THe INDIANS OF GUIANA. 45 
arrow of that sort into a young green tree; if the tree 
within three days drops its leaves the poison is suffi- 
ciently strong, ay, so powerful that not only the 
wounded immediately dies, but it is even related that 
during the last insurre€tion of the negroes in Berbice a 
child being carried on the back of its mother and shot 
through with a poisoned arrow, the mother although not 
in the least wounded herself, swelled enormously, and 
died shortly afterwards. 
They stick their arrows in a quiver made of the bark 
of a tree, covered with leather, which they carry at their 
side. 
They likewise make use of a cudgel or sword, consist- 
ing of a piece of letter, iron, or other hardwood, two or 
two and a half feet long, one inch thick, and three or 
four inches broad at the ends, but tapering at the centre 
and rounded, with figures carved on it. 
Those of the Palicours Nation make use of a sort of 
pike, called by them Serfo, made of letterwood, this 
being the only distinguishing weapon of their Chief or 
Captain. 
The only weapon of defence they possess, is a shield 
of very light wood, which they paint in different colours ; 
its form is almost square, a little hollow in the centre, 
where a handle is fixed. The Indians in the Dutch 
- Colonies have no poisoned arrows which they shoot with 
the bow, the Acquoways excepted, who make use of 
long blow pipes in which they insert poisoned little 
arrows of a span long and very thin, snapt at the point, 
or curved inwards, in order that when pulling them out 
of the wound, they should break off; with these they can 
hit their objeét <t a great distance with a nicety. 
