XVI ITINERARY. 



a very deadly weapon for birds ; it consists of a hollow reed ten or 

 twelve feet in length without a joint — they are very difficult to obtain, 

 only growing in one district near the Orinoco. This reed is fixed into 

 a hollow stem to strengthen and preserve it from being bent, a sight 

 of two agouti teeth set in wax is fixed near the end. Great care is 

 taken when the blow-pipe is put away, it being either hung up by one 

 end or, if placed horizontally, two or three supports are placed under 

 it so as to distribute the weight and thus prevent it from drooping in 

 the middle and losing the straight line. The arrows, about a foot 

 in length, are made of the tough mid-rib of a leta-palm leaf and are 

 carried in a waterproof quiver. 



When preparing an arrow for use, a small amount of brouvali poison 

 is smeared on to the tip and a piece of raw cotton wrapped round the 

 other end, so as to fill the whole diameter of the pipe and catch the 

 full force of the puff which propels it. The arrows carry a fair distance, 

 and it is no trouble to the Indians to bring down IMacaws and Parrots 

 from the tops of the leta and cocorite palms, the bird only flying a few 

 3'^ards before falling to the ground and apparently losing all desire to 

 move — in a few moments the muscles relax and lose their power, and 

 death shortly afterwards follows. 



This poison is chiefly made by the Macusis, and as we wei'e in 

 their country and were fortunate enough to make friends with one of 

 the men who understood its manufacture, we were able to gather a 

 little information about it. 



The chief ingredient is the Wourali, a bush-rape growing to the tops 

 of the trees in the Kanuku jMountains; it was not in flower at the time 

 of our visit and no one could tell us what the flower was like. The 

 leaves are in pairs and 4 to 5 inches long, with five deep veins. The 

 leaf and leaf-stalk are conspicuous from the large quantity of sand-red 

 hair with which they are covered : thei'e appears to be little doubt 

 that it is strychtios. The stem was about forty inches in girth, and 

 it is the bark of this which is used. There are six other ingredients 

 used, three very similar in growth to the Wourali, and are supposed to 

 belong to the same genus, a species of cactus, and two other plants ; 

 no snakes' fangs or ants, as usually reported, are used in the con- 

 coction. Special observances have to be made before the piaiman can 

 begin his work ; he must eat spax"ingly for a month, and on no account 

 take anything sweet — the piaiman told us that if he was not hungry 

 when preparing the poison, the poison would not be hungry for its 

 work when made. He must also wait for a certain quarter of the 

 moon and drink tobacco-water at intervals ; but the greatest trial of 

 all is having to sleep in the bush by himself, as the poison would be 

 spoilt bv anyone approaching during its preparation. Wheii finished 

 it is kept in small gourds, a small quantity l^eing in the bottom of 

 each, and lasts for a long time if kept dry. In appearance it is not 

 unlike blackish toffee. 



I was very disappointed with the piaiman, having always had the 

 impression that, being looked on as a magician, he would be ti-eated 

 with a great amount of respect, but he seemed to be more pitied for 

 having to deprive himself of the good things of this world than 

 respected, and from his appoorance he did not seem to be in a very 



