AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1563-81. 



white Eliphantes, and would not send them unto him, 

 that he would hazard his whole kingdome to conquer 

 them, he esteemeth these white Eliphants very deerely, 

 and they are had in great regard, and kept with very 

 meete service, every one of them is in a house, all guilded 

 over, and they have their meate given them in vessels of 

 silver and golde, there is one blacke Eliphant the greatest 

 that hath bene scene, and he is kept according to his 

 bignesse, he is nine cubites high, which is a marveilous 

 [II. i. 235.] thing. It is reported that this king hath foure thousand 

 A warlike Elephants of warre, and all have their teeth, and they use 

 policte. ^Q p^^ Qj^ their two uppermost teeth sharpe pikes of yron, 



and make them fast with rings, because these beastes 

 fight, and make battell with their teeth ; hee hath also 

 very many yong Eliphants that have not their teeth 

 An excellent sprowted foorth : also this king hath a brave devise in 

 ^^nk nd ^^^^^^^g ^^ ^^^^ these Eliphants when hee will, two miles 

 Eliphants. from the Citie. He hath builded a faire pallace all 

 guilded, and within it a faire Court, and within it and 

 rounde about there are made an infinite number of places 

 for men to stande to see this hunting : neere unto this 

 Pallace is a mighty great wood, through the which the 

 hunts-men of the king ride continually on the backs of 

 the feminine Eliphants, teaching them in this businesse. 

 Every hunter carieth out with him five or sixe of these 

 feminines, and they say that they anoynt the secret place 

 with a certaine composition that they have, that when 

 the wilde Eliphant doeth smell thereunto, they followe 

 the feminines and cannot leave them : when the hunts- 

 men have made provision, & the Eliphant is so entangled, 

 they guide the feminines towards the Pallace which is 

 called Tambell, and this Pallace hath a doore which doth 

 open and shut with engines, before which doore there 

 is a long streight way with trees on both the sides, which 

 covereth the way in such wise as it is like darkenesse in 

 a corner : the wilde Eliphant when he commeth to this 

 way, thinketh that he is in the woods. At end of this 

 darke way there is a great field, when the hunters have 



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