cussler.blueandgold-第14章

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　〃The　tapir；〃　Gamay　volunteered　hesitantly　as　she　glanced　down　at　her　plate。
　
　Ramirez　looked　stunned；　then　his　mustache　twitched　and　he　broke　out　into　a　deep　laugh。　He　brought　his　napkin　to　his　lips。　〃You　thought　。　。　。〃　He　started　to　laugh　again。　〃Excuse　me。　I　am　a　poor　host。　Amusing　myself　at　the　expense　of　my　guests。　But　I　must　assure　you　that　this　is　not　the　animal　you　saw　being　trundled　in　from　the　hunt。　I　bought　a　pig　from　a　neighboring　village　
　for　this　feast。〃　He　made　a　sour　face。　〃Tapir。　I　can't　imagine　what　it　is　like。　Perhaps　it's　quite　tasty。〃
　
　Ramirez　poured　more　wine　and　raised　his　glass　in　a　toast。　〃I　will　miss　you；　my　friends。　Your　pany　has　been　most　enjoy　able；　and　we　have　had　many　delightful　conversations　around　this　table。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Gamay　said。　〃It　has　been　a　fascinating　experience　for　us。　Today　may　have　been　our　most　exciting　day；　how　ever。〃
　
　〃Ah；　yes；　the　poor　Indian。〃
　
　Paul　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　get　over　the　sophisticated　nature　of　all　those　gadgets　he　had　with　him。〃
　
　Ramirez　spread　his　palms　apart。　〃The　People　of　the　Mists　are　a　mysterious　tribe。〃
　
　〃What　do　you　know　about　them？〃　Gamay　said；　her　scientific　curiosity　aroused。　Before　she　attained　a　doctorate　in　marine　biology　from　Scripps　Institute　of　Oceanography；　she　had　been　a　marine　archaeologist　and　had　taken　many　anthropology　courses　during　her　studies　at　the　University　of　North　Carolina。
　
　Ramirez　took　a　sip　of　wine；　nodded　with　appreciation；　and　stared　off　into　space　as　he　ordered　his　thoughts。　The　buzzing　and　chirping　of　millions　of　tropical　insects　came　through　the　screened　windows；　and　the　concert　provided　a　fitting　back　ground　for　tales　of　the　rain　forest。
　
　After　a　moment's　reflection；　he　said；　〃First　you　must　realize　as　we　sit　here　in　this　island　of　civilization；　with　our　propane　gas　stove　and　our　electrical　generator；　that　only　a　few　years　ago　we　would　have　been　dead　within　minutes　had　we　strayed　into　this　part　of　the　forest。　Fierce　Indians　inhabited　the　area。　Head　hunting　and　cannibalism　were　monplace。　Anyone；　whether　you　were　a　missionary　bringing　in　the　word　of　God　or　a　hunter　searching　for　animal　skins；　was　regarded　as　an　intruder　who　must　be　killed。　Only　recently　have　these　people　been　domesticated。〃
　
　〃Except　for　the　Chulo；〃　Gamay　ventured。
　
　〃Correct。　They　retreated　further　into　the　forest　rather　than　
　be　pacified。　I　must　confess　that　I　learned　more　about　them　today　than　I　knew　in　the　three　years　I　have　been　living　here。　I　have　seriously　doubted　they　even　exist。　With　this　tribe　you　must　separate　facts　from　legend。　The　other　Indians　avoid　the　forest　beyond　the　Great　Falls。　They　say　people　who　go　into　Chulo　territory　never　e　out。　Their　fear；　as　you　saw　today；　is　real。　Those　are　the　scant　facts。〃　〃And　the　legend？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　〃They　can　make　themselves　invisible；〃　Ramirez　said　with　a　smile。　〃They　can　fly。　They　can　pass　through　solid　obstacles。　They　are　more　like　ghosts　or　spirits　than　men。　They　can't　be　killed　by　ordinary　weapons。〃
　
　〃The　bullet　hole　we　saw　puts　that　myth　to　rest；〃　Paul　said。
　
　〃It　would　seem　so；〃　Ramirez　agreed。　〃There　is　another　story；　even　more　intriguing。　The　tribe　is　apparently　matriarchal。　A　woman　leads　it。　A　goddess；　in　fact。〃
　
　〃An　Amazon？〃　Gamay　suggested。
　
　In　answer；　Ramirez　pulled　an　object　from　his　pocket。　It　was　the　pendant　that　had　been　hanging　around　the　dead　man's　neck。　〃Perhaps　this　is　our　winged　goddess。　It　is　said　she　protects　her　tribe　and　that　her　vengeance　is　terrible。〃
　
　〃She　who　must　be　obeyed；〃　Gamay　said　dramatically。
　
　〃Pardon？〃
　
　Gamay　smiled。　〃It's　a　quote　from　an　adventure　story　I　read　when　I　was　young。　About　a　jungle　goddess　who　lived　for。　thou　sands　of　years　without　aging。〃
　
　Paul　took　the　pendant　and　studied　it。　〃Goddess　or　not；　she　didn't　do　a　very　good　job　of　guarding　the　native　we　saw。〃
　
　The　older　man's　face　darkened。　〃Yes；　but　at　the　same　time　。　。　。〃
　
　〃Is　there　something　wrong？〃　Gamay　said。　
　
　〃I'm　somewhat　concerned。　One　of　the　village　men　came　to　me。　He　said　there　were　stirrings　of　trouble　in　the　forest。〃　〃What　kind　of　trouble？〃　Paul　asked。　〃He　didn't　know。　Only　that　it　had　to　do　with　the　murdered　Indian。〃
　
　〃In　what　way？〃　Gamay　asked。
　
　〃I'm　not　sure　exactly。〃　He　paused。　〃Creatures　are　being　killed　in　this　forest　at　this　moment。　Insects；　animals；　and　birds　are　constantly　involved　in　a　violent　struggle　for　life。　Yet　out　of　this　bloody　chaos　there　is　an　equilibrium。〃　His　deep…set　eyes　seemed　to　grow　even　darker。　〃I　fear　that　the　killing　of　the　Indian　has　disturbed　this　balance。〃
　
　〃Maybe　the　Amazon　goddess　is　about　to　wreak　her　revenge；〃　Paul　said；　handing　the　medallion　back。
　
　Ramirez　swung　the　pendant　back　and　forth　on　its　thong　as　if　he　were　Svengali　using　it　as　a　hypnotic　device。　'~As　a　man　of　science；　I　must　deal　with　the　facts。　It　is　a　fact　that　someone　out　there　has　a　gun　and　has　no　hesitation　about　using　it。　Either　the　Indian　strayed　out　of　his　territory　or　someone　with　a　gun　invaded　it。〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　any　thoughts　on　who　this　person　might　be？〃　Gamay　asked。
　
　〃Perhaps。　Do　you　know　anything　about　the　rubber　industry？〃
　
　Both　Trouts　shook　their　heads。
　
　〃A　hundred　years　ago　rubber　trees　grew　only　in　the　Amazon　jungle。　Then　a　British　scientist　stole　some　seeds　to　start　vast　rubber　plantations　in　the　east。　The　same　thing　is　happening　now。　The　shaman　who　acpanied　us　on　our　burial　detail　today　is　a　bit　of　a　fraud　when　it　es　to　chasing　out　evil　demons；　but　he　knows　the　medicinal　value　of　hundreds　of　rain　forest　plants。　People　e　here　and　say　they　are　scientists；　but　they　are　really　pi　rates　looking　for　herbs　that　have　medicinal　properties。　They　sell　the　patents　to　multinational　drug　panies。　Sometimes　they　work　directly　for　the　panies。　In　either　case　the　panies　make　fortunes　while　the　natives　who　have　harbored　the　knowledge　get　nothing。　Even　worse；　sometimes　men　e　in　and　take　the　medicinal　plants。〃
　
　〃You　think　one　of　these　'pirates'　tortured　and　shot　the　Indian？〃　Paul　asked。
　
　〃It's　possible。　When　millions　are　at　stake；　the　life　of　a　poor
　Indian　means　nothing。　Why　they　shot　him；　I　don't　know。　It's　possible　he　simply　saw　something　he　shouldn't　have。　These　plant　secrets　have　been　with　the　forest　inhabitants　for　generations。〃　〃Is　anybody　trying　to　stop　these　pirates？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　〃It　is　a　problem。　Sometimes　government　officials　are　in　collusion　with　the　drug　panies。　The　stakes　are　very　high。　The　governments　care　little　about　the　indigenous　people。　They　are　interested　only　in　how　to　sell　the　natives'　genetic　knowledge　of　plants　to　the　highest　bidder。〃
　
　〃So　the　piracy　goes　unchecked？〃
　
　〃Not　quite。　The　universities　are　sending　teams　of　true　scientists　to　track　down　the　pirates。　They　are　doing　research　on　plants　themselves；　but　at　the　same　time　they　talk　to　the　Indians　and　ask　if　there　have　been　strangers　asking　questions。　Our　neighbors　in　Brazil　have　tried　to　stop　the　theft　of　genetic　resources　in　the　court。　They　sued　a　scientist　for　cataloging　seeds　and　tree　bark　the　Indians　use　for　cures　and　charged　him　with　stealing　knowledge　from　indigenous　people。〃
　
　〃A　difficult　charge　to　make　stick；〃　Paul　noted。
　
　〃Agreed。　Brazil　is　also　pushing　legislation　to　protect　bio　diversity；　so　we　are　making　progress；　but　not　much。　We　are　talking　about　taking　on　drug　panies　with　billions　of　dollars　in　re　sources。　It　is　not　an　even　match。〃
　
　A　thought　occurred　to　Gamay。　〃Has　your　university　been　involved？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　had　teams　from　time　to　time。　But　there　is　little　money　for　full…time　police　work。〃
　
　It　wasn't　the　answer　Gamay　was　looking　for；　but　she　didn't　persist。　〃I　wish　there　was　something　we　could　do。〃
　
　〃There　is；〃　Ramirez　said　with　a　broad　smile。　〃I　would　ask　a　favor。　Please　feel　under　no　obligation　to　grant　it。〃
　
　〃Try　us；〃　Paul　said　amiably。
　
　〃Very　well。　A　few　hours'　travel　from　here　there　is　another　settlement　on　the　river。　The　Dutchman　who　lives　there　has　no　radio。　They　may　have　heard　about　a　Chulo　being　killed。　In　any　event；　they　should　be　told；　in　case　there　are　repercussions。〃　He　stuck　his　leg　out。　The　ankle　was　heavily　wrapped　in　a　b