Natural Hijlory of the Elephant. 193 



II. 



Ohfervathm en the Manners, Habits, and Natural Hljlory of the Elephant. By JOHN CoRSEt 



Efq. (Continued from p. 185.) 



R 



ROM the 25 til of December to the 13th of January (a fpace of eighteen days), flic 

 never went near enough the outlet (or rootnee) to be fecured ; from a recolledion, perhaps, 

 of what Ihe had twice before fuffered *. Orders, however, had been given, not to permit 

 her to enter the outlet, had fhe been fo inclined, as Mr. Leeke wiflied to be prefent when 

 Ihe was taken out of the ieddah. On the 13th of January, 1783, Mr. Leeke went out, 

 When there were only herfelf, another female, and eight young ones, remaining in the inclo- 

 fiire. After the other female had been fecured, by means of the koomkees \ fcnt in for that 

 purpofe, the huiiters were ordered to call "Juggut-Peaurec. She immediately came to the 

 fide of the ditch, within the inclofure : on which, fome of the drivers were defired to carry 

 in a plantain tree, the leaves of which (he not only took from their hands, with her trunk, 

 but opened her mouth, for them to put a leaf into it, which they did, ftroking and carefling 

 her, and calling to her by name. Mr. Leeke, feeing the animal fo tame, would not permit 

 the hunters to attempt tying her ; but ordered one of the trained elephants to be brought to 

 herj and the driver to take her by the ear, and order her to lie down. At firft, (he did not 

 like the koomkee to go near her, and retired to a diftance, feemingly angry ; but, when the 

 drivers, who were on foot, called to her, fhe came immediately, and allowed them to flroke 

 and carefs her, as before ; and, in a few minutes after, permitted the trained females to be 

 familiar. A driver, from one of thefe, then fattened a rope round her body, and inftantly 

 jumped on her backj which, at the moment, (he did not like, but was foon reconciled to it. 

 A fmall cord was next faftened round her neck, for the driver to put his feet in, who, feating 

 himfelf on the neck, in the ufual manner, drove her about the keddah, the fame as any of 

 t'he tame elephants. 



After this, he ordered her to lie down, which fhe inftantly did ; nor did fhe rife till fhe 

 was defired. He fed her from his feat, gave her his ftick to hold, which flie took with her 

 trunk, and put into her mouth, kept, and then returned it, as fhe was directed, and as Ihe 

 formerly had been accuftomed to do. In fhort, fhe was fo obedient, that had there been 

 moral Wild elephants in the keddah to tie, fhe would have been ufeful in fecuring them. 



Mr. Leeke himfelf then wtht up, took her by the ear, and bade her lie down ; a command 

 ihe inftantly obeyed. 



I have known feveral other inftanceS of el^hants being taken a fecond time ; and was 

 myfelf a witnefs both of the efcape and retaking of one, as related in the fallowing account. 



» When elephants were fecured in the outlet from the keddah, they bruifed ihenfifelfres terribly. Fide 

 AfiaticRerearches, "Vol. III. 



\ Koomkees are female elephants, trained for the purpofe of fecuring wild elephants, and more particularly 

 thofc large males which ftray from the woods, named gooticlab%. Fide Afmtic Refearches, Vol. III. 



In 



