82 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH A^IERICA 



It is not found in the country of the Macoushi. 

 Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south- 

 west of them, in the wilds which extend betwixt 

 them and the Rio Negro. The reed must grow to 

 an amazing length, as the part the Indians use is 

 from ten to eleven feet long, and no tapering can 

 be perceived in it, one end being as thick as the 

 other. It is of a bright yellow colour, perfectly 

 smooth both inside and out. It grows hollow; 

 nor is there the least appearance of a knot or 

 joint throughout the whole extent. The natives 

 call it Ourah. This, of itself, is too slender to 

 answer the end of a blow-pipe; but there is a 

 species of palma, larger and stronger, and com- 

 mon in Guiana, and this the Indians make use of 

 as a case, in which they put the ourah. It is 

 brown, susceptible of a fine polish, and appears 

 as if it had joints five or six inches from each 

 other. It is called Samourah, and the pulp in- 

 side is easily extracted, by steeping it for a few 

 days in water. 



Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the 

 other, form the blow-pipe of Guiana. The end 

 which is applied to the mouth is tied round with 

 a small silk-grass cord, to prevent its splitting; 

 and the other end, which is apt to strike against 

 the ground, is secured by the seed of the Acuero 

 fruit, cut horizontally through the middle, with a 

 hole made in the end, through which is put the 

 extremity of the blow-pipe. It is fastened on 

 with string on the outside, and the inside is filled 

 up with wild bees '-wax. 



The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It 

 is made out of the leaf of a species of palm-tree, 



