284 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS (eth. ANN. 30 



is also the morp dangerous because from it can be obtaiiied binas 

 which, in addition to attracting all kinds of game, can attract thunder, 

 lightning, and rain. The Warraus admit that almost all they know 

 about the binas has been taught them by the Akawais and Caribs. 

 The Ai'awak serpent is known as Oroli (Secc. 36S), or, on account of 

 its rate of progression, Kolekondro (the slow walker). The tradi- 

 tions of all thi-ee tribes agree in that, after having been killed, the 

 snake was carefully burnt, and that from the ashes there subse- 

 quently arose all the different plants, mostly, but not all of them, 

 caladiums, which are now employed as binas (Sect. 168A). The 

 Arawaks say that — 



A long time ago people noticed how every now and asain one of their friends would 

 leave his house, go into the forest, and never he seen more. They accordingly made 

 up a big party, and tracked the latest victim to two immense silk-cotton trees, and 

 there was the huge serpent stretched across, somewhat like a bridge, from the summit 

 of one tree to the other. They found out that from this serpentine bridge, pieces of 

 the flesh would fall to the ground where they took on the form of dry firewood, which 

 the innocent folk passing by, would gather up in mistake: that immediately upon 

 just touching this dead timber the awful snake pounced down and seized its human 

 prey. It was accordingly agreed that Oroli must be killed, a deed which they suc- 

 ceeded in effecting by means of blow-pipes and poisoned arrows. The carcass was 

 then covered with bushes and saplings, and set fire to; as already mentioned the binas 

 all grew out of the ashes 



How the special efficacy of each bina was originally discovered has 

 been explained to me somewhat on the following lines: Trial would 

 daily be made of one plant after the other. Taking, for instance, 

 Plant No. 1: On the first day, the hunter might come across a tiger. 

 A plant that enticed or attracted such an animal would certainly be 

 of no use to him, and would accordingly be discarded. Another day, 

 he might try Plant No. 2, and run across a snake; that plant also 

 could be cast aside. If on the other hand, with Plant No. 3 he were 

 to fall in with some scrub-turkey ur similar game, he would reserve 

 that plant for futm-e use — and so on with each animal or bird of 

 economic value. But of comse nowadays since they Itnow of and 

 cultivate tliese different plants around their houses, such trials 

 are not necessary; they are quite aware what particular plant will 

 specially attract some particular animal. 



236. Corresponding animal binas for attracting game must be 

 somewhat scarce: I have succeeded in obtauiing only the following 

 examples. When ^Vi-awaks on the Pomeroon kill a bush-hog which 

 happens to contain young, they bury the latter under the house in a 

 spot below the place where the cassava is usually grated, the idea being 

 that other bush-hogs may come near the house to the .spot whither the 

 young are calling them. So among theUaupes River Indians, when 

 they kill a bush-hog they bury the head at the spot where they first 

 met the band, so that the latter may not stray away but return 



