In Richard Connell’s classic short story ‘The Most Dangerous Game’, General Zaroff lures ships to his remote island by using a deceptive method involving false lights. He lights a beacon that resembles the lights of a safe harbor, which misleads sailors into thinking they are approaching a safe port. This creates an illusion that is hard to resist for unsuspecting ships, causing them to navigate towards the island’s dangerous shores.
Once the ships are drawn in by this false beacon, they often run aground on the jagged rocks surrounding the island. This enables Zaroff to capture the shipwrecked sailors, whom he views as potential prey for his dangerous hunting games. This cunning tactic illustrates Zaroff’s malevolent nature and sets the stage for the intense cat-and-mouse chase that unfolds in the story.