The Story of Ida Pfeiffer | Page 8

a wood in flames on the one hand, and the
brushwood, crackling and seething, on the other. The space between the
double rows of fire did not exceed fifty paces in breadth, and was
completely buried in smoke. The spluttering and hissing of the fire was
distinctly audible, and through the dense mass of vapour shot upward
thick shafts and tongues of flame, while now and then the large trees
crashed to the ground, with loud reports, like those of artillery.
[A Forest of Fire: page45.jpg]

"On seeing my guide enter this fiery gulf," says our traveller, "I was, I
must confess, rather frightened;" and her dread was surely very
excusable. She plucked up courage, however, when she saw that her
guide pushed forward. On the threshold, so to speak, sat two negroes,
to indicate the safe, and, in truth, the only path. The guide, in obedience
to their warning, spurred on his mule, and, followed by Madame
Pfeiffer, galloped at full speed across the desert of fire. Flames to the
right of them, flames to the left of them, onward they dashed, and
happily effected the passage in safety.
* * * * *
Madame Pfeiffer gives a bright description of the beauties of the road
as she pushed further into the interior. Crossing a small waterfall, she
struck right into the depths of the virgin forest, pursuing a narrow path
which ran along the bank of a little stream. Palms, with their lordly
crests, soared high above the other trees, which, intertwined by
inextricable boughs, formed the loveliest fairy-bowers imaginable;
every stem, every branch was luxuriously festooned with fantastic
orchids; while creepers and ferns glided up the tall, smooth trunks,
mingling with the boughs, and hanging in every direction waving
curtains of flowers, of the sweetest odours and the most vivid colours.
With shrill twittering cry and rapid wings flashed the humming-bird
from bough to bough; the pepper-pecker, with glowing plumage,
soared timorously upwards; while parrots and paroquets, and
innumerable birds of beautiful appearance, added, by their cries and
motions, to the liveliness of the scene.
Madame Pfeiffer visited an Indian village. It lay deep in the forest
recesses, and consisted of five huts, or rather sheds, formed of leaves,
and measuring eighteen feet by twelve feet, erected under lofty trees.
The frames were formed of four poles stuck in the ground, with another
reaching across; and the roof was wrought of palm-leaves, by no means
impervious to the rain. The sides were open. In the interior hung a
hammock or two; and on the earth a few roots, Indian corn, and
bananas were roasting under a heap of ashes. In one corner, under the
roof, a small supply of provisions was hoarded up, and round about

were scattered a few gourds; these are used by the Puris as substitutes
for "crockery." Their weapons, the long bows and arrows, leaned
against the wall.
Madame Pfeiffer describes the Puri Indians as even uglier than the
negroes. Their complexion is a light bronze; they are stunted in stature,
well-knit, and about the middle size. Their features are broad and
somewhat compressed; their hair is thick, long, and of a coal-black
colour. The men wear it hanging straight down; the women, in plaits
fastened to the back of the head, and sometimes falling loosely down
about their persons. Their forehead is broad and low, and the nose
somewhat flattened; the eyes are long and narrow, almost like those of
the Chinese; and the mouth is large, with rather thick lips. To enhance
the effect of these various charms, the countenance bears a peculiar
look of stupidity, which may be attributed perhaps to the way in which
the mouth is kept always open. Women, as well as males, are generally
tattooed of a reddish or blue colour, round the mouth, moustachio-wise.
Both sexes are addicted to smoking, and look upon brandy as the
_summum bonum_ of human life.
The Indians, ugly as they were, gave Madame Pfeiffer a hospitable
welcome. After an evening meal, in which roasted monkey and parrot
were the chief dishes, they performed one of their characteristic dances.
A quantity of wood was heaped up into a funeral pile, and set on fire;
the men then danced around it in a ring. They threw their bodies from
side to side with much awkwardness, but always moving the head
forward in a straight line. The women then joined in, forming at a short
distance behind the men, and imitating all their movements. A horrible
noise arose; this was intended for a song, the singers at the same time
distorting their features frightfully. One of them performed on a kind of
stringed instrument, made out of the stem of a cabbage-palm, and about
two feet, or two feet and a half, in length.