SAVAGE WEAPONS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 257 



hand is opened, the steel claws, like those of a lion, are exposed, and 

 are intended to rip the naked belly of the adversary. The term baymak 

 is understood to include several forms of weapons, such as brass knuckles 

 and spikes which are carried in the hand. 



The Samoans have a somewhat similar weapon — a glove made of coir, 

 and having on the inside several rows of shark's teeth, set hooking- so 

 that they retain anything - which is grasped. Like the baymalc, it is 

 intended to rip the abdomen of an enemy. To guard themselves against 

 this weapon the Samoans use a, heavy and wide belt of coir, reaching 

 from the arm-pits to the hips. This belt was the nearest to the nature 

 of clothing of anything in the islands; a number of cords of sinnet are 

 strained on two parallel sticks .about 30 inches apart; the sinnet weft is 

 then worked in over and under alternate threads. 130 



The bague de mort, seen by Stendhal in Rome, ]30a is like the East 

 Indian baymalc in the mode of hiding it in the hand, but it has only two 

 claws, which are of steel, very sharp and like those of lions. The piece 

 to which the claws are rooted is held in the haud by rings, through 

 which pass the second and third lingers, beneath which the claws are 

 hidden, nothing appearing but the rings. Poison is placed in grooves 

 channeled in the claws, like the poison groove in the fang of a rattle- 

 snake. 



Stendhal says: "Dans une foule, au bal par example, on saississait 

 avec une apparence de galanterie la main nue de la femine dont on voulait 

 se vengcr; en la serrant et retirant le bras, on la dechirait profondement, 

 et, en meine temps, on lassait tomber la bague de mort. Comment, dans 

 une foule, tron ver le coupable % " 



The Djibba tribe of the Upper Nile wear bracelets for cutting and 

 tearing, the edge being protected by leathern sheaths when the weapon 

 is not required for duty. Some of them have double jagged edges and 

 others a single sharp edge. 



The ISTuebr carry on the wrist an iron ring with projecting blades. 



The Roman boxing gauntlet, cestus, was a much less sanguinary affair, 

 being merely armed with lead or with bosses. 



We pass from knives to swords ; which is but to an implement of a 

 larger kind. The sword proper is a weapon, but the machete of the 

 Spaniard, the corn ami cane, knives of the plantation and farm, are 

 domestic implements of similar character, but with less ornamental fur- 

 nishing. Where vegetation is as large as that of the corn or sugar-cane, 

 a sword like implement is necessary in gathering it, and the same large 

 knife is used in tropical countries in cutting away the vines and creepers 

 which obstruct the narrow passes through the woods. 131 



Of the cruder materials, stone and wood, used in swords, the Exhibi- 

 tion furnished but few examples. Some of the clubs already considered 



Iffl \Vood, vol. ii, p. 354. 

 1300 " Promenades dans Rome," vol. i, p. 2G7. 

 131 Raffle's "Java," 4to, p. 113. 

 S. Mis. 54 17 



