Amazon Adventure
Encyclopedia
Amazon Adventure is a 1949
children's novel
by the Canadian
-born American
author Willard Price
featuring his "Adventure
" series characters, Hal and Roger Hunt
. It depicts an expedition to the Amazon River
to capture animals for their father's wildlife collection business.
1949 in literature
The year 1949 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Arthur C. Clarke becomes Assistant Editor of Science Abstracts.*Bertrand Russell receives the Order of Merit....
children's novel
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
by the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Willard Price
Willard Price
Willard DeMille Price was a Canadian-born American natural historian and author of children's fiction.Price was born in Peterborough, Ontario, and his family subsequently moved to the United States when he was four. He acquired his MA and Litt.D from Columbia University, before going on to edit...
featuring his "Adventure
The Adventure Series (Willard Price)
The "Adventure" series is a collection of children's adventure novels by Canadian-born American author Willard Price. The fourteen-book series chronicles the exploits of budding teenage zoologists Hal and Roger Hunt, as they travel around the world capturing exotic and dangerous animals for their...
" series characters, Hal and Roger Hunt
Hal and Roger Hunt
Hal and Roger Hunt are fictional characters appearing in the children's Adventure novel series, by Canadian-born American author Willard Price. The sons of world-renowned animal collector John Hunt, Hal and Roger have grown up alongside exotic and dangerous wildlife...
. It depicts an expedition to the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
to capture animals for their father's wildlife collection business.
Allies
- Terry- The smiling Irish pilot who flies the Hunts from QuitoQuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
to the Jivaro village. Terry's plane is in terrible condition, and the flight almost ends in disaster on several occasions. Hal decides that "Lady Luck must love this man!" - Chief- The Chief of the Jivaro village is friendly towards the Hunts, and is eventually persuaded to sell them the mummified head of a warrior, for which John Hunt pays double the requested price. The Chief also organises for Napo to accompany the trio down the uncharted Pastaza RiverPastaza RiverThe Pastaza is a large tributary to the Amazon River.It has its headwaters in the province of Tungurahua, where the Tambo River joins the Latacunga River, near the foot of the Volcano Tungurahua, flowing south-east towards the Amazon Basin...
. - Napo - The Jivaro warrior who accompanies Hal, Roger and John Hunt down the first segment of the Pastaza RiverPastaza RiverThe Pastaza is a large tributary to the Amazon River.It has its headwaters in the province of Tungurahua, where the Tambo River joins the Latacunga River, near the foot of the Volcano Tungurahua, flowing south-east towards the Amazon Basin...
. The waterfall at which he turns back is consequently dubbed Napo Falls. - Aqua - A young Indian whom Hal employed at IquitosIquitosIquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
, who is always willing to do more than he was asked to do. He was killed by the anacondaAnacondaAn anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda...
while bravely helping to capture it, and was buried at the foot of the tree where he gave his life.
Enemies
- "Shark" Sands- An unseen character, Sands is a rival animal collector. His nickname, "Shark," was given because he used to do some sharking in the South Seas. Reputedly, he narrowly escaped a murder charge in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and has recently purchased the second-largest animal collection business, behind John Hunt's. Having little knowledge of wildlife, Hal suspects that Sands is using foul means to achieve success. It is believed that Sands started the fire that destroyed the Hunt property on Long Island, destroying his entire animal collection, forcing John Hunt to return home. Hal also suspects that Sands hired the man named Croc to sabotage their expedition. What ultimately happened to him is unknown. - Croc- Hal suspects that "Croc" was hired by the rival animal collector "Shark" Sands to sabotage their expedition. Hal nicknames him Croc because his teeth are "snaggled and discoloured like a crocodile's." Hal first notices Croc following him in QuitoQuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, and again sees him at IquitosIquitosIquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
. When Croc's hired thugs are beheaded by Cocamas Indians, Hal decides to help him, and Croc steals their boat and deserts them to die beside the Amazon River. By boarding a floating island of land, Hal and Roger eventually catch up with Croc, overpower him and lock him in the anacondaAnacondaAn anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda...
cage. On their arrival in Manaos, the police arrest Croc for robberyRobberyRobbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
and incendiarism, and for the murder of twelve Indians. - Banco- A 'caboclo,' or a mixture of IndianIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, Banco is hired by Hal at IquitosIquitosIquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest, with a population of 370,962. It is the capital of Loreto Region and Maynas Province.Located on the Amazon River, it is only above sea level, although it is more than from the mouth of the Amazon at Belém on the Atlantic Ocean...
to help with capturing animals. A stubborn coward, Banco often does not do what he is told, and his foolish actions botch an attempt to capture a jaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
, resulting in the magnificent animal's death. Shortly after the brave Indian Aqua is killed by an anacondaAnacondaAn anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda...
, Banco convinces the other Indians to flee during the night with one of the boats.
Animals Captured
| Species | Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Iguana Iguana Iguana is a herbivorous genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena... |
Lured onto the boys' boat by Roger's singing | |
| Anaconda Anaconda An anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda... |
The brave Indian Aqua was killed while attempting to capture this snake | |
| Boa Constrictor Boa constrictor The Boa constrictor is a large, heavy-bodied species of snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive... |
Several dozen baby boa constrictors were also acquired when the captured mother gave birth | |
| Tapir Tapir A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain... |
Nosey | Nosey's mother was shot down while attacking the Hunts' camp |
| Vampire Bat Vampire bat Vampire bats are bats whose food source is blood, a dietary trait called hematophagy. There are three bat species that feed solely on blood: the Common Vampire Bat , the Hairy-legged Vampire Bat , and the White-winged Vampire Bat .All three species are native to the Americas, ranging from Mexico to... |
Vamp | Roger is given the task of regularly providing fresh blood for the bat, usually from a capybara Capybara The capybara , also known as capivara in Portuguese, and capibara, chigüire in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador ronsoco in Peru, chigüiro, and carpincho in Spanish, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs... |
| Marmoset Marmoset Marmosets are the 22 New World monkey species of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Callibella, and Mico. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term marmoset is also used in reference to the Goeldi's Monkey, Callimico goeldii, which is closely related.Most marmosets... |
Specs | |
| Jabiru Jabiru The Jabiru is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It is most common in the Pantanal region of Brazil and the Eastern Chaco region of Paraguay. It is the only member of the genus Jabiru... |
Stilts | Captured when it tried to raid the boys' fish stocks. |
| Wood Ibis Ibis The ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae.... |
This bird was eaten when an anaconda boarded the boat and smashed open the cage | |
| Basilisk Common Basilisk The Common Basilisk is a lizard found in Central and South American rainforests near rivers and streams.The basilisk is part of the corytophanid family... |
The enthusiastic Indian Aqua captured this lizard | |
| Electric Eel Electric eel The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range... |
Was captured while the boys were on the floating island. The electric eel is used to overpower Croc once they catch up with their boat | |
| Giant Anteater Giant Anteater The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina... |
One giant anteater was killed during a capture attempt, but a second was captured safely | |
| Sloth Sloth Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South... |
||
| Armadillo Armadillo Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"... |
||
| Amazon Deer Deer Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year... |
Was used as bait to lure the anaconda, but survived the ordeal | |
| Two jaguar Jaguar The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico... s |
Includes one very rare black jaguar Black panther A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars , in Asia and Africa they are black leopards , and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars A black panther is... , which, surprisingly, was captured using "bird-lime." |
- A mummified head, nicknamed Charlie, was acquired at the friendly Jivaro village. The head was requested by the American Museum of Natural HistoryAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryThe American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
for their anthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
collection. - A Jivaro arrow, stuck in the Hunts' boat after being shot at them, was also taken as a curio.