THE FOREST. 1 83 



there till the meat is finished, when they again start off in search of game. The 

 chief animals they hunt are elephant, rhino, forest-hog, bongo, and bushbuck. 

 A big animal such as an elephant or a rhino is, of course, much prized by them, as 

 it enables them to sit down and do nothing for a considerable time till all the 

 meat is finished. 



Their methods of hunting are : — 



(i) Game Pits. 



These are dug in the animal's pathways. They are narrow and deep and 

 taper to a point at the bottom so as to wedge in the legs of an animal, preventing 

 It from springing out. They are generally made in three sizes, viz., elephant, 

 bongo, and bushbuck, and are cunningly covered over with leaves or grass. For this 

 reason anyone walking in localities where Wandorobo are known to be, should always 

 carefully take, of two paths forking, the round-about path rather than the direct path. 

 He should also always prod any doubtful-looking ground with a stick before stepping 

 on to it. When leaving a locality the Wandorobo generally uncover their pits. 



(2) Poisoned Arrows. 



The hunters creep up near to an animal, such as an elephant, and shoot at it with 

 a poisoned arrow, aiming to hit it anywhere. The animal is then tracked up, and 

 when the poison has had time to work it is found dead. They say that if the animal 

 iats as he goes he has recovered from the poison and will not die. If he drinks 

 it means either that he has completely recovered, or else if the poison is still 

 working he will be found dead by the water. 



Bows and arrows are largely used for the shooting of monkeys, colobi, and other 

 tree animals, for the Wandorobo to a great extent subsist on the flesh of these 

 creatures. 



(3) Drop Spears. 



These also are poisoned ; they are hung above elephant-tracks in such a way 

 that they are released when an animal passes underneath, and thus drops on its back. 



(4) Dogs. 



With dogs they bring to bay such animals as the bongo; they then shoot at 

 them with arrows. 



(5) Nooses. 

 These contrivances are made of a very strong liana called by the Wandorobo 

 " faragwet." The nooses are set in a run attached to a spring bow arrangement. 



