350 ETHNOLOGY 



dogmas, and display itself garbed in all the dignity 

 of full and complete understanding? You may 

 certainly find, I agree, a few cases here and there 

 of exceptional promise, but the proof of the pudding 

 has usually been disappointing sooner or later, and 

 the last state of those cases entirely unanticipated. 

 During the summer season the Zambezian hunts 

 continually, and is successful in bringing to bag 

 considerable numbers of game beasts. Some of 

 these, buffaloes, large antelopes, and the like, are 

 often driven into swampy, marshy expanses, and 

 there despatched with long spears made for the 

 purpose, and about the same size as a pig-sticking 

 lance. Then again, at the approach of winter, 

 and as the grass dries, fires are lighted in such 

 a way as to drive the herds past large armed 

 parties advantageously posted, when great numbers 

 of animals are kiUed with arrows and spears. 

 Another method employed is to dig a line of V- 

 shaped pits, five or six feet deep, which are care- 

 fully covered and concealed, and over which herds 

 of game are driven. On falling in, the animal's 

 feet all come together in the narrow bottom so 

 that it is entirely helpless ; it is then despatched 

 with spears. Small game is caught in traps, 

 most of which are devised upon the snare, or 

 running noose, system, and can really hold quite 

 a large animal. In some parts of the country 

 bushbuck and impala, as well as the smaller 

 varieties of antelope, are netted, being driven by 

 a number of men and dogs into a net cunningly 

 placed. Into this they madly rush, and are unable 

 to extricate themselves. 



