60 WANDERINGS IN 



FIRST essence ; terrible importer of death, into whatever 



JOURNEY. 



animal it enters. Let us now see how it is used ; 



let us examine the weapons which bear it to its 

 destination, and take a view of the poor victim, 

 from the time he receives his wound, till death 

 comes to his relief. 



When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of 

 feathered game or other birds, he seldom carries 

 his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he 



tion of the x r 



blow-pipe, then uses. This extraordinary tube of death is, 

 perhaps, one of the greatest natural curiosities 

 of Guiana. 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 in- 

 side 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 common 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, 



