WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 95 



a tree above him. It was nearly a perpendicular 

 shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in the 

 descent, struck him in the arm, a little above the 

 elbow. He was convinced that it was all over with 

 him. "I shall never," said he to his companion 

 in a faltering voice, and looking at his bow as he 

 said it, "I shall never," said he, ''bend this bow 

 again." And having said that, he took off his lit- 

 tle bamboo poison-box, which hung across his 

 shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and 

 arrows on the ground, he laid himself down close 

 by them, bid his companion farewell, and never 

 spoke more. 



He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded 

 by a poisoned arrow from Macoushia had better 

 not deiDend upon the common antidotes for a cure. 

 Many who have been in Guiana will recommend 

 immediate immersion in water, or to take the 

 juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth full of 

 salt; and they recommend these antidotes be- 

 cause they have got them from the Indians. But 

 were you to ask them if they ever saw these anti- 

 dotes used with success, it is ten to one their an- 

 swer would be in the negative. 



Wlierefore let him reject these antidotes as un- 

 profitable, and of no avail. He has got an active 

 and deadly foe within him, which, like Shake- 

 speare's fell Sergeant Death, is strict in his arrest, 

 and will allow him but little time — very — very lit- 

 tle time. In a few minutes he will be numbered 

 with the dead. Life ought, if possible, to be pre- 

 served, be the expense ever so great. Should the 

 part affected admit of it, let a ligature be tied 



