86 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS [ETH. ANN. 38 
it serves several useful purposes: It helps to withstand mosquitoes, 
softens the induration due to constant exposure, obviates excessive 
perspiration, and prevents them taking cold from the dews, rain, 
etc. (BA, 81). It is mixed with arnotta as a body paint. 
Astrocaryum tucumoides.—The awarra palm. The Indians sepa- 
rate the flesh from the seeds in a wooden mortar and then extract 
the oil by means of a matapi (AK, 281). 
Astrocaryum tucuma.—The akkoyuro palm (ScD, 99). Treated in 
similar fashion to the preceding. 
Attalea speciosa.—The Indians make an oil from this, the curua 
palm (App, 0, 79). 
Maximiliana regia Mart.—The kokerit palm (ScD, 99). The 
seeds after being boiled are put in the sun to dry. They are then 
crushed, mashed up with the hand, and finally placed in a small 
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Fig. 5.—Manufacture of crab-wood oil. 
form of cassava squeezer, whence the oil is expressed. Thus manu- 
factured by the Makusi, they use it for dropping into ‘‘bad”’ ears. 
The oil can also be extracted by crushing the seeds, boiling them in 
water, and skimming the oil off as it rises to the surface by means 
of small pads of cotton fiber (IT, 314). Schomburgk describes it 
as a fine oil (SeG, 242). 
Mespilodaphne pretiosa, the makeima of the Makusi.—The bark 
gives an ethereal oil. A decoction of it is used by the Indians for 
diarrhea and dysentery. The bark and leaves smell of cinnamon 
(App, u, 441). 
Oenocarpus bacaba.—The turu palm. In the course of preparation 
of the cumu drink the Surinam Indians obtained an oil with which 
they anointed their hair (AK, 79-80). The shopkeepers of Para 
buy pataua oil (Oenocarpus pataua) and mix it in equal proportions 
