78 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



other is a little red ant, which stings like a nettle, 

 and generally has its nest nnder the leaf of a 

 shrub. After obtaining these, he has no more 

 need to range the forest. 



A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is 

 used; but this he has already planted round his 

 hut. The pounded fangs of the Labarri snake, 

 and those of the Counacouchi, are likewise added. 

 These he commonly has in store ; for when he kills 

 a snake, he generally extracts the fangs, and 

 keeps them by him. 



Having thus found the necessary ingredients, 

 he scrapes the wourali vine and bitter root into 

 thin shavings, and puts them into a kind of colan- 

 der made of leaves: this he holds over an earthen 

 pot, and pours water on the shavings : the liquor 

 which comes through has the appearance of cof- 

 fee. When a sufficient quantity has been pro- 

 cured, the shavings are thrown aside. He then 

 bruises the bulbous stalks, and squeezes a pro- 

 portionate quantity of their juice through his 

 hands into the pot. Lastly, the snakes' fangs, 

 ants, and pepper are bruised, and thrown into it. 

 It is then placed on a slow fire, and as it boils, 

 more of the juice of the wourali is added, accord- 

 ing as it may be found necessary, and the scum 

 is taken off with a leaf: it remains on the fire 

 till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown 

 colour. As soon as it has arrived at this state, a 

 few arrows are poisoned with it, to try its 

 strength. If it answer the expectations, it is 

 poured out into a calabash, or little pot of Indian 

 manufacture, which is carefully covered with a 

 couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's 



