PRINCIPLE OF THE BARB. 



69 



different forms, according to the object of the weapon and the 

 nationality of the maker. 



As in this work I prefer to show the gradual development of 

 human inventions, I shall take my examples of barbs entirely 

 from the weapons of uncivilised nations, six examples of which 

 are given in the accompanying illustration, and five of them 

 being drawn from specimens in my collection. 



The upper left-hand figure is rather a curious one, the position 

 of the barbs being nearly reversed, so that they serve to tear 

 the flesh rather than adhere to it. The opposite figure repre- 

 sents an arrow with a doubly barbed point. It is chiefly used 

 for shooting fish as they lie dozing on or near the surface of the 

 water, but it is an effective weapon for ordinary hunting pur- 

 poses, and, as the shaft is fully five feet in length, is quite 

 formidable enough for war. 



The left-hand bottom figure represents a very remarkable 

 instrument, for it can hardly be called a weapon, and is, in fact, 

 the head of a policeman's staff. It is peculiar to Java, and is 

 called by the name of " Bunday." As may be seen by refer- 

 ence to the illustration, the head of the Bunday is formed of 

 two diverging slips of wood. To each of these is lashed a row 

 of long and sharp thorns, all pointing inwards, and the whole 

 is attached to a tolerably long shaft. 



When a prisoner is brought before the chief, a policeman 

 stands behind him, armed with the Bunday, and, if the man 

 should try to escape, he is immediately arrested by thrusting 

 the weapon at him, so as to catch him by the waist, neck, or 

 arm, or a leg. Escape is impossible, especially as in Java the 

 prisoner wears nothing but his waist-cloth. 



A weapon formed on exactly the same principle was used in 

 the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and was employed for 



