THE MANGROVE-TREE. 143 



bow, after being drawn by the united efforts of several men, is 

 held in its position by a stick, one end of which presses against 

 the centre of the bow, and the other against the string. 



A large arrow is then placed on the bow, and a cord is tied 

 to the middle of the stick, led forwards in a line with the 

 direction of the arrow, and fastened, as in the case of the spring- 

 gun. As soon as the line is struck, the stick is jerked from its 

 place, and the arrow is discharged, piercing the body of the 

 trespasser. Tigers, bears, and leopards are the usual victims of 

 this trap. 



IT is remarkable that in the same country there is a pro- 

 duction of Nature which may in all probability have given to 

 the native hunter the idea of the Fall-trap. This is the Man- 

 grove-tree, which is remarkable for the wonderful extent of 

 ground which it will cover, and the nearly impenetrable 

 thickets which it forms. In the present part of the work we 

 have nothing to do with the aerial roots, several of which are 

 shown in the illustration, and only restrict ourselves to the 

 Seeds, and the curious manner in which they are planted by 

 Nature. 



In the illustration, on the left hand, the growth of the 

 Mangrove is seen. The drawing is taken from a sketch by 

 the late Mr. Baines, and generously placed at my disposal, as 

 were all his drawings and journals. 



The Mangrove is a wet-loving tree, never flourishing unless 

 rooted in rnud; and whether the moisture of the mud be 

 attributable to fresh or salt water seems to make little dif- 

 ference to the Mangrove, which, of the two, appears to prefer 

 the latter. Now, the seeds of the Mangrove look very much 

 like elongated skittles, except that one end comes to a sharp 

 point. As they hang on the tree, the point is downwards. 

 When they are ripe, they fall from the branch, and by their 

 own weight are driven deeply into the mud, where they 

 develop roots and leaves, and become the progenitors of the 

 future Mangrove race. 



I cannot but think that the native hunter, having seen the 

 tremendous force with which the Mangrove seed buries itself 

 in the mud, has applied the same principle to a weapon which 

 shall bury itself in the body of an elephant. 



