Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28

How the Medicine Men Make Weapons
Deadly.

| IRENE southwest your correspondent was AZ
forded the opportunity Of securing new and
interesting facts respecting the manufacture OF
| arrow poisons, . custom which at one time pre-
vailed extensively among the tribes Of North
America. but which has been almost entirely
abandoned since the Introduction Of firearms.
There Is sufficient evidence ut hand to show that
poisoned weapons were frequently used In war
fare, though originally these toxic agents were
resorted to, no doubt for better effect ofthe rude
weapons with which the primitive hunter was
armed. Among Others, as will be shown below,
poisoned weapons were used only In the
destruction Of noxious animals. but under any
circumstances 1t II doubtful whether savage
would hesitate to resort to such weapons In the
destruction Of an enemy should a favorable OPP
portunity be presented. Usually the prepara-
ton OF poison was attended with great deal of
ceremony. the nominations and manipulations
being conducted either by the Shaman or the
war chief. The ingredients selected for the pre-
paration OF toxic compounds vary greatly in diff
ferent localities. vegetai polsons predominating
In the warmer regions while the organic are
preferred in the colder ATTITUDES This is attrib-
utable to the fact that poisonous plants are
scarcefn the northern portion of the continent
and that organic poisons deteriorate rapidly In
the tropics. There are numerous instances also
harmless nature, the belief in its potency being
based mainly upon the amount Of dancing and
derlry performed by an awe-inspiring Shaman.
POISON OINTMENT.
The first group, to which reference will be
made, consists of three posons prepared by the
Moqui OF Arizona The first of these is called
Ti-ki-ie-li-wi-poison ointment. Poison given
internally to cause death, whether IN powder or
liquid, has no definite name beyond its being
bad medicine" The ''poison ONT ment'' is pre-
pared In this wise: A rattlesnake is tormented
Ttno fxrha I, r.
Order" dips the arrow point, as well as a short
portion Of the shaft, into the blood obtained
from the serpent. 1t is stated that wound
from such an arrow will cause death In from
three to four days under ordinary circumstances,
and in much shorter time II the victim has
been fasting for day or two, condition In
which an Indian is frequently found even in
times OF peace. The second variety is pre-
pared from the "humble bee," which, after
being maddened by being disturbed In the
nest and struck at by withes and branches, is
killed. The insects are then gathered and
| crushed in primitive stone mortar, where the
mass Is thoroughly macerated after which the
| arrows are anointed In manner similar to the
preceding. Wounds are not liable to cause
dangerous results. although they become ex-
ceedingly infamed and very painful, the effects
being attributable to the presence OF formic
| acid The third variety is prepared by crushing
number OF large red ants-a variety found all
over the northern elevated areas-in a similar
AnouuSi I'D tuc pIeCeufIg. anu IN winch the
| arrows are dipped. This poison is not neces-
sarily fatal one, though instances have been
given on "Indian authority" The present
writer has treated wounds caused by this insect
In several Instances, when great constitutional
| disturbances resulted in short time, followed
by Inflammation In an aggravated form, and
sometimes accompanied by delirium. The In
dams state that II q man be wounded with an
arrow freshly poisoned he viii be deb!litated
CATER the first symptoms Of excitement are
over, from which he may not recover for several
weeks or perhaps month. The last two SUBJ
stances may be prepared by any one of the tribe,
as they are used in hunting, but the first-named
Is prepared only as has been stated by the
priest of the Snake Order, and is used In war
| fare with neighbOring Indians only.
VENOM FROM THE RATTLEsNAKE.
The Apaches occupying the habitable areas of
Arizona, Immediately south of the Moqui Pue-
bios, prepare q poison composed of the venom
OF the rattlesnake mixed with the decomposed
liver Of deer or antelope. The modsls operondf
could not be asoertained In detail though It is
probable that the method may be similar to that
formerly practiced by the Teton Dakota, among
whom the writer has witnessed the ceremony A
rattlesnake was searched for at one of the prairie
dog towns, and when discovered was secured to
the ground by means Of forked stick, 80 as to
assistant would then pierce deer's liver, which
had been procured for the purpose and upon
inserting a short pole would thrust it toward
the serpent. who would repeatedly bury its
fangs In this manner the venom was secured
and when the snake refused to bite again it was
destroyed. The liver was then placed upon a
tall. upright pole, where 1t was allowed to
decompose, after which it was crushed in small
dish when the arrows were dipped into the
mass and allowed to dry. Poisoned arrows were
carried In double quivers, and tied together
with black band or piece of cloth to distinguish
them from harmless ones. Serpent venom was
employed by the Siris Of western Sonora. After
small excavation had been made i'm the ground
cows liver was introduced, together with
centipedes, scorpions and a rattlesnake After
teasing these creatures for a while with the
hope that the liver might receive most OF the
venom discharged during their angry struggles
it was removed and crushedinto Jelly into wi ich
the arrows were dipped.
APACHE ARROWS
Apache arrows, which have been properly be-
smeared with poison, are readily distinguished
from the ordinary weapons by the dark reddish
brown coating over the anterior portion of the
shaft Immediately back of the arrow head, The
latter also presents the same appearance at
times, though were this the only portion to
which poison had been applied there would be
difficulty In Identification as the arrow points
are generally secured to the end Of the shaft by
the liberal application Of mesquite gum, after
which the sinew threads are applied for greater
security. Inc SlcsnOne ana Banak Indians OF
western Nevada prepared poison in the follow
ing manner: An antelope or deer is entrapped
or caught by wOunding it, when q rattlesnake
is brought and made to bite 1t. The animal is
Immediately killed and the blood COL
lected In vessel procured for the pur-
pose. Into this the arrows are dipped
and afterwards allowed to dry, when
they are ready for use. 1t is probable that the
snake venom exerts no influence in this in
stance, as the amount absorbed into the system of
the animal between the moments of being Bit
ten and killed would be very slight indeed. The
Pah-Utes, just south OF the Shoshones, remove
the heart of large mammal and place 1t into
corresponding cavity in the ground. Rattle
snake fangs. with the poison sacs, are then
ground into pulp, with horned toad or two,
which mass is then emptied into the cavity OF
the heart and allowed to decompose. The whole
mass is said to dry into tough mass resembling
caoutchOuc. This is finally cut into small pieces.
In poisOns prepared by the combination of SER
pent venom aud decomposed organic matter,
1t is not positively known which, IL not
both, of the substances acts as the toxic
agent. Cases thus far observed or re-