THE CAPTIVE AND HIS CAPTORS. 



38l 



horrible stuff for his weapons. This animal venom is too thin and volatile to 

 preserve its power long. It is, therefore, skillfully mixed with vegetable and mineral 

 poisons until it becomes thick and sticky. This compound is applied to the tips of 

 spears and arrows, a single puncture from which is enough to cause death with 

 almost the swiftness of a bite of the dreaded cobra de capello. 



