They sometimes consist of a "sharp
little assegai, or spike, most thoroughly poisoned, and stuck firmly into
the end of a heavy block of thornwood, about four feet long and five
inches in diameter. This formidable affair is suspended over the centre
of a sea-cow path, at about thirty feet from the ground, by a bark cord,
which passes over a high branch of a tree, and thence, by a peg, on one
side of a path beneath." (Gordon Cumming.)
Trigger.--Where a trigger has to release a strong spring, an arrangement
on the principle of a figure of 4 trap is, I believe, the most delicate;
the standard may be a branch or the stock of a tree; and the other pieces
should be hardened by fire.
Pitfalls.--Very small pitfalls, with sharpened stakes, planted inside
them, that have been baked hard by the fire and well poisoned, are easily
to be set, but they are very dangerous to man and beast. In preparing a
pitfall for animals of prey, it is usual to ascertain whether they are
deep enough, by putting in a large dog; if he cannot get out, it is very
unlikely that any wild beast can. (See "Trous de loup," p. 312.)
Pitfalls are often dug in great numbers, near frequented watering-places,
to which numerous intersecting paths lead: by stopping up particular
paths, the pitfalls can be brought separately into use; therefore, those
pitfalls need never be employed in which animals have been freshly
killed, and where the smell of blood would scare the game.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372