KARSTEN] BLOOD EEVENGE, WAR, AND VICTORY FEASTS 5 



sticks out from the earth has a length of about half a meter. At 

 the surface of the earth the opening of the hole is covered with 

 small sticks and leaves which makes it difficult or impossible for the 

 enemy, creeping along in the darkness, to discover its presence 

 before he falls into it. When he falls his feet are transfixed by the 

 pointed sticks and he is not able to get out. Besides, the defenders 

 of the house are often keeping watch at these holes, ready to 

 dispatch the enemy when he is caught in them. The Jibaros call 

 these traps mesertinyu whud^ " a hole of death." 



Another kind of trap, which likewise is arranged on the narrow 

 path leading to the house, is the following : It consists of a small 

 tree, growing close to the path, which is bent down, or of a big 

 branch of a tree, one end of which is fixed in the ground so that with 

 the latter it forms an angle of about 30°. To the upper end of this 

 branch eight pointed chonta sticks are attached in such a way that 

 they form as it were a comb. The branch is bent back like a bow 

 against a couple of poles fixed in the ground for the purpose, to 

 which it is attached by means of a strong liana in a certain ingenious 

 way that can not be fully described in words. Across the path a 

 few inches over the ground another liana is stretched and tied at 

 one of the poles just mentioned. Between this liana and the liana 

 holding the bent branch there is such a connection that when the 

 foot of the enemy touches the former, the bow is released, and the 

 comb with the pointed chonta sticks will strike him with terrible 

 force in the face or the chest. The liana stretched across the path is 

 sometimes covered with leaves in order tliat the enemy may not 

 notice it, but besides, even this weapon is calculated to operate 

 mainly in the darkness, since the attacks are nearly always made 

 at night. The trap described (pi. 2) is called tamhunchi by the 

 Jibaros and singhva/i^ by the Quichua-speaking Canelos Indians. 



Whereas the tamhunchi has been used by the Jibaros since ancient 

 times, the following defensive measure is of modern origin : Across 

 the path along which the enemy is expected to come a blackened 

 string is stretched at such a height that it reaches a man to the chest. 

 At the tree where one end of the string is fastened a charged and 

 cocked rifle is tied, with the barrel fixed in the direction of the string. 

 The end of the string is brought in such a connection with the trig- 

 ger of the rifle that when the enemy, coming along in the darkness, 

 gives it a push, the shot is discharged and is likely to hit him in the 

 chest. Even if he should escape from being hit, the shot would warn 

 the inhabitants of the house that enemies were approaching. 



The big signal drum of the Jibaros, called tundui, also plays a 

 part in the wars, although originally it seems to have been a purely 

 religious instrument. At times when there is fear of an attack of 



