104 INTRODUCTION. 



struction is the sarra-racca or uttewacca. The 

 iron point is slightly fixed and attached to a long 

 string, which is neatly wound up round the upper 

 shaft of the arrow ; when the fish is struck, it darts 

 into the deep, and the point having detached itself, 

 the line runs off rapidly, while the arrow which 

 swims on the surface points out the situation where 

 the fish is, and the Indian goes in chase with his 

 canoe. This kind of arrow is likewise used for 

 shooting fresh-water turtle, which are sometimes 

 of an enormous size; nevertheless, the force with 

 which the arrow is discharged causes the point to 

 penetrate through the shell. It is only to be won- 

 dered at how so large an animal can be secured 

 with so thin a string as that which is attached to 

 the iron point ; but I believe, in their skill in land- 

 ing a large fish or hauling in a turtle, they would 

 not yield to the best angler in England. 



The samoro is an arrow of peculiar construction, 

 and three wounds are at once inflicted by it. It is 

 used for striking the larger fishes which frequent 

 the rivers of Guiana. 



These are the arrows which are generally in use 

 for shooting fish, but various are the ways used 

 to entrap the finny tribe. An ingenious method to 

 secure fish, without much trouble, is by means of 

 spring-hooks. The Indians take an elastic and 

 tough stick, of the thickness of a finger, to the 

 thinner end of which a hook is attached, while the 

 thicker end is driven in the bank of the river, or 

 perhaps tied to the branch or root of a tree under 



