The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the
savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and
make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or in
the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali poison, many
precautions are supposed to be necessary.

The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the Yabahou,
or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it has been
boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He who makes the
poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue fasting as long as
the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled must be a new one, and
must never have held anything before, otherwise the poison would be
deficient in strength: add to this that the operator must take particular
care not to expose himself to the vapour which arises from it while on the
fire.

Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing the
face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; and the
operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself to be, sick
for some days after.

Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a
gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it
affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one
evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having
anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child!

Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned necessary in
order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions and conjectures