Remarks on the Worari and Sirvatan, 51 



They could give, however, no information respecting the 

 flowers ; but they know the plant well, and call it mavacuri ; 

 and they state, that it is of the gourd kind, or one of the 

 cucurbitacea, of the size of a large orange, round, and having 

 a hard shell or pericarp, which is used at times to contain the 

 poison. 



The mahwy, they say, is the plant of which they make the 

 blow-pipe for projecting the arrow. 



This plant, according to their representation, has large 

 roundish leaves, is jointed, and has slight partitions, like those 

 of the trumpet-tree, which they punch and clear away with 

 long sticks of hard wood, fitted for the purpose. On further 

 conversation with Domingo, it appears to be a species of palm, 

 as, in respect to the texture, leaf and seed, he compares the 

 different parts to the eta and camawari. 



On showing him the small pigmy palm growing on the sands 

 of Essequibo, he said it was the wahwy ; exactly in respect to 

 the stem ; but not the leaf, as that is bifid, and that it was 

 similarly jointed. 



The lining tube is of the same material, a junior or smaller 

 plant of the same kind. 



In regard to the manufacture of the poison, Domingo and 

 Francisco say, that they, in general, add nothing, though some, 

 to thicken it, add the bark. They merely peel or scrape off 

 the bark, and bruise it well in a mortar. The mass is then 

 put into a funnel or cartocho made with wild plantain leaves, 

 and having a little cotton at the bottom to strain it ; plenty of 

 cold water is poured over it ; and they proceed in the same 

 manner as in drawing the lixivium of ashes. This infusion is 

 put into an earthen pot; (that which is here called a buck-pot), 

 and boiled down to a proper consistence. 



This was related circumstantially by Domingo and Fran- 

 cisco, separately. — They had no idea of the addition of other 

 substances (ants, &c), serving, in reality, only to dilute, and 

 render the poison less active, as prescribed by the Indians 

 living near our settlement, all of which are but inventions like 

 those of the charlatans of Europe to throw mystery over the 

 affair, and enhance the value of the art. It is very surprising 

 that men of good sense, like Mr. Waterton and Mr. Hillhouse, 



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