The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-04-07
INDIAN ARROW POISON.
Deadly Weapons Made From Snakes
Insects ana PutTid Mea:
New York Herald

New York Herald
OF the three poisons prepared BY the
Mequi OF Arizona, the first is called Tiki
ie-l,-wi-peison ointment. Poison gwen
internally to cause death. whether IN pow
der or liquid, has no definite name be-
yond is being . bad medicine. The
poison ointment is prepared in this wise :
A ra,tle-snake Is tormented until /; bites
itself. when the pres; OF the Snake Or
der dips the arrow-poirt, as well as a
short portion of the shaft into the blood
obtained from the serpent. |; is stated
tina, wound from such an arrow Will
cause death in from three 10 four DAYS
under ordinary circumstances. and IN a
much shorter time if the victim has been
fasting DAY or TWO. a conditiousn Which
an Indian is frequently found even in
times OF peace. The second variety IS
prepared from the Humble Bee, which
after being maddened by being disturbed
in the nest. and struck at by wiihes and
branches, IS killed The insects are then
gathered and crushed IN primitive stone
mortar. where the i.lass is thoroughly
naacera,ed. after which the arrows are
amounted IN manner similar TO the pre-
cedlng Wounds are not liable 10 cause
dangerous results. although they become
nhamed and very painful, the effects
being attributable to the presence of
formic acid The third variety is pre-
pared by crushing a number Of large red
ants-a variety found all over the North
ern elevated areas-in similar manner
as the preceding, and IN which the arrows
are dipped. This poison is not necessa-
-. thnKtuh h.AA
been given on Indian authority. The
present writer has treated wounds caused
BY this insect in several instances, when
grea, constitutional disturbances resulted
in short time, followed by Inflammation
IN an aggravated form and sometimes
accompanied by delirium.
The Apaches occupying the habitual
areas of Arizona, Immediately south OF
the Mequi pueblos, prepare poison
composed of the venom of the rattle
snake. mixed with the decomposed liver
of deer or antelope. The modus OPP
erandi could not be ascertained IN de-
tail. though il is probable tina, the method
may be similar to that formerly practiced
by the Teton Dakotas, among whom the
writer has witnessed the ceremony. A
rattle snake was searched tor al one of
the prairie dog towns. and, when dlseov-
cred. w.s .ec.-ea . he s-caa1 h
means OF forked stick. 50 as to prevent
its escape. and yet not inlure il An as
slsiant would then pierce dcer's liver.
which had been procured for the pur-
pose. and. upon inserting short pole.
would thrus, il toward the serpent. who
would repeatedly bury It's fangs. In this
manner the venom was secured, and ~hen
the snake refused 10 bite again. il Was
destroyed. The liver was then placed
upon tall, uprigh, pole, where i, W as
allowed 10 decompose, after which il was
crushed in SIN al dish. when the arrows
~ere dipped into the mass and allowed
to dry. Poisoned arrows were earned in
double quisers. and tied together with a
black band or piece OF cloth, TO dis,in-
guish them from the harmless ones
Serpen. venom ~as employed BY the
Siris of Western Sonora. After a small
excavation had been made in the ground.
& cows liver was introduced. together
with cen,ipedes, scorpions, and rattle
snake. Af,er teasing these creatures for
a while, with the hope that the liver
might receive most of the venom dis
charged during their angry struggles.
Il was removed and crushed into Jelly.
into which the arrows were dipped.
Apache arrows which have been
properly besmeared ~ith poison are
readily distinguished from the ordinary
weapons, by the dark, reddish-bro~n
coating over the anterior portion 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 a liberal application Of mesquite gum,
after which the sine~ threads are applied
for greater security.
The Pah-U,es. just north of the Sho-
shones. remove the hear, Of large man.
nal and place il in a corresponding cav
ity in the ground. Rattle-snakc tangs.
with the poison-sAcs. are then ground into
a pulp. with a horned toad or two. which
mass is then empsied into the cavity OF
the heart. and allowed n decompose-
The whole mass is said to dry into a
tough mass resembling oaoatehouc. This
IS finally cut into small pieces In
poisons prepared by the combination Of
serpen, venom, and decoIa2osed organic
matter, i; is no, positively known which.
II no; both. of the substances act as the
toxic agent. Gases thus far observed or
recorded have resulted IN sepicem.a and
death. One in particular, a mere scratch
upon the shoulder-blade, died in great
misery in less than a week, though not
before the fesh had literally dropped
from the back as far down as the hips.
I, is probable tina, septic poison Of the
organie matter remains active tor a
greater period of tune than the serpent
venom, being favored by Immediate dry
ing in the drier atmosphere Of the ex-
IRENE Western plateaus. DR. ). Nser
Mitchelrs experiments do not demon
sTa,e to what length Of time Of serpsn: