Identifier: handbooktoethnog00brit (find matches)
Title: Handbook to the ethnographical collections
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: British Museum. Dept. of British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography Joyce, Thomas Athol, 1878-1942 Dalton, O. M. (Ormonde Maddock), 1866-1945
Subjects:
Publisher: (London) : Printed by order of the Trustees
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Fig. 26t5.—Stone axe. Tocantins River, ))razil. Tlie haljit of poisoning arrows was general in the Amazoniani-egion, the best known poison being the Curari, ijrocured fromtlie roots of S(n/chuos toxifcra. The i)oints of arrows were made ofreed or hard wood, chipped stone or Hint heads not being foundas in North America. 284 AMERICA The blow-gun is a characteristic weapon in Guiana and on theupper Amazon. Tlie arrows are very slender, wads of raw cottonat the butts fitting exactly into the bore of the tulje like the blocksof pith on the similar arrows of the Malays. Quivers are made ofplaited reed or of bambu (fig. 266). Ground stone axes (fig. 265),often of very elegant shapes, were in general use, and woodenand hide shields were formerlv carried in defence.
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Fig. 266.—Bambu quiver for blow-gun darts, with gourd for holdingcotton. Ucayale River, Peru. Tapirs, monkeys, and other animals are hunted, and fish arespeared, netted, and stupefied with narcotics. Navigation is not highly developed ; canoes were of the dug-outclass. But the more primitive tribes had no canoes at all, anddid not even know how to swim. Society was organized on the clan or gentile system, thoughthere was no universal rule that descent and inheritance shouldpass in the female line ; where it so passed it favourably affected SOUTH AMEBIC A 285 the position of women. Thecurious custom of the Convade wasknown to some tribes, and someform of initiation or test of en-durance was commonly imposedon adolescents of both sexes. Aspriest and doctor the peay orshaman was as important aperson as in North America.Ceremonial dances were general,and among ceremonial objects thebull-roarer occurred in CentralBrazil. There is a general be-lief in a future life. The dead

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