258 SAVAGE WEAPONS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 



had sharpened edges and approximated the sword character. The New 

 Zealand stone sword, Fig. 80, can hardly be classed under any other 

 head, 'as it has a handle, a back, and an edge, and is ad- 

 apted to deliver a cutting blow. The swords of the 

 1 'clew Islanders are of wood inlaid with pieces of shell. 132 

 The Kingsinill Islanders have wooden swords, armed on 

 their edges with sharks' teeth lashed with sinnet braided 

 from the fiber of the cocoa-nut. The wooden blade has 

 grooved ridges to receive the teeth, cor- 

 responding holes being made in the 

 ridges and teeth through which the 

 braided cord is repeatedly passed to 

 fasten the teeth in this artificial alve- 

 olar ridge. The swords arc single or 

 double edged, and have guards similarly 

 armed with teeth, so that no part of the 

 weapon except the handle can be touched 

 with impunity. The spears are similarly 

 armed, like some which were shown from 

 the Philippine Islands. A fine assort- 

 ment of those weapons, obtained by the 

 Wilkes Expedition, is in the National 

 Museum at Washington. 



The gold-coast section of the English 

 colonies presented two curious swords 

 with broad, thin blades, especially wide 

 near the point. The perforations make 

 the blade still lighter. The tang is set 

 in a wooden handle with two knobs, be- 

 tween which is the hand-hold. Fig. 82 

 has a double blade, and is referred to as 

 an "executioner's sword": a weapon in 

 much demand all around that part of 

 no - 8*<m< the world, especially Dahom6. The two fig. si.— sword of the 



noord. ill » -p. 0(1 •. t . Oold coast, Africa. 



blades ot Fig. 82 are muted at a point 

 where the Battening of the bLides commences. The blades are 21 inches 

 long; the carved handles are 8 inches long, and one of them is gilded. 

 The swords of Pahome 133 have knobs on the ends of the blades, so 

 that they may be used as clubs. One noticed had a knob carved like a 

 human head. The bad; of another had a series of backwardly-curved 

 prongs, intended as hooks to catch a pursued enemy. The classic liarpe, 

 the sword of Mercury and I Vrsous. had a similar prong, hamus. Another 

 sword of bloody renown is the weapon of the "Razor Women," who form 





Wood, vol. i, p. 449. 

 ' ■ lhincaii's "Western Africa," p. 226. 



