THE ELEPHANT. 45 



gateways are disguised with branches of trees and bamboos 

 stuck in the ground, so as to give them the appearance of a 

 natural jungle,) the greatest difficulty is to get the herd to 

 enter the first or outer inclosure : for notwithstanding the 

 precautions taken to disguise both the entries, as well as the 

 palisades which surround this inclosure, the Palmai (or 

 leader) now appears to suspect some snare, from the difficulty 

 and hesitation with which in general she passes into it ; but 

 as soon as she enters, the whole herd implicitly follows. 



" Immediately, when they are all passed the gateway, fires 

 are lighted round the greatest part of the inclosure, and par- 

 ticularly at the entries, to prevent the elephants from return- 

 ing. The hunters from without then make a terrible noise 

 by shouting, beating of tomtoms (a kind of drum), firing 

 blank cartridges, &c. to urge the herd on to the next inclo- 

 sure. The elephants, finding themselves ensnared, scream 

 and make a noise; but seeing no opening except the entrance 

 to the next inclosure, and which they at first generally avoid, 

 they return to the place through which they lately passed, 

 thinking perhaps to escape, but now find it strongly barrica- 

 doed, and as there is no ditch at this place, the hunters, to pre- 

 vent their coming near and forcing their way, keep a line of fire 

 constantly burning all along where the ditch is interrupted, 

 and supply it with fuel from the top of the palisade, and the 

 people from without make a noise, shouting and hallooing to 

 drive them away. Wherever they turn they find themselves 

 opposed by burning fires, or bundles of reeds, or dried grass, 

 which are thrust through the opening of the palisades, ex- 

 cept towards the entrance of the second inclosure. After 

 traversing the baigcote for some time, and finding no chance 

 of escaping but through the gateway into the next inclosure, 

 the leader enters and the rest follow : the gate is instantly 

 shut by people who are stationed on a small scaffold imme- 

 diately above it, and strongly barricadoed; fires are lighted, and 

 the same discordant din made and continued till the herd has 

 passed through another gateway into the last inclosure, the 

 gate of which is secured in the same manner as the former 

 was. The elephants being now completely surrounded on 

 all sides, and perceiving no outlet through which they can 

 escape, appear desperate, and in their fury advance frequently 

 to the ditch in order to break down the palisades, inflating 

 their trunks, screaming louder and shriller than any trumpet, 

 sometimes grumbling like the hollow murmur of distant 

 thunder; — but wherever they make an attack, they are opposed 

 by lighted fires, and by the iioise and triumphant shouts of 

 the hunters. As they must remain some time in this inclo- 

 sure, care is always taken to have part of the ditch filled with 



