60 BULLETIN 134, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



from the hard black grained chonta palm wood; a foreshaft of the 

 same wood; a reed shaft {Gynerium sagittatum) , with a cylin- 

 drical nock. 



One of the trident fish arrows, " nase " (Tule), of the Tule (Cat. 

 No. 327599-D, U.S.N.M., pi. 10, No. 1), is 44y 2 inches long. The 

 shaft, an imjointed cylindrical reed with a pithy core, has no feath- 

 ered shaftment and no seizing at the nock. Into the pithy interior 

 of the shaft at its distal end is thrust a sharpened cylindrical shaft 

 of chonta palm wood, "ila" (Tule) ; that is, the dark wood, to the 

 depth of several inches. The protruding end, 43,2 cm. (17 in.) 

 long, becomes the foreshaft. At the place of its insertion into the 

 reed shaft the latter is seized, to prevent splitting, with a wrapping 

 of strong three-ply cotton cord in simple roll 2.6 cm. (1 in.) wide. 

 The seizing is continued an equal distance about the foreshaft to 

 insure firmness. The ends of the seizing cord are tucked under 

 several of the end coils of the wrapping. 



Roth describes (p. 157) an interesting device in use by the Guiana 

 Indians to tighten the seizing cord. "There is a special tool, the 

 arrow tightener ... by which pressure is effected. This is com- 

 posed of a very strong kurana twine attached at its extremities to 

 two stumpy turtle bones. Winding the central portion of the string 

 a few times around the arrow shaft, pressure is exerted by holding 

 one bone between the big toes and pulling the other in the right 

 hand at the same time that the left hand keeps rolling the shaft 

 uniformly backward and forward." A similar tool is invariably 

 used by the natives of Darien in constructing the reed shaft until 

 the wrapping has been placed and its ends tucked under the outer 

 coils of the wrapping. The expansion of the reed shaft consequent 

 upon its release leaves the seizing cord taut. 



In regard to the foreshaft and the method of its attachment there 

 is no essential variation in the Darien fish arrows now in the Museum 

 (pi. 10, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Variation in arrow length depends upon 

 the size of bow used and is quite marked (pi. 10, Nos. 1 and 5). 

 There seems to be no definite method whereby the relative propor- 

 tions of shaft, foreshaft, and trident arrow head lengths are deter- 

 mined. Some of the shafts have a protective seizing at the proximal 

 end, others do not (pi. 10, No. 1, 4, 5). On some of the shafts the 

 seizing cord is stained with black beeswax to strengthen and to pre- 

 serve the cord; a decorative design in black and white is secured 

 by alternatively waxing or staining a section of the seizing cord 

 and in leaving the remainder in its natural color. 



Compound arrowheads and harpoons. — The arrows in use by the 

 Darien Indians may be classified as to component materials, whether 

 of reeds, hardwood, or iron. Another classification is according to 



