The shield assists when so many spears are thrown that it is impossible not to receive some of them.

Their spears are light javelins; and, judging from what I have seen them do in elephant-hunting, I believe, when they have room to make a run and discharge them with the aid of the jerk of stopping, they can throw them between forty and fifty yards.

They give them an upward direction in the discharge, so that they come down on the object with accelerated force.

I saw a man who in battle had received one in the shin; the excitement of the moment prevented his feeling any pain; but, when the battle was over, the blade was found to have split the bone, and become so impacted in the cleft that no force could extract it.

It was necessary to take an axe and press the split bone asunder before the weapon could be taken out..