LIFE IN THE JUNGLE 



147 



wandering through the jungle and finding their 

 course obstructed by the fence, seek to pass 

 through the gaps. The gap is floored with a 

 small platform of light sticks, six to eight inches 

 long, laid across it parallel to one another in the 

 line of the fence. The ends of these are supported 

 at one side of the gap, about two inches above 

 the ground, by a cross-stick lying at right angles 

 to them. This stick in turn is supported about 

 one inch above the ground in the following way : 

 the two ends of a green stick are thrust firmly 



Fig. 24.— The Jerat. 



into the ground forming an arch over the end 

 of the platform, and the extremities of the cross- 

 stick are in contact with the pillars of the arch, 

 and kept a little above the ground by being 

 pulled against them by the spring trigger. This 

 consists of a short stick attached by a cord to a 

 strong springy pole thrust vertically into the 

 ground. To set the trigger it is pulled down, 

 bending the pole, and passed under the arch from 

 the platform side outwards ; the upper end of the 

 trigger is then kept by the pull of the cord against 

 the curve of the arch, and its lower end is pulled 

 against the middle of the cross-stick. The pressure 

 being maintained by the tension of the cord, this 

 end of the platform is supported by the friction 



