ELEPHANT HUNTING, ETC. 201 



found unmistakable traces on the tree trunks and the 

 ground showing that the animal had staggered to its feet 

 and laboriously made its way through the forest. As they 

 followed the trail, they could note that, little by little, the 

 elephant's tread had grown firmer and its pace had evi- 

 dently accelerated. Vainly they followed the trail for 

 several hours, and were at last forced to give up the pur- 

 suit and allow the *' dead " elephant to escape. The natives, 

 however, immediately explained the strange happening 

 in the light of their superstitions, declaring that it was 

 no real elephant the hunter had shot, but a majavie, or 

 wizard, who had taken up his abode in an elephant form.* 

 Doubtless this tale spread about among the tribesmen and 

 has by this time developed into a wild and wondrous legend. 



Among the Kukus of the Anglo-Egyptian possessions, 

 the native elephant hunters climb trees near the elephant 

 trail, and when the animals pass, cast their lances at them, 

 aiming to hit the shoulder. The shaft and head of the lance 

 used for this purpose are exceptionally long, the head meas- 

 uring 36 cm. (about 14 in.) and the bamboo shaft 1.65 m. 

 (5 ft. 5 in.), the end of the shaft being enrolled with ele- 

 phant hide firmly bound by thongs.f 



An example of unscrupulous business methods in inte- 

 rior Africa is afforded by the conduct of the Asande chiefs 

 toward the Ababuas. They cleverly circulated among the 

 whites the report that the latter were a race of savages and 

 that no white man could enter their country except at the 

 peril of his life. Not content with this they succeeded in 

 persuading the Ababuas that the white men were very 

 bloodthirsty and cruel, and that should any Ababuas ap- 



*James Sutherland, "The Adventures of an Elephant Hunter," London, 1912, pp. 

 112, sqq. 



tCoUection de monographes ethnologiques, VI, Les Kuku, by Joseph Van der Plas. 

 Bruxelles, p. 164. 



