CHAPTEE III. 



Operation of the Wourali. — Its effects on the Ai, or three-toed Sloth. — 

 Death resembling sleep. — A poisoned Ox. — Poison proportionate to 

 size of animal. — Alleged antidotes. — An Indian killed by his own 

 arrow. — Ligatures and the knife. — Descent of the Essequibo. — Skill 

 of the boatman. — The Buccaneers. — Tertian ague. — Experiments with 

 Wourali. — Value of a ligature. — Artificial respiration. — Long life and 

 quiet death of Wouralia, — When good King Ai'thur ruled this land. — 

 Return of health. 



Having now followed the Indian in the chase, and de- 

 scribed the poison, let us take a nearer view of its action, 

 and observe a large animal expiring under the weight of 

 its baneful virulence. 



Many have doubted the strength of the wourali-poison. 

 Should they ever by chance read what follows, probably 

 their doubts on that score will be settled for ever. 



In the former experiment on the hog, some faint resist- 

 ance on the part of nature was observed, as if existence 

 struggled for superiority ; but in the following instance of 

 the sloth, life sank in death without the least apparent 

 contention, without a cry, without a struggle, and without 

 a groan. This was an Ai, or three-toed Sloth. It was in 

 the possession of a gentleman who was collecting curiosities. 

 He wished to have it killed, in order to preserve the skin, 

 and the wourali-poison was resorted to as the easiest 

 death. 



