SOUTH AMERICA. 
59 
smell whatever, and there were no symptoms of first 
putrefaction, saving that, just round the wound, the- 
flesh appeared somewhat discoloured. 
The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends 
his blow-pipe from the top of his spiral roof; seldom 
placing it in an oblique position, lest it should 
receive a cast. 
Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended, while 
you take a view of the arms which are made to slay 
the larger beasts of the forest. 
When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or 
surprise the deer, or rouse the tapir from his marshy 
retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, which are 
very different from the weapons already described. 
The bow is generally from six to seven feet long, The bow 
and strung with a cord, spun out of the silk-grass, the chase. 
The forests of Guiana furnish many species of hard 
wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and 
excellent bows are formed. 
The arrows are from four to five feet in length, Arrows, 
made of a yellow reed without a knot or joint. It 
is found in great plenty up and down throughout 
Guiana. A piece of hard wood, about nine inches 
long, is inserted into the end of the reed, and 
fastened with cotton well waxed. A square hole, an 
inch deep, is then made in the end of this piece of 
hard wood, done tight round with cotton to keep it 
from splitting. Into this square hole is fitted a spike 
of Coucourite wood, poisoned, and which may be 
kept there, or taken out at pleasure. A joint of 
bamboo, about as thick as your finger, is fitted on 
