blow-pipe

The Sailor's Word-Book

An engine of offence used by the Araucanians and Borneans, and with the latter termed sumpitan: the poisoned arrow, sumpit, will wound at the distance of 140 or more yards. The arrow is forced through (like boys' pea-shooters) by the forcible and sudden exertion of the lungs. A wafer can be hit at 30 yards to a certainty, and small birds are unerringly stunned at 30 yards by pellets of clay.

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