EXPLANATOEY INDEX. 367 



woods never fly true. I have made imitations of these Arrows 

 in many kinds of wood, and found yew to be the best. The 

 end which is destined to receive the poison is beautifully 

 tapered by means of the pirai-tooth sharpener, and can, in 

 consequence of its hardness, be brought to a wonderfully fine 

 point. Owing to their very small size, a hundred or more can 

 be carried in the quiver, and they are arranged as shown in 

 the illustration, taken from my own specimens. 



The first illustration represents a few of these Arrows linked 

 together as described. 



I may mention that the strings at the ends of the central 

 stick are double. The Arrows are laid one by one between the 

 strings, a single turn being made between each Arrow, and 

 they are kept in their places by a couple of sliding knots, 

 which can be moved up and down the strings. The Arrows, 

 when in their places, bear some resemblance to the peculiar 

 mats used for cream cheeses, and perhaps a still greater re- 

 semblance to the parallel straws once employed by milliners 

 in the operation of "gauffring" muslin, ci'ape, and other fine 

 textures. 



BLOW-GUN ARROWS ROLLED AND TIED. 



It will be seen that the Arrows can be rolled round the 

 stick and tied together, and if one of the Arrows be wanted, it 

 can easily be pushed between the spokes of the wheel without 

 disturbing the roll. 



By some tribes, the wheel is not employed, but the stick 

 projects sufficiently to protect the hand, and is generally 

 forked at the top. 



Now for the Arrow as prepared for the blow-gun. The 

 wild cotton, to which Waterton alludes, is soft, yellow in 



