340 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
Weapons . — The weapons employed in hunting are bows, arrows, 
and spears ; arrow heads have various shapes. 
Arrows . — The heads are made of iron, and are barbed and orna- 
mented. Sometimes they are poisoned for killing lions, &c. 
The shafts of the arrows have a hole made at the top by a red- 
hot iron j into this the head is fitted and kept in place by flat iron 
wire ; similar wire is also used to ornament the shaft. The arrows 
are notched, but have no feathers. The arrows used in war are made 
of the hard wood of the “ pi ” tree. The barb is also made of wood 
sharpened at both ends and fitted into the shaft. The end of the 
shaft is bound round with red string to prevent it splitting. In 
withdrawing the arrow from a wound the head is left behind. 
Spear Heads . — These do not vary much in shape, but different 
sizes are made. Very large heads are used for elephants. The 
women, if on a long journey, carry small spears with ornamented 
handles. The spear shafts are tipped with an iron spike; both heads 
and spikes have a hole made in them, through which iron wire is 
passed to fasten them firmly to the shaft. No blunt-headed arrows 
are used, save those employed to instruct the children. 
When hunting or fighting, the left hand is protected by a woven 
string “gauntlet”; it covers the palm of the hand and fingers, 
the thumb being left free. 
Bows are made of several species of wood. The strings are 
formed of twisted tendons. Sometimes the bows are made quite 
plain, others are ornamented by rings of crocodile skin, but the 
middle of the bow is always left plain. One side of the bow is 
generally flattened, and there is enough difference between them for 
each man to know his own. 
Animals speared or caught in pit-falls are as follows : — Ehino- 
ceroses, hippopotami, giraffes. Animals shot with arrows : lions, 
gazelles, wild boars, leopards, foxes, elands, tetels, ostriches, buffaloes, 
baboons. Crocodiles are killed by a barbed spear, the iron head of 
which has a line attached to it, and is readily detached from the 
handle as soon as the beast is speared. Baboons are only attacked 
by a number of men together ; it would be unsafe for a single man 
to attempt it. No nets, palings, or trenches are used in capturing 
game. There are no firearms in the country. Clubs are used; a 
favourite pattern is egg-shaped. 
