Manchester Mcj/ioij's, Vol. I. (1906), No. 4- 11 



inch. A peculiar method is adopted for boring the tube 

 of the sumpitan. The wood having been carefully 

 selected is roughly hewn into a cylinder of the required 

 length but usually at least three inches in diameter and 

 is then hung up in a vertical position in the centre of a 

 stout four cornered scaffolding in such a way that its 

 lowest end is just over the workman's head. The tool 

 which is used for boring consists of a long iron rod with 

 a chisel-edged end, which the workman directs with 

 upward strokes against the centre of the hanging log. 

 The iron drill is fitted with a moveable wooden handle 

 which is moved downwards as the hole is driven further 

 and further into the log. The operation, as might be 

 expected, is a slow one, but in spite of the primitive 

 tool which is employed and the method of using it, it is 

 astonishing how accurately the centering of the hole is 

 maintained. To finally smooth and polish the tube a 

 piece of rattan, which closely fits it, is passed through it 

 and this is worked backwards and forwards until the 

 required finish is obtained. The rough blowtube is now 

 carefully cut down to the required thickness and the 

 exterior rounded and smoothed off by scraping. Usually 

 the sumpitan is used as a spear as well as a blow tube, a 

 heavy spear head about 12 or 14 inches long being 

 lashed to the end with thin strips of rattan in such 

 a way that there is no interference with its use as a 

 means of projecting the small darts of which the native 

 carries a supply in a bamboo case slung at his waist. 



The darts are seemingly harmless weapons, since 

 they are merely small pieces of the central stem of a 

 palm leaf from six to eight inches long and no thicker 

 than an ordinary knitting needle. One end of the dart 

 is fitted with an inch- long plug of soft pith which closely 

 fits the tube of the sumpitan, whilst the pointed end is 



