THE TOOTHED GAUNTLET. 113 



It is comparatively a modern weapon, having been invented 

 about two hundred years ago. A Hindoo, named Sewaja, was 

 the inventor, and by means of the Wag-nuk he committed many 

 murders unsuspected, the wounds being exactly like those 

 which are made by the claw of the tiger. Sometimes there 

 were four claws instead of three, as is the case with a specimen 

 one in the Meyrick collection. 



Perhaps the reader may be aware that the Transatlantic 

 " knuckle-duster " is fitted on the hand in the same manner, 

 only its object is to strike a heavy blow, and not to tear. History 

 repeats itself, and the large and clumsy " cestus " of the ancient 

 athlete is reproduced in the small but scarcely less formidable 

 " knuckle-duster " of the modern rowdy. 



The figures are remarkable, one representing the remaining 

 epoch of chivalry, and the other that of barbarism. The upper 

 figure shows a curious Gauntlet of the Middle Ages, in which 

 the hand is not only defended by steel plates, but is also 

 rendered an offensive weapon by the addition of four sharp 

 spikes set just at the junction of the fingers with the hand. 

 As long as the fingers are extended the spikes lie parallel with 

 them, and are as harmless as a cat's claws in their sheaths. 

 But when the fingers are closed, as shown in the illustration, 

 the spikes come into use, and can be made into a formidable 

 weapon of offence, just as are the cat's claws when protruded. 



Below the gauntlet of civilised warfare is one of savage war, 

 which has for many years been discontinued, partly on account 

 of the introduction of firearms, and partly owing to the super- 

 ficial coating of civilisation which is so easily adopted by the 

 singular varieties of the human race which populate the isles 

 where this remarkable weapon was once worn. The figure is 

 taken from a specimen in the United Service Museum. 



It is a Gauntlet, having at one end a band through which 

 the whole hand is passed, and at the other three loops for the 

 fingers, just like those of the Wag-nuk, which has already been 

 described. The body of the weapon is made of cocoa-nut fibre, 

 and upon it are strung six rows of sharks' teeth, the tips all 

 pointing backwards. It is a Samoan weapon, some of the 

 most renowned warriors never using club nor spear, but 

 trusting entirely to their terrible gauntlets. With these they 



