The pith of the same palm served him for the swell of the arrow, which, being compressible like cork, fills up the tube of the sumpitan, and renders the shaft subject to propulsion from the quick puff of breath which the blow-gun marksman, from long practice, knows how to give it.
Saloo had been one of the best sumpitan shooters in all Sumatra, and could send an arrow with true aim a distance of a hundred and fifty yards.

But to make its effect deadly at this distance, something more than the mere pricking of the tiny "sumpit" was needed.

This something was a strong vegetable poison which he also knew how to prepare; and the upas-tree, that had so nearly proved fatal to all of them, was now called into requisition to effect a friendly service.

Drawing upon its sap, and mixing it with that of another poisonous plant--the _bina_-- Saloo gave the points of his sumpits a coating of the combined juices, so that they would carry death into the veins of any animal having the ill-fortune to be pierced by them.
Thus armed and equipped, he had little fear on the score of a scarcity of provisions during the journey.

On the contrary, he declared himself confident of being able to keep the commissariat up to a point of supply sufficient for the whole party.
It may be thought strange that they did not speculate on the chances of arriving at some town or settlement of the natives.