POISONED ARROWS OF THE ABORS AND MISHMIS OF NORTH-EAST INDIA. 907 



a toxic substance. Subcutaneous injection of the suspended powder produced only 

 such slight local irritative effects as any otherwise inert substance would produce, 

 and thus the statement is confirmed that it is incorporated with aconite root merely 

 for the purpose of adding to the adhesiveness of the arrow-poison. 



(d) Surg eon- General Sloggett's Consignment. 



For the second of these two interesting collections — also from the Mishmi 

 country— I am indebted to Surgeon-General (now Sir) Arthur Sloggett, R.A.M.C., 

 who obtained it in co-operation with Major Davidson, I.M.S. 



It was received in November 1912, and the poisoned arrows it contained were, 

 therefore, the last that came into my possession. Disablement for several months 

 caused by an accident prevented this collection from being examined by me until 

 long after its reception ; but as it was then found that aconite is the main ingredient 

 in the poison of the arrows, it is convenient to deal with this collection in the aconite 

 group of poisoned arrows. 



The collection consisted of a quiver, in which were seven poisoned arrows, termed 

 "war arrows," and two poisoned darts, termed "bird arrows." and several non- 

 poisoned darts ; and also of ten small aconite roots. 



The quiver, constructed of bamboo, is 660 mm. (26 inches) long and 170 mm. 

 (6f- inches) in circumference, and is provided with a leather-covered bamboo top and 

 a sling of plaited bamboo strips. There is attached to it a basket-work receptacle 

 or pocket of exactly the same construction as in Colonel Bailey's quiver, in which 

 were a spare sling consisting of a mere strip of cane, and two bundles of very fine, 

 dark hair-like threads, apparently of vegetable origin. 



From the same source, there was received soon afterwards one of the bows used 

 in shooting the poisoned arrows and darts. It arrived bent on its bow-string of 

 vegetable fibre, when it measured about 1020 mm. (40 inches) in length ; but when 

 unslung it measured about 1400 mm. (55 inches). It is flattened on the outer 

 surface, where there are four or five longitudinal grooves, and it has a diameter 

 over its greater part of 30 mm. (l-^ inch) and at its extremities of 15 mm. ( T Vinch). 

 The open structure and other appearances of the wood indicate that it is derived from 

 a monocotyledonous plant, and Professor Bayley Balfour, who kindly examined it, 

 is of opinion that the wood is that of a Bendrocalamus (Plate XCVIII, fig. 2). 



The darts or "bird arrows" vary in length from 560 mm. (22 inches) to 610 mm. 

 (24 inches). They are made of the same kind of wood and have about the same 

 thickness as the shafts of the poisoned arrows. They, however, are not terminated 

 with iron arrow-heads, but the wood is thinned to a point, on and below which, for 

 about 75 mm. (3 inches), the poison is scantily smeared round the wood, so as merely 

 to discolour it without increasing its diameter. The other end is provided with 

 " feathering," which consists of triangular pieces of palm leaf having usually the 



