的鸟巢，雄鸟的灰色翅膀在树林里闪闪发光。
当天堂之鸟准备列队飞行时，它们会选择一个鸟王在前面带路。它们朝着鸟王的方向飞行，跟着鸟王一块儿休息，和鸟王停留在同一棵树上。
鸟王通常飞得很高，比其他鸟儿略高一点；它谨慎地带领大家躲避大风，以免它们蓬松的羽毛被风吹起。倘若暴风雨到来，它们会飞得越来越高，一直向上飞，直到飞到更为安全静谧的地方。
当地人总是能辨识出鸟王，它的尾巴上有斑点，像孔雀尾巴上的眼睛。当他们进入森林猎鸟时，会尝试先射杀鸟王。为了更好地射击，他们用树枝树叶堆起一个藏匿处，这样他们既可以躲在里面，还能注视外面的一举一动。
鸟儿停留在他们四周，觉得没有危险。但是从树叶堆里不断有箭射出，射落一只又一只，直到当地人认为够了才停下。他们将鸟腿割断，在鸟肚子里填塞香料，把它们销往欧洲市场。
当地人过去常常自称这种鸟既没腿也没肚子。因此，时间一长，人们认为它们是吃露珠长大的，它们从未在地面上驻足过。这就是为什么人们将其称为天堂之鸟。