404 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



pushed him shoulder to shoulder, and head to head, forcing 

 him backwards, whilst at every step Siribeddi hauled in the 

 slackened rope till she brought him fairly up to the foot of the 

 tree, where he was made fast by the cooroowe people. A 

 second noose was then passed over the other hind-leg, and 

 secured like the first, both legs being afterwards hobbled to- 

 gether by ropes made from the fibre of the kitool or jaggery 

 palm, which, being more flexible than that of the cocoa-nut, 

 occasions less formidable ulcerations. The two decoys then 

 ranged themselves, as before, abreast of the prisoner on either 

 side, thus enabling Ranghanie to stoop under them and noose 

 the two fore-feet as he had already done the hind; and these 

 ropes being made fast to the tree in front, the capture was 

 complete, and the tame elephants and keepers withdrew to 

 repeat the operation on another of the herd. 



The second victim singled out from the herd was secured in 

 the same manner as the first. It was a female. The tame 

 ones forced themselves in on either side as before, cutting her 

 off from her companions, whilst Ranghanie stooped under them 

 and attached the fatal noose, and Siribeddi dragged her out 

 amidst unavailing struggles, when she was made fast by each 

 leg to the nearest group of strong trees. When the noose was 

 placed upon her fore-foot, she seized it with her trunk, and suc- 

 ceeded in carrying it to her mouth, where she would speedily have 

 severed it had not a tame elephant interfered, and placing his foot 

 on the rope pressed it downwards out of her jaws. . . . The 

 conduct of the tame ones during all these proceedings was truly 

 wonderful. They displayed the most perfect conception of 

 every movement, both of the object to be attained and of the 

 means to accomplish ib. They manifested the utmost enjoy- 

 ment in what was going on. There was no ill-humour, no 

 malignity in the spirit displayed, in what was otherwise a 

 heartless proceeding, but they fet about it in a way that showed a 

 thorough relish for it, as an agreeable pastime. Their caution 

 was as remarkable as their sagacity ; there was no hurrying, no 

 confusion, they never ran foul of the ropes, were never in the 

 way of the animals already noosed ; and amidst the most 

 violent struggles, when the tame ones had frequently to step 

 across the captives, they in no instance trampled on them, or 

 occasioned the slightest accident or annoyance. So far from 

 this, they saw intuitively a difficulty or a danger, and addressed 

 themselves unbidden to remove it. In tying up one of the 

 larger elephants, he contrived, before he could be hauled close 

 up to the tree, to walk once or twice round it, carrying the 



