roTH] WEAPONS: HUNTING AND FIGHTING 161 
reaches a length of from 160 to 165 cm. It terminates im a fine, 
eradually tapering point, the distal extremity of which is streaked 
with curare, and is incised with five rings, to insure that the head 
A B 
may snap in the wound 
when the animal makes its 
escape into the thicket. 
The weapon is not feath- 
ered. The complete outfit 
consists of seven of such ar- 
rows protected inacommon 
casing. This is about 20 
em. long, has the shape of a 
truncated cone, and is made 
of a separate casing of leaf 
or reed for each arrowhead, 
tied together with fiber in 
such a way that six of 
them inclose the seventh, 
their interstices being then 
filled in with pitch. Over 
the whole are now wrapped 
certain tough leaves, tied 
round with fiber, and the 
farther end protected with 
pitch, so as to prevent the 
arrow points piercing the 
cover (KXG, 1, 103). 
135. The ashiritai arrow 
of the Arawak (fig. 50) has 
a tapering wooden head, 
more or less oval in section, 
and jagged on either side 
into more or less definite 
barbs. The name indicates 
any sharp point in refer- 
ence to the jagged edges. 
It is employed for shoot- 
ing big birds, as marudi, > - 
; i Fic. 49.—Arrows: A, Head simple, a pencil; B 
powis, and maam, and is head composite and fixed, a pencil, (After 
feathered. A similar arrow IGMP CHUTE) 
is used by Carib, Makusi, Wapishana (who call it tarau), and is 
practically identical with a form described by Pinckard from the 
Indians at Berbice: A thin piece of hardwood, pointed and cut in 
many notches at the sides is fastened to the reed and forms the end 
of the arrow (Pnk, 1, 487). So, also, in Cayenne, among the Ojana 
