CHAPTER III. 



Operation of the Wourali. Its effects on the Ai, or three-toed Sloth. 

 Death resembling sleep. A poisoned Ox. Poison proportionate to 

 size of animal. Alleged antidotes. An Indian killed by his own 

 arrow. Ligatures and the knife. Descent of the Essequibo. Skill 

 of the boatman. The Buccaneers. Tertian ague. Experiments with 

 Wourali. Value of a ligature. Artificial respiration. Long life and 

 quiet death of Wouralia. When good King Arthur ruled this land. 

 Return of health. 



HAVING now followed the Indian in the chase, and de- 

 scribed the poison, let us take a nearer view of its action, 

 and observe a large animal expiring under the weight of 

 its baneful virulence. 



Many have doubted the strength of the wourali-poison. 

 Should they ever by chance read what follows, probably 

 their doubts on that score will be settled for ever. 



In the former experiment on the hog, some faint resis j 

 ance on the part of nature was observed, as if existence 

 struggled for superiority ; but in the following instance of 

 the sloth, life sank in death without the least apparent 

 contention, without a cry, without a struggle, and without 

 a groan. This was an Ai, or three-toed Sloth. It was in 

 the possession of a gentleman who was collecting curiosities. 

 He wished to have it killed, in order to preserve the skin, 

 and the wourali-poison was resorted to as the easiest 

 death. 



