At the commencement of the ivory trade

At the commencement of the ivory trade great profits were made. The tusks were still lying about in the bush where they had lain for years. In many cases, of course, the annual grass fires had damaged the outer skin, but ivory is tough stuff. The price was then about eight shillings the pound at the base. The natives knew nothing about money and traded freely what they contemptuously called "elephant bones" for a few pennyworth of iron, brass, or copper wire or for a string of kauri shells or a handful of beads. At every camp in the bush all hands would be sent out to search the surrounding country for ivory. Frequently they were rewarded. Of course, all this was "dead" ivory, but it was so abundant that no one turned his thoughts to the living stores of the precious stuff. There was still the small annual crop of tusks from the native traps, but the amount was very small when compared with the pick-up of "dead" tusks.

Walter Bell. Karamojo safari. New York: Harper Brace, 1949. P. 26-27.