>>18083067
"The military equipment and weapons of the Fetu people are of two kinds. With some weapons they set upon the enemy; with others they protect themselves against the enemy's strength. . .Whereas the arms and weapons so far discussed are arma offensiva, or weapons with which the enemy is attacked, they also have arma defensiva, weapons with which they protect their bodies. These are: 1. a shield, 2. a protective helmet, 3. a broad belt around their body almost square, although they are somewhat longer than they are broad. The wickerwork is bent slightly, so that the upper and lower parts point outwards a little. In the middle a cross made of wooden boards, about a food wide, is fixed. By this means the woven branches are reinforced and driven together. On the inner side there is a handle in the middle, made like a convex cross; through it they pass their left arm, with which they carry the shield. The shields are generally 5 foot long and about 4 foot broad.[239] Persons of high rank have their shields covered with ox or tiger skins, and the wooden cross covered with thin sheets of iron or brass plate and kept extremely beautiful and clean. The handle is decorated with several little strings coloured red or yellow. . .Little bells are also hung from it, and these tinkle noisily when the shield is moved. These shields are a powerful means of protection: with them they can receive a blow, a thrown hand-spear or even flying arrows from a bow, without these things injuring them. It is is remarkable to see how skillfully these people can use their shields. It is fun watching such things when they hold triumphal or festive games, at which they display all their military movements.