Poisoned Arrows of the Papuans.
The warlike habits of the Papuans and their implements of warfare are described in a private letter recently addressed to Dr. Hooker. The writer says that no man leaves his dwelling, for his bit of cultivation even, without his powerful bamboo bow and a few deadly poisoned arrows. These poisoned arrows are only a few among a great number not poisoned, the former being distinguished by elaborate carving and painting, probably to prevent accident among themselves. They are each pointed and barbed with human bone brought to almost needle-like sharpness, most carefully and neatly finished; they are poisoned by plunging in a human corpse for several days. Poor Commodore Goodenough and his men suffered from arrows so poisoned. It is a sort of blood poisoning that, like other kinds of inoculation, does not develop itself for several days, the slightest scratch being sufficient to render almost inevitable a horrible death. The symptoms are accompanied by violent spasms like tetanus, with consciousness until the last.—Nature.