The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-13
The Sumpitan, or BlOw-tube, of Malaga.

The projectiles used are darts, vary
ing from five to eight or nine inches in
length. The Dyak war dart is the short
est, and is usually furnished with small
metal arrowhead. In this case the shaft
is of light wood. The longer darts, such
as those used in Sumatra, are made
from harder and heavier wood, usual
ly the long spikes taken from the palms.
These are left thicker toward the point
than at the other end, so as to counter
balance the weight of the conical piece
of pith there affixed. This piece of pith,
the broadcast part of which is but very
little less than the bore of the blow-tube,
is absolutely necessary for the forcible
propulsion of the dart. AS it does not fit
the tube precisely, there is necessarily
some escape of force. For this reason,
when very hard shots are desired, a
small pellet of cotton or other suitable
fibrous material is put behind the dart.
The great secret in making the darts is to
insure that they balance exactly. e.,
one half must be exactly the same weight
as the other. Under any other condi-
tions true shooting is impossible. In
Padrang, Sumatra, was much aston
ished to meet man using for very
small birds darts constructed out of CO.
coanut-tree leaves. He took a spike of
the leaf, and cut off a piece about five
inches long. The, stalk of this he de-
nuded of all leaf except one piece an
inch and half long on one side, the
result being an article having the shape
of quill-pen. The inch and half
fragment of leaf that remained was
curled round to allow its admittance into
the blow-tube. When we remember
that it was green leaf, we can form an
idea of the force with which the darts
are propelled to kill. For my particular
amusement the sportsman, who was
laden witha supply of at least 800 darts,
shot oneofthese palmleaf projectiles over
some water, and | calculated that the
range was well over eighty yards. The
initial velocity was so great that the dart
could not be seen for the first twenty
five yards. The greatest adopts with
the sumpitan, especially ato the present
day, when its use is surely dying out,
are undoubtedly the Dyaks. From what
| have heard, and from what know OF
my own observation, a Dyak would
shoot q dart $50 yards to certainty
and | should not care to bet very much
against 200 yards being accomplished
d by picked men. This statement
may SAVIOR of the Strayeler or.
der, but / fancy most Bornear
travellers will agree with rne. The small
dart is, of course, not sufficient Of itsel
to take human life, but the Dyals poison
their projcctilesin warfare, when slight
wound anywhere is all that is necessary
Mr.. Paul, who was some years in BorneC
with Sir James Brooke, told me.that h,
once saw q Dyak who put two darts int
sumption, one behind the other, anC
by some inexplicable means shot out tn,
front one first, and followed with tn
other after an interval. This man wa
doubtlesssa sort of DIR. Carver anon.
the Dyaksy Precision with the blow-tub
is, as with every other weapon, q mer
matter of practice. In shooting SINAI
birds out of trees for collecting purposes
for which service recommend the blow
tube, the range would never be YER
great. A bird twenty feet high in
tree is pretty high, considering that it i
in the lower, full-leaved trees that tn
birds congregate, in preference to tn