THE ELG-LED. 1 13 



destroying engine, and is placed by the side of a cattle- track, 

 or of a track of the animal's own making. 



The Led as seen in the above drawing, which represents 

 it when gillrad consists of a young and pliant aspen, 

 or other tree, which after its thicker end has been fastened 

 horizontally, about four feet from the ground, in notches 

 cut in two upright posts, its free end is bent sideways, in the 

 manner of a bow, and in this position rests on a rail placed 

 at right angles, where it is secured by a wooden pin. The 

 one end of a piece of wire is fastened to this pin, and the 

 other end, after the wire has been drawn across the path, 

 to a post on the other side. The arrow itself is placed 

 in a groove on the rail in question, its end in close contact 

 with the bow. 



As with the Elg-grop, there is* a fence on either side of 

 the Led ; and boughs of trees, lichens, and the like, to which 

 the elk is partial, are scattered about the spot, to lure him 

 to destruction. When now he attempts to pass through 

 the opening in the fence, and breasts the wire, the pin slips 

 out of the notch, the bow is set at liberty, and the spear 

 is driven with tremendous force into the side of the poor 

 animal ! 



Though the Led may be a very sure means of capturing 

 the elk, it at the same time occasionally places the way- 

 faring man in considerable peril ; and hence its use, in some 

 districts at least, is altogether prohibited. No later than the 

 winter of 1852, a Dalecarlian Chasseur, with whom I was 

 much in company, stated to me that a peasant in his neigh- 

 bourhood had, during the preceding autumn, been pierced in 

 the shoulder by an arrow, discharged by one of these engines. 

 Owing, however, to the shaft having first passed through the 



VOL. n. l 



