308 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



found. The Kanembu hunter turns his attention chiefly to 

 the three last named, for which he employs traps as a general 

 rule. The most usual is made as follows : a ring of wood 

 with spikes upsloping towards the centre is placed on the 

 ground, then a noose, to which is attached a log of wood, 

 is laid over it. The beast puts its foot through the ring, 

 drawing the noose from the inclined spikes to a position 

 well up the legs, where, tightened by the drag of the block, 

 it gets taut and cannot slip down ; the frightened beast 

 thus hampered, runs until brought to bay with a dog, or 

 else gets hung up in the bush, and is then despatched with 

 a poisoned arrow, if necessary. 



In another method nets are placed on each side of a 

 track that runs down to a drinking-pool frequented by 

 the animals, whose retreat is then cut off by the closing 

 together of the ends. 



The ostrich, which is found in small numbers, is not 

 much hunted because it is so very difficult to get near. 

 The natives, instead, catch the young ones, which become 

 domesticated, and one finds most of the big men in Bornu 

 owning three or four. 



We stayed only one night in Kowa, and after our usual 

 breakfast of porridge, eggs and milk at six next morning we 

 mounted our horses, and, accompanied by a guide whom 

 the mallam furnished, started for Kaddai. Our journey 

 was now in an easterly direction through wooded country 

 for about two miles, and afterwards by sheep-tracks through 

 miles and miles of maio bush (euphorbia). This plant 

 grows to a height of about 5 ft. and has opaque blue- 

 grey leaves and pods the size of large pears, which burst 



