The Annagoos of the Dassa mountains are considered dangerous enemies, although by no means distinguished for their valour or gallantry, but on account of their superior skill in the manufacture of different poisons. Perhaps the opinion entertained of these people may arise from superstition, but it is certain that a plant from which the strongest poison is extracted grows in abundance at the base of these mountains, and that with this the poison for their arrows is prepared. This plant grows about eight feet high, has a round stem about the thickness of a man’s thigh, and is of a greenish grey colour. Its stems are fluted triangularly, and shoot from the main trunk at regular intervals. The stems or major branches also send forth minor ones bearing a resemblance and proportion to the horns of a species of deer or antelope abundant in this country. It is of the cactus tribe, and the whole is of a fleshy nature, but quite smooth and without prickles, growing almost without soil on the bare surface of the granite rock, and receiving nourishment from its long fleshy roots, which run in different directions, till they find some narrow fracture or crevice, into which they insert themselves. Their growth is very rapid. I had been cautioned by my Dahoman caboceer, early in the morning previous to our marching, not to touch either a flower or a shrub of any description, or even pick up a pebble, as I had been in the habit of doing when I observed any thing new on my journey. I took little heed of this wholesome injunction, supposing that his motives were merely to prevent any delay on the road, as the day was likely to be rainy. Upon observing a succession of this plant, as I rode along, I carelessly laid hold of and broke off a portion of the stem of one, which was extremely brittle. A yell was instantly raised amongst my soldiers, and in a moment it was snatched out of my hand, and thrown a considerable distance from the path, while another soldier seized my horse’s head and pulled it on one side from the plant.