G-abb.] Oib [Aug. 20, 



front end, from two to even four feet long, is made of the same wood as 

 the bow. For fish this is sharpened to a point and is barbed oa one, two, 

 or even three edges, or is made round. For quadrupeds, the wood is 

 shorter, not barbed, and is tipped with a lance-like head made by 

 laboriously grinding down an old knife blade to the requisite form. For 

 small birds, the head ends in a broad round button, flat on the face._ The 

 Tiribis use also a little arrow, endiu>? in a slightly open bunch of small 

 reeds. These are for killing a fish, conunon ia the Tilorio, never more 

 than five or six inches long, and which rests attached to rocks by a sucking 

 surface. The fish is so small that several points are necessary to the 

 arrow, so that if one does not strike another may. No poison is used on 

 the arrows, and, in fact the people seem to know of none. In their 

 quarrels, a stick is used over six feet long, nearly an inch thick and 

 about two inches wide, and made of the same wood as the bows, arrows, 

 and planting-sticks. It is very heavy and is grasped by the fingers and 

 thumbs of both hands in such a manner that they are guarded from a 

 blow. They guard and strike an "over-blow" always holding by both 

 hands. They are going out of use now that the people have discovered 

 the easier, but more dangerous process of litigation. Cracked heads and 

 broken arms give way to damages. For killing small birds the blow-gun 

 is used. This is a tube seven or eight feet long, made by punching and 

 burning the pith out from the heart of a palm trunk, nearly two inches 

 thick. They are made very straight and true inside, and are provided 

 with a double sight on top, made of two glass beads placed half an inch 

 apart : when finished they are covered with some resin or a species of 

 pitch to keep them from cracking or wai'ping. The missiles are clay 

 balls. These, previously prepared are carried in a little net, with them 

 there are two bone implements. One, simply a straight heavy piece of 

 bone used to drive alall out of the tube by its weight, incase of sticking. 

 The other is similar in appearance, but the end is worked into a I'ound 

 pit with sharp edges, for trimming the balls to the proper size and shape. 

 During the war between the Bri-bris and Tiribis, at the beginuiag of this 

 century, the principal arm used was an iron-headed lance fastened to a 

 shaft barely four feet long. For defense, round shields were carried on 

 the arm, made of the thickest part of the hide of the tapir. I was 

 fortunate enough to secure specimens of both, together with nearly all 

 the other implements, &c., described in the present paper. They are all 

 in the Smithsonian Museum. 



All people have some kind of music which doubtless gives pleasure to 

 them, although to our unappi-eciative ears it may sound riide and dis- 

 agreeable. The Marimba, an African instrument, found all over semi- 

 civilized Central America, is unknown here. I cannot understand the 

 surprise of an eminent African traveler, who writes wonderingly of the 

 coincidence, of finding this instrument in use in Africa and among the 

 Indians of C ntral America. It wa-i introduced with the African slaves 

 and has been retained among their descendants and neighbors. The 



