Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-08


as skill-lcss as a European in the art Of cl asr,
the "spoor," or "sign."
The hunting-party, consisting of fifteen to
twenty individuals, proceeds before departure
to sing and dance, to drink and drum for IL con-
secutive week. The women form line and per-
ambulate the village each striking an iron em-
DO or hoe with large stone, which forms an
appropriate accompaniment to the howl and the
vigelegce, "lulliloing," or trills of Joy. At ev-
cry step the dancer swuys herself elephant-like
from side to side, and tossos her head backward
with violence threatening dislocation of the
atlas The line, led by fglc-woman by the
right, who holds two jembe in one hand, but
does not drum, stops facing every Arab house
where beads may be expected, and performs the
most hideous contortions, whrling the arms
round the shoulder-sockcts, kneeing, and imi-
tating the actions of various animals The la
Dor done, the ladies apply to their pombe and
reappear after four or five hours with tell-talc
siaggcr and a loosencss of limb which adds a
peculiar charm to their gesticulations. The day
concludes with "lacketanz" of remarkable
grotesqucness This morry-making is probab-
ly intended as consolation for the penance
which the elephant-huntcr's wife performs dur
ing the absence OF her mate; she is expected to
abstain from good food, handsome cloth, and
iumigation she must not leave the house, and
for an act of infdety the blame of failure in
the hunt will fall heavily upon her. Meanwhile
the men--as "lar gone as the women-encircle
with running jumping gait, and with the grace
and science of well-traincd bears, a drum or
dilindo--the normal bark bandbox-placed with
open mouth upon the ground, and violently
beaten with sticks and fists or rubbed and scrap
ed with stones. 1t forms also sounding board
for kinanaa or bow-guitar, one end of which
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gives finish and completeness to the band.-
Around the drum are placed several elephants
tails, possibly designed to serve the purpose of
the clay corpse introduced into the feasts of an
cient Egypt.
VIXEN thoroughly drenched with drink, the
hunters set out early in the morning, carrying
live brands lest fire should fail them in the jun-
gle and applying them to their mouths to keep
out the cold air. These trampers are sometimes
dangerous to stragglers from caravans. espcc-
tally in countries where the roJJcr or murderer
expects to escape with impunity. In some places
hunting-huts have been erected they are, how
ever, seldom used when elephants are sought,
as herd once startled does not readily return
to the same pasture-grounds. The great art of
the African muinzi, or elephant hunter, is TO
separate a tusker from the herd without cxcit-
ing suspicion and to form circle round the
NlCtiIl. HC HPHHt, lutl llslUH Win SnOut,
hurs or thrustS the first spear and his example
is followed by the rest. The weapons are not
poisoned they are fatal by a succession of small
wounds. The batcd beast rarely breaks, as
might be expected, through the frail circle of as
sailants its proyerbial obstinacy is excited it
charges one man, who slips away, when anoth-
er, with Il scream, thrusts the long stiff spear
into its hind quarters, which makes it change
intention and turn fercely from the fugitive to
the fresh assailant. This continues till the ee-
phant, losing breath and heart, attempts to es-
cape its enemies then rcdouble their efforts,
and at length the huge prey, overpowered by
pain and loss of blood trckling from hundred
gashes, bites the dust. The victors, after GER
tain preliminaries of singing and dancing care
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bamboo and devoured upon the spot, as the
hare's liver is in Italy. The hunt concludes
with grand feast of fat and garbage, and the
hunters return home in triumph, laden with iv-
ory, with ovals of hide for shields, and with fes-
toons Of raw and odorous meat spitted upon
lorg poles.