THE GUIANAS AND VENEZUELA 



563 



detached from the shaft, but remaining fixed to a line, at the other end of which is a lloat. 

 A very heavy type of arrow is employed for shooting the river-tortoises, whose eggs form such 

 an important item in the diet of the Indians of the Orinoco; while yet other descriptions 

 are respectively used for big game and birds. Very characteristic are the deadly arrows 

 tipped with ourali poison. The points of these arrows, which are more or less jagged, 

 are in the form of long, narrow strips of wood ; these are carried separately in a bamboo quiver, 

 and only inserted in the reed shaft immediately before use. The blow-pipe, which in Guiana 

 is restricted to the savanna tribes, is a very characteristic South American implement, consisting 

 of a bamboo tube from 12 to 16 or more feet in length, through which is blown a small dart. 

 The darts consist of splinters of wood, tipped with ourali, 5 or G inches in length, and are 

 carried in a quiver, together with the jaw of a small fish (perai) and a basket of cotton 

 or other fibre. "When game is seen," to quote once more from Mr. im Thurn, "one 

 of the darts is placed between two of the sharp teeth of the perai, and twisted sharply 

 round in such a way that a very small portion of the point is almost but not quite severed 

 from the main part; this is in order that the point may break off in the body of the animal, 

 that the dart may again be used. A little of the fibre is then wound round the other end 

 of the dart I.e. the dart is ' feathered ' care being taken not to destroy the balance. The 

 dart is then inserted in the blow-pipe, aim is taken, the dart is blown, and the bird almost 

 invariably falls. The certainty with which an Indian can take aim with these hurelv long 



i !5 J 



weapons, even when supported by only one hand, is really wonderful. The range of the 

 weapon is as much as from 40 to 50 feet.'' The men are the hunters and fishers, and spend 

 the days on which they are at home lying idle in their hammocks, smoking cigarettes and 

 talking. All the house-work, tilling the ground, sowing and reaping the crops, grinding the 

 cassava, etc., falls to the share of the women. 



As regards dwellings, the Warraus, as already mentioned, used to build houses supported 

 on poles on the low and swampy coast-lands; but, under the security afforded by good 

 government, these have fallen to a great extent into disuse, although a few are still constructed. 

 The Arawaks, Ackawois, and true Caribs of the forest districts, where there is shelter from cold 

 winds, build houses consisting merely of a roof with suitable supports. On the other hand, 

 the Macusis, Arecunas, and Wapianas of the open savannas construct substantial dwellings 

 with thick walls of clay, and a thatch of palm-leaves. Space does not allow of reference to 

 the interior economy of these houses, but it may be mentioned that the inhabitants always 



AN ENCAMPMENT OF LEN'GUA INDIANS. 



