74 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
plumage as well as for food. It is thought that the savage 
at first killed solely for food, and then used the hides of 
beasts and feathers of birds for clothing and decoration 
as an afterthought, some of the royal garments of kings 
and chiefs of tribes being woven of countless rare feathers. 
‘““When man as we know him, white or civilized man as 
he is called, explored wild countries, he introduced two 
things that wrought great harm to wild creatures and 
savages alike, — the money-trading instinct and strong 
drink. In order to buy this drink, which always proved 
his ruin, the savage looked about for something to offer 
in exchange, and what was there for him but to kill beast 
or bird and offer some part of it in trade? 
“In this way the elephants’ tusks, of which ivory is 
made, rare furs, alligator hides, and Ostrich eggs and 
plumes, as well as rough uncut gems, became known to 
the people of Europe. 
“The savages hunted the wild Ostrich with bow and 
arrows that were sometimes poisoned, and the bird being 
killed, of course, yielded but one crop of feathers. 
“As the Ostrich cannot fly and is a very stupid bird, 
living in open deserts where there were few places to hide, 
it was very easily destroyed — its only means of escape 
being to outrun its pursuers, who were on foot. But 
presently when firearms were used to hunt him, the Ostrich 
seemed as utterly doomed as the White Heron. 
“But the day came when men who realized the great 
demand there was for these feathers and the profit to be 
made by selling them, tried the experiment of raising the 
birds in captivity, just as we do our barnyard fowl, treat- 
ing them kindly, and feeding them well, so that they might 
