Note 118 — Chapter III · THE WEAPONS OF THE AGE OF WOOD: THE BOOMERANG AND THE SWORD OF WOOD; OF STONE, AND OF WOOD AND STONE COMBINED.
Reading edition
The ‘Fans’ of M. du Chaillu, a corruption unfortunately adopted by popular works. In Gorilla-Land (i. 207) I have noticed the Náyin, or Mpangwe crossbow (with poisoned ebe, or dwarf bolt), which probably travelled up-Nile like the throw-stick. The détente and method of releasing the string from its notch are those of the toy forms of the European weapon. The Museum at Scarborough contains a crossbow from the Bight of Benin. The people of Bornu (North-West Africa) also use a crossbow rat-trap.