CURARE POISON. O73 
which he supposed they intended for sale. Not- 
withstanding the smallness of the mission three In- 
dian languages were spoken in it ; and among the in- 
habitants were some Zamboes, mulattoes, and cop- 
per-coloured people. A mineralogical error gave ce- 
lebrity to Esmeralda, the rock-crystals and chlori- 
tie quartzes of Duida having been mistaken for dia- 
monds and emeralds. The converts live in great 
poverty, and their misery is augmented by prodigi- 
ous swarms of mosquitoes. Yet the situation ef the 
establishment is exceedingly picturesque; the sur- 
rounding country is possessed of great fertility ; and 
plantains, indigo, sugar, and cacao, might be pro- 
duced in abundance. 
This village is the most celebrated spot on the 
Orinoco for the manufacture of the curare, a very 
active poison employed in war and in the chase, as 
well as a remedy for gastric obstructions. Erro- 
neous ideas had been entertained of this substance ; 
but our travellers had an opportunity of seeing it 
prepared. When they arrived at Esmeralda, most 
of the Indians had just finished an excursion to 
gather juvias or the fruit of the bertholletia, and 
the liana which yields the curare. Their return 
was celebrated by a festival, which lasted several 
days, during which they were in a state of intoxi- 
eation. One less drunk than the rest was employ- 
ed in preparing the poison. He was the chemist 
of the place, and boasted of his skill, extolling the 
composition as superior to any thing that could be 
made in Europe. The liana which yields it is named 
bejuco, and appeared to be of the Strychnos family. 
The branches are scraped with a knife, and the 
bark that comes off is bruised, and reduced to very 
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