ELEPHANT HUNTING. 
425 
the shaft. As the animals generally drink 
during the night, the men perch themselves on 
branches hanging nearly oyer the path, and 
when the elephant comes unsuspectingly along, 
they plunge their spears into his body; the 
wounded animal rushes madly away, and as 
the spear is held in by the barb, the motion of 
the body causes the long handle to swing in 
different directions ) contact with trees pro- 
duces the same effect ; and as the motions of 
the blade are uniform with those of the handle, 
the numerous internal gashes soon bring this 
strong animal to the ground. Another method 
is by means of a log of wood, having a poison- 
ed spear-head inserted. It is suspended on a 
branch above the elephant's path, by means 
of a cord, which again is secured to a small 
wooden catch on the ground. When the catch 
is touched by the foot of the elephant, in pass- 
ing along, the beam falls on his back, and the 
barbed spear -head remains. In this case the 
trust of the hunter lies in the poison. Still 
another method is that of deep wedge-shaped 
pitfalls, carefully covered over and plastered, 
so as to have the same appearance as the rest 
of the path. Many females and young animals 
are destroyed by this last means ; but it is 
evident that with better arms, and the prospect 
of a speedy and profitable sale of the ivory, 
