We’ve all heard horror stories about the deadly Australian funnel-web spiders. A new report in the Lancet shows that deaths from spider bites are extremely rare. Only 26 deaths from spiders have been recorded in Australia in the past century. In comparison, there were 1,183 motor vehicle deaths in 2001 in Australia.
Funnel webs are only found in eastern Australia and there are at least 40 species. They are medium to large spiders, varying from 1-5 cm body length. They like to burrow in moist, cool, sheltered habitats – under rocks, in and under rotting logs, crevices, rot and borer holes in rough-barked trees. In gardens, they prefer rockeries and dense shrubberies, and are rarely found in more open situations like lawns.
Mistake, mistake, mistake – How could I have made such a stupid
mistake. At our late lunch stop I had changed from boots to
sandals, strong sandals, the problem was not with the footwear but
with my brain which seemed to have gone into non thinking mode as
the day started to turn to twilight. We had been walking fast,
through thick rain forest and crossing and re-crossing rivers or
maybe even the same river. The last few Kilometres of the twenty
seven from our jump into the jungle to the 'Yawanawa'
village, our guides had decided to make what was a two day trek
into one. Why? I have no idea, unless it was too see how we would
make out. My legs felt like lead pillars as I walked in the river
my sandals acting like buckets holding my down feet, like walking
in treacle, my heart pounded loudly with each stride as I tried to
keep up with 'Yawanawa' Indian ahead, who was starting to
disappear in the dusk. The tribe had warned us that the rain forest
was very dangerous at night and they would always be back in the
village by nightfall! Just as I thought I could go no further and
dusk started to turn to darkness, I saw a figure on the shore about
a hundred metres away waving me on. I staggered up to Adam Baines,
for that's who it was, as he said “Well done Tony we have
made it” and we shook hands. Months of politicking in the
urban jungle, then many adventures on the way to our final
destination, the 'Yawanawa' village of Novo Esperanca – At
last we had arrived or nearly, the last hurdle or just about the
last straw, was about seventy steps cut in to the steep river bank
leading up to the village.
The 'Yawanawa' were early risers, the queue for the
bathroom or in this case the river started at 0415 hours for the
women and then the men from about 0445 hours. Breakfast consisted
of something from the day before, usually highly salted and
difficult to keep down as the sun started to kiss the village roofs
of the 'Yawanawa'.
We had a
special treat one night, when the chief switched the fridge on for
a couple of hours and we had a mug of cold water that tasted as
good as any cold beer I have ever tasted.
These Indigenous people had five different ways of sustaining
themselves,' in the depth of this green paradise.
The two ways they made some money was with 'Aveda', a
Canadian firm that bought Uruku off the 'Yawanawa' for the
making of their expensive and famous make up, sold in top shops
like 'Harvey Nichols' both here, France and in North
America. The second way was with tapping the rubber and making it
into a sort of vegetable leather used in bags of all types and also
sold in quality shops in the worlds fashionable capitols.
The children had half a day of school and half a day of learning
how to work like their parents, in whatever was their speciality.
The best hunters or fisherman got the best and most desirable woman
as wives. I asked why no one seemed to wear glasses or have bad
hearing? – The answer was simple nobody would marry anyone with
those problems and therefore they were bred out – Survival of the
fittest! Adam's words echoed round my brain, “Lucky you
were born in London Tony”.
Antonio looked after the canoes and water transport; the tribe
would have its own specialists just as we do in our world. The
Chief himself would deal with the outside world business. The
Marriage with outsiders was not encouraged, The 'Yawanawa'
did not want Aids to in filter the village and also when a non
Indian married one of their girls, they tended to take the bride
out of the tribal area to live.
Becky introduces me to my host, Mr Sijaona. He is a
small wiry man with a purposeful stride. He welcomes me into his
house. I gaze around at the crumbling walls and the total lack of
comfort. But then he says in halting English that his other house
is better, (two wives, therefore two houses) – so I pick up my
suitcase and follow him down the dusty street.
We are sorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still
e-mailing strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of
travel reminiscences about Australia, camels which takes us to
India and then back to Australia.
