The wourali poison is made chiefly by the natives of the northern part
of the Amazonian valley. It is looked upon as an important and somewhat
mysterious operation. Waterton and Schombergh describe it. The Indian,
when preparing to concoct this deadly compound, goes into the wilds
where grows a vine--the strychnos toxifera. After this he collects a
number of bundles, and then takes up a root with an especially bitter
taste. After this he searches for two bulbous plants, which contain a
green and glutinous juice; and lastly, collects two species of ants--one
very large and black, and so venomous that its sting produces fever, and
another little red ant which stings like a nettle. Having scraped the
wourali vine and bitter root into thin shavings, he puts them into a
sieve made of leaves, which he holds over the earthen pot, pouring water
on them. A thick liquor comes through, having the appearance of coffee.
He then produces the bulbous stalks, and squeezes a portion of the
juice into the pot. He now adds the pounded fangs of the labarri and
counacouchi snakes,--which he generally has in store, as well as the
ants. The ingredients are next boiled over a slow fire, and the scum
being taken off, the liquid remains till it becomes reduced to a thick
syrup of a deep brown colour. It is now fit for use. The arrows are
then dipped into it, and if it is found of sufficient strength, it is
poured into small pots, which are covered over with leaves and a piece
of deer-skin. It is then kept in a dry place, or suspended occasionally
over a fire, to counteract the effects of damp.
The poison must be fresh to kill speedily. A bird dies in a minute or
so, and the largest animals only survive a few minutes after being
struck. Salt is almost a certain antidote to the poison. The Indians,
when they wish to preserve an animal alive, scrape off part of the
poison, and, as soon as the animal falls, put salt into its mouth, when
it speedily recovers. Monkeys are frequently captured in this way.
Europeans accustomed to eat salt seldom suffer from the effects of the
poison; though it is said to produce its usual deadly effects on the
natives, when wounded by it, as they rarely or never consume salt.
The flesh of the animals killed is in no way injured by the poison, nor
does it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife.
Bows, with arrows four or five feet long, are used to kill the larger
animals. The arrows are made of a yellow reed without joint or knot. A
piece of hard wood is inserted into the end, and in this a square hole
is made, tightly bound round with cotton to keep it from splitting.
Into this square hole a spike is fitted, and dipped in the poison, while
at the butt-end a couple of feathers are fastened to steady it in its
flight. The hunter carries a number of these poisoned spikes. As the
spike easily breaks off, or slips out when the animal is wounded, he
recovers his shaft, into which he can easily refit another spike. The
spikes are cut half through, to facilitate their breaking off.