Page:First Footsteps in East Africa, 1894 - Volume 1.djvu/185

 VI. From the Zayla Hills to the Marar Prairie. 139 populous; tombs and houses of the early Moslems covered with ruin the hills and ridges. About noon, we arrived at a spot called the Kafir's Grave. It is a square enceinte of rude stones about one " In February 1853, Dr. Arnott had forwarded to him a watery extract prepared from the root of a tree, described as ' Wabie,' a toxicodendron from the Somali country on the Habr Gerhajis range of the Goolies mountains. The tree grows to the height of twenty feet. The poison is obtained by boiling the root in water, until it attains the consistency of an inspissated juice. When cool the barb of the arrow is anointed with the juice, which is regarded as a virulent poison, and it renders a wound tainted therewith incurable. Dr. Arnott was informed that death usually took place within an hour ; that the hairs and nails dropped off after death, and it was believed that the application of heat assisted its poisonous qualities. He could not, however, ascertain the quantity made use of by the Somalis, and doubted if the point of an arrow would convey a sufficient quantity to produce such immediate effects. He had tested its powers in some other experiments, besides the ones detailed, and although it failed in several instances, yet he was led to the conclusion that it was a very powerful narcotic irritant poison. He had not, however, observed the local effect said to be produced upon the point of insertion." " The following trials were described : " i. A little was inserted into the inside of the ear of a sickly sheep, and death occurred in two hours. "2. A little was inserted into the inside of the ear of a healthy sheep, and death occurred in two hours preceded by convulsions. " 3. Five grains were given to a dog ; vomiting took place after an hour, and death in three or four hours. " 4. One grain was swallowed by a fowl, but no effect produced. "5. Three grains were given to a sheep, but without producing any effect. " 6. A small quantity was inserted into the ear and shoulder of a dog, but no effect was produced. "7. Upon the same dog two days after, the same quantity was inserted into the thigh ; death occurred in less than two hours. " 8. Seven grains were given to a sheep without any effect whatever.