pth to prevent it scrambling out again--it was thus
completely in the hunters' power. The pit had been covered over with
light branches and grass, so that the animal, as it rushed along, had
not seen it.

As the savages came up they continued hurling their javelins or spears
into the poor beast, which was soon covered over almost to resemble a
huge porcupine. As the creature's death was certain, we did not think
it wise to spend powder and ball on it, indeed, we were likely to offend
our fellow-hunters, as they had evidently gained a victory.

As we stood near the pit, keeping at a sufficient distance to avoid
tumbling in, we watched the poor creature in its hopeless efforts to
escape. While it continued on its feet, the savages in succession came
rushing up and throwing their darts, each man of them seeming anxious to
have a hand in its slaughter.

At length, much to our satisfaction, it sunk down on its knees, and soon
afterwards rolled over on its side, dead. The blacks immediately jumped
down, and began pulling out the darts, to be ready to attack a fresh
elephant. We soon had an opportunity of seeing another way in which
these monsters are caught. Leaving for the present the carcase of the
animal we had taken, we advanced further into the forest; presently one
of the scouts who had been sent ahead, came hurrying back, saying that
there were three elephants not far off. The blacks now began to steal
forward, keeping as much as possible under cover, and sometimes
advancing on their hands and knees. We kept, by the king's desire, a
short distance behind. Presently we heard a tremendous shout, and we
saw two elephants before us. They looked round evidently much
frightened, and then dashed forward towards one of the barriers, which
had been prepared in the neighbourhood. The natives advanced rapidly,
until the elephants were suddenly entrapped in a network of vines. The
terrified creatures endeavoured to tear them away with their trunks and
feet, but the greater their efforts, the more fatally they surrounded
themselves with the tough vines. From every side the natives now
appeared, completely surrounding the struggling creatures, which they
plied unceasingly with their spears. Some climbed up the neighbouring
trees, an example which we followed, for it seemed to us that at any
moment the beasts might break away and trample us to death before we
could possibly escape. The poor creatures found the darts