AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1583-91. 



come to a great summe : for that there are many mer- 

 chants in the city. After that you have given your 

 present you may come and see them at your pleasure, 

 although they stand in the kings house. This king in 

 The king of his title is called the king of the white elephants. If 

 \h % ^^^ ^ ^~ ^^y other king have one, and will not send it him, he 

 will make warre with him for it : for he had rather 

 lose a great part of his kingdome, then not to conquere 

 him. They do very great service unto these white 

 elephants ; every one of them standeth in an house 

 gilded with golde, and they doe feede in vessels of 

 silver and gilt. One of them when he doth go to the 

 river to be washed, as every day they do, goeth under 

 a canopy of cloth of golde or of silke carried over him 

 by sixe or eight men, and eight or ten men goe before 

 him playing on drummes, shawmes, or other instru- 

 ments : and when he is washed and commeth out of 

 the river, there is a gentleman which doth wash his feet 

 in a silver basin : which is his office given him by the 

 king. There is no such account made of any blacke 

 elephant, be he never so great. And surely there be 

 woonderfull faire and great, and some be nine cubites 

 in height. And they do report that the king hath 

 above five thousand elephants of warre, besides many 

 other which be not taught to fight. This king hath a 

 very large place wherein he taketh the wilde elephants. 

 It standeth about a mile from Pegu, builded with a 

 faire court within, and is in a great grove or wood : 

 and there be many huntsmen, which go into the 

 wildernesse with she elephants : for without the she 

 they are not to be taken. And they be taught for that 

 purpose : and every hunter hath five or sixe of them : 

 and they say that they anoint the she elephants with a 

 certaine ointment, which when the wild elephant doth 

 smell, he will not leave her. When they have brought 

 the wilde elephant neere unto the place, they send word 

 unto the towne, and many horsemen and footmen come 

 out and cause the she elephant to enter into a strait 



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