64 



WANDERINGS IN 



First kept there, or taken out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo. 



Journey. 



about as thick as your finger, is fitted on over the poisoned 



spike, to prevent accidents, and defend it from the rain, 

 and is taken off when the arrow is about to be used. 

 Lastly, two feathers are fastened on the other end of the 

 reed to steady it in its flight. 



Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a httle 

 box made of bamboo, which holds a dozen or fifteen 

 Spikes. poisoned spikes, six inches long. They are poisoned in 

 the following manner : a small piece of wood is dipped 

 in the poison, and ^v^ith this they give the spike a first 

 coat. It is then exposed to the sun or fire. After it is 

 dry it receives another coat, and then dried again; after 

 this a third coat, and sometimes a fourth. 



They take great care to put the poison on thicker at 

 the middle than at the sides, by Avhich means the sj)ike 

 retains the shape of a two-edged sword. It is rather a 

 tedious operation to make one of these arrows complete ; 

 and as the Indian is not famed for industry, except when 

 pressed by hunger, he has hit upon a plan of preserving 

 his arrows which deserves notice. 



About a quarter of an inch above the part Avhere the 

 Coucourite spike is fixed into the square hole, he cuts it 

 half through ; and thus, when it has entered the animal, 

 the weight of the arrow causes it to break off there, by 

 which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured ; so 

 that, should this be the only arrow he happens to have 



