ico_
(_caoutchouc_)--differs from the _ficus_ which furnishes the
india-rubber of Africa and the East Indies. It bears a small flower and
circular fruit, with strongly-marked divisions in the rind.

Having left some of our game for provisioning the camp of the
india-rubber collectors, we made the best of our way homewards. Evening
was coming on. We were still at some distance from home. The sky had
become overcast, and rain had begun to fall. It seemed impossible that
we should find our way through the forest in the darkness. We entered
at length a channel, the land on one side of which was elevated some
feet above the water. As we were paddling along it, Pedro proposed that
we should land and camp. Just then we caught sight of a fire burning in
a shed at some distance from the bank.

"We may there find shelter," said Pedro, "without having the trouble of
building huts, which, after all, would not keep out the rain."

We three accompanied him towards the fire. We found two Indians
standing near it, both busily employed in concocting some mixture in a
large pot simmering over the flames. They were evidently, by the manner
in which they received us, displeased at our coming. Pedro, however,
told them that we proposed spending the night at their hut; and sent to
the canoe for some game, which put them in better humour. He inquired
what they were about.

"I see what it is. They are making the wourali poison for tipping the
arrows for their bows and blow-pipes. See! we will make them show us
the process."

After a little talk with the Indians, they consented to do as he wished.
First they showed us some long sticks of a thin vine--the wourali
itself. This, with the root of a plant of a very bitter nature, they
scraped together into thin shavings. They were then placed in a sieve,
and water poured over them into an earthen pot, the liquid coming
through having the appearance of coffee. Into this the juice of some
bulbous plants of a glutinous nature was squeezed, apparently to serve
the purpose of glue. While the pot was simmering, other ingredients
were added. Among them were some black, venomous ants, and also a
little red ant, which stings severely. They seemed to set great value
also on the fangs of two snakes, which, when pounded, were added with
much ceremony. One, Pedro told us, was the venomous _labarri_; and
another, the largest among the venomous reptiles in America, known as
the _curucu_,