What happened to rainsford's pipe and consequently to him?

In Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford's pipe falls from his mouth when he is thrown overboard during a storm. This incident sets off a series of events that lead him to swim to an isolated island, where he becomes embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the island's owner, General Zaroff. The loss of his pipe symbolizes Rainsford's transition from a civilized hunter to a desperate Survivor, ultimately forcing him to confront the true nature of hunting.