How did our ancestors do it?

[DAG]

Problem 1: You are tracking an elephant herd and when you go in for the kill, how do you know which way the elephants will stampede, so that you can keep out of the way? * Assuming that there are no physical obstructions in the way and they are free to go in any direction.

[shadowdragon]

If you use torches and such for fire they will run away from the fire. If you head them towards a good cliff, you won't even have to worry about getting close enough to get it with spears.

Otherwise, I have no idea.

[DAG]

Nice try Audra, but for this exercise lets say there is no cliff and it is during the daytime.

[DAG]

Well the answer was that elephants as you know have a great sense of smell and therefore they will generally run into the wind when in a panic so that they can smell the enemy from a considerable distance.

In any case you would not be up wind of them in the first place or they would be long gone! ;D

[DAG]

Next question then, you are back in those times when hunters were tracking the very old elephants for the largest tusks of course.

You come across a large pile of elephant dung, how do you know if any of the herd that are ahead of you are old enough for the purpose?

[letitia]

is it by the taste ? ;D ;D ;D ;D

Older Elephants can't chew their food as well as younger animals so their dung will be more fibrous. I don't think Elephants digest everything they eat properly either .

[DAG]

Excellent letitia, you are correct, well done, your turn!

Alfie, I think letitia is an expert on dung! ;D

[letitia]

It's because of all the dung talked by certain people who I will not mention ;D ;D

Are you able to put up the next one Dag ?

[DAG]

I wonder who that is? ;D

Yes OK then here goes:

The year is 1805 and you are on board the HMS Victory and Lord Nelson wants his fresh, clean water to shave and wash in.

You have been months at sea and surrounded only by sea water and there is only stale old water left for the crew to use.

In the circumstances, where could you get fresh clean water from in those days?

BTW rainwater is not the answer.

[shadowdragon]

Can we throw the idiot Lord over board for wanting to use such a precious thing as fresh cold water for shaving when we are months at sea?

[DAG]

If they had thrown him overboard back then, we would all be speaking French now! ;D

To be fair he knew that it was no problem and no trouble but there would only be a small amount available so certainly none of the 850 crew got any, maybe some of his officers did when there was enough.

That should be a good clue.

[kedigato]

Dew? or perhaps condensation steam from the cooking?

[DAG]

Not quite kedi, but I think I shall have to give it to you!

Believe it or not the Victory and other ships in that class at that time had a huge cooker that could feed about 80 at a time and was fitted with a condenser to collect distilled water.

Most of the crew would not have had cooked meals, usually only the officers.......typical! As for the stale water for the crew it was normal practice to use a mixture of 1 part rum to 4 parts stale water(known as grog), which killed off any nasties and kept the crew happy! ;D

I don't have any more handy so I am hoping that you have something kedi, if not someone is bound to have one, ancient or modern, if it is modern, just start another thread.

[kedigato]

No, I don't have anything and also no time to try to find something.

[DAG]

Problem 4:

Same period of time, when going into battle and approaching the enemy during broad daylight, why did they light the lanterns, on each deck level?