February 1495, 6 degrees south latitude, Rio Potengi, Brazil.
In the early morning, the Potongi River sparkles under the golden sunshine and flows slowly towards the vast Atlantic Ocean. This large river in northeastern Brazil extends for more than 400 miles from west to east and has many tributaries. There are dense mangroves along the river.
There are also a variety of tropical birds. This four hundred miles of dense forest is also a rare and fertile impact plain between the dry and barren northern Brazilian plateau and the storm-dangerous Atlantic Ocean.
The river brings vitality, and the fertile forestland raises game and also supports the local Tupi tribe. The Tupi village is quietly hidden in the dense forest, not far from the river. The thatched round village
Malocas (shaped long houses) are scattered among villages, mostly small-scale houses with dozens to hundreds of people. Thick smoke
It rises from the bonfire and floats among the tree crowns, like an indicator that can be seen from a distance. The Tupi tribesmen, bare-chested and wearing grass skirts, rowed canoes on the river and were busy.
The most common crops are cassava, corn and sweet potatoes, which are also important crops throughout the South American continent.
"Ygapo ará ybype, heta abá o?. A tapir, a group of tribes appeared in the land east of the river!"
"To the east? A group of tribes appeared on the seaside?..."
"Yes! I looked at it from a distance. It was very strange, very strange!..."
"Ah? Strange?..."
"Well! They are 'karai' (karai), 'a group of mysterious outsiders'! Their faces seem to be very white, their boats seem to be very big, and their voices are also very loud!" Boom
,Boom!’, like thunder!…”
"?!"
Tupi hunter A tapir blinked, his simple face full of curiosity. As an aborigine of the Brazilian rainforest, he has copper-brown skin, high cheekbones, and a very flat and wide nose bridge. This is also tropical
Common characteristics of Aboriginal people.
His hair is black, very short and straight, and his eyes are black, very small and lively. He also has a strong bare chest with black and red patterns... Oh, that's the tattoo of Ebony Juice,
From the neck to the chest, an abstract tapir and several abstract birds are painted, representing his status as a senior hunter.
"A tapir! Where are you going?..."
"Sweet Potato Peel, I'm going to the east to take a look... take a look at those foreign Karai from a distance!..."
“…”
The hunter tapir wears a toucan feather headdress, a spiritual tooth amulet, and a long straw belt. In the belt of this kind of tribal hunter, there are dried cassava flour, blowing arrowheads, knives,
Rope, and some small tools for survival in the wild.
He carried a blowpipe on his back and ten blow darts, none of which were poisoned. The spear in his hand was the source of his courage, even when facing the most powerful jaguar in the jungle!
...Well, the jaguar is still too difficult. He is not sure to find this most dangerous predator. And once the opponent discovers it first, even his naked and brave tribal totem will not be able to catch the jaguar's claws.
Protect him. What? You mean armor? What is armor?…
"Araka? ygapo ará, follow the river eastward...Té upé guaiba, until the end of the sea..."
The hunter tapir walked briskly along the Potongi River all the way east. He walked during the day through the dense mangroves. At night he climbed up the trees and spent a safe night on the tall redwoods. The gathering and hunting along the way provided a good foundation for
He provides fresh food.
This is his home, the land where the Tupi people have lived for thousands of years. He is familiar with this rainforest, the rivers here, and every tribe he sees. As long as he sees the tattoos of those tribes, he can
Understand everything. That is the "language" of Tupi tribes, the kind written on the body...
"Phew! This salty smell... It's finally here, it's time to go to the beach!..."
The fresh sea breeze brought a salty and humid atmosphere, the Potongi River became wider and wider, and even the trees began to become sparse. When the hunter tapir finally walked out of the forest and came to the broad coast, his eyes suddenly opened wide!
“Icuru upé?…What is that?!…”
I saw three very, very large ships docked in the harbor at the mouth of the river. And close to the harbor, a circle of simple wooden fences had appeared, enclosing a large camp. In the camp
In the center, there is a stone pillar and two strange wooden shelves, forming an inexplicable "ten". There are scattered wooden houses with eighty or ninety fingers in the camp, and some of them seem to be half-built.
, some have been completed.
Right now, many red and yellow logs are piled up on the other side of the camp, forming a wood pile. And a group of white-skinned tribesmen wearing strange clothes are busy in front of the wood pile, waving shining axes, "
"They are, outsiders Karai? Ancient forest! They cut down many, many, many trees!...What are they holding in their hands?...Ah! Did they see me?!..."
At this moment, at the mouth of the Potongi River in Brazil, a simple hunter from the Tupi tribe met the Portuguese colonial fleet for the first time. He did not know that this coastal land inherited by the Tupi tribe had already
The "stone pillars" symbolized by the Portuguese's occupation were erected, and the "cross" of the Lord was erected! And this newly established colonial exploration camp was also given a "sacred" name by the Portuguese, Port of Natal (
Natal), the "Christmas Port", the port commemorating the birth of Jesus, the Son of God!
"Lord! Look there! There is a native with brown skin and black hair!"
"He has a bow and a spear! He is the enemy!"
"Quick, light a fire! Shoot him with a matchlock!..."
"God bless! Aim! Fire!"
The hunter A tapir widened his eyes in surprise, looked at the strange Karai outsider, pointed at him and shouted, as if he had discovered some dangerous prey. Then, several outsiders appeared at a distance of dozens of steps.
Raised the black "blowpipe" and pointed it at his location...
"ah?!…"
The hunter A tapir instantly felt a strong threat, a danger more terrifying than the jaguar! He immediately turned around and was about to escape into the dense jungle. However, the terrible thunder suddenly sounded, pouring from his ears into his heart, making him whole body
Trembling, my knees became weak, and I fell to the ground with a "thud"!
"Bang! Bang bang!..."
"The native has fallen, catch him!..."
"Kill him!..."
"No! Don't do it! God help you, put away your scimitars!..."
The ferocious sailors held scimitars and grinned ferociously as they pounced on the fallen hunter Tapir. However, a priest wearing a black robe and a silver cross had already heard the sound of the matchlock gun and hurriedly came from the biggest
He ran out of the wooden house. He shouted loudly and stopped all the sailors until he came to the trembling A. Tapir. Then he squatted down, looked into A. Tapir's frightened eyes, and drew a pious
Cross.
“Louvado seja Deus! May the Lord be praised!…”
"Ah, I have already received the revelation from the Lord! This is the first believer sent by Him in this new continent of endless forest..."
"Put away your scimitars, put away your knives!..."
The priest looked sharply and looked at the surrounding Portuguese sailors. As the manager of the Natal Port camp and the only official priest in the fleet, his status is unquestionable, only under the fleet commander Bruno!
"Yes! At your command, Father Faria!"
The sailors looked at each other, hesitated for a few breaths, and then obeyed and put away their scimitars. It was only then that Father Faria showed a kind smile, stretched out his calloused hand towards the uneasy hunter, Tapir, and said to him
A cross was drawn on his face.
“God bless you! He guides us to meet and sends down the gospel of enlightenment!…”
"Come on! Almas Perdidas, lost soul! Come with me and sit in the cabin in the camp...I will provide you with a good dinner and a clean bed..."
"Deusé grande! I will give you guidance, the guidance of the Lord! Simple jungle savage, poor lost lamb!..."
The hunter A'tapir looked confused, not knowing what this white-skinned Karai in black robes was talking about. But he knew very well that among this group of Karai, the "leader" in black robes showed the only unique personality.
Well-intentioned. He looked at the ferocious faces of the sailors with trembling eyes, at the sheathed scimitars, and the "blowpipe" that could release thunder... Maybe, he didn't have a chance to choose.
"..."
After a moment of hesitation, the hunter Tapir finally stretched out his hand and gingerly pinched Father Faria's sleeve. A smile suddenly appeared on the priest's face, like the benevolent smile of the Lord, and like the smile behind the sea.