A CAMP AMONG CANNIBALS 



On the upper and north-eastern Congo the natives 

 often hunt individual elephants in large bands; sur- 

 rounding the beast in a suitable spot, they close in 

 and hurl spears and lances at short range. This is an 

 extremely risky method, and is nearly always accom- 

 panied by the death of several men. 



I have also come across pits that have been dug in 

 the ground, narrower at the top than the bottom, and 

 covered over with branches and leaves or grass. The 

 unwary elephant comes along and falls in and is then 

 speared to death. All over the Congo one comes across 

 pitfalls and snares for ground game. Not infrequently 

 the natives find elephants that have become entangled 

 in bogs or swamps while seeking a mud pool in which to 

 wallow ; the ground, although too soft for an elephant, 

 is sufficiently hard to enable the natives to follow up 

 and attack the helpless brute with their spears. 



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