FIRST JOURNEY. 



47 



but this lie has already planted round his hut. The 

 pounded fangs of the Labarri snake, and those of the 

 Counacouchi, are likewise added. These he commonly 

 has in store ; for when he kills a snake, he generally 

 extracts the fangs, and keeps them by him. 



Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he 

 scrapes the wourali vine and bitter root into 



Preparation . . -i • i p 



of the wourali thin shavings, and puts them into a kind of 

 colander made of leaves : this he holds over 

 an earthen pot, and pours water on the shavings : the 

 liquor which comes through has the appearance of 

 coffee. When a sufficient quantity has been procured, 

 the shavings are thrown aside. He then bruises the 

 bulbous stalks, and squeezes a proportionate quantity 

 of their juice through his hands into the pot. Lastly, 

 the snake's fangs, ants, and pepper are bruised, and 

 thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow fire, and as 

 it boils, more of the juice of the wourali is added, ac- 

 cording as it may be found necessary, and the scum is 

 taken off with a leaf : it remains on the fire till reduced 

 to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. As soon as it 

 has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with 

 it, to try its strength. If it answer the expectations, it 

 is poured out into a calabash, or little pot of Indian 

 manufacture, which is carefully covered with a couple 

 of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin, tied 

 round with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part 

 of the hut ; and from time to time suspend it over the 

 fire, to counteract the effects of dampness. 



The act of preparing this poison is not considered as 

 a common one : the savage may shape his bow, fasten 

 the barb on the point of his arrow, and make his other 

 implements of destruction, either lying in his hammock, 



