120 REMARKS ON TRAINING ELEPHANTS. 



my trackers and best men were allowed half- pay until my return. An 

 account of the expedition which I undertook after elephants into the wilds 

 of the Chittagong hill-tracts will be given in the next chapter. I have not 

 caught elephants in Mysore since my return from Bengal in 1876, owing to 

 the disastrous famine prevalent in Southern India, the cause of which, lack 

 of ram, affected the fodder upon which we are dependent for maintaining 

 newly-caught elephants. But everything is kept in readiness at Morlay for 

 the continuation of operations as soon as affairs improve, and it will be 

 strange if, with our extended experience, my Morlayites and I are not able 

 to do even better than in 1874. The herds in Mysore are large and 

 numerous. I calculate that there are at least 800 elephants in the jungles 

 where catching operations can be carried on. 



A few remarks on the breaking of newly-caught elephants may not 

 inaptly close this chapter. As soon as a wild elephant is secured, two keep- 

 ers are appointed to it, who commence, one on each side, to fan it with 

 long branches, keeping out of its reach. At first the elephant is furious 

 from fear, and attempts to strike or kick them. They keep up a wild chant, 

 addressing their charge by any extravagant title they can think of, such 

 as " King of a thousand elephants," " Lord of the jungles on the summit of 

 mighty hills," &c. The elephant is well fed from the beginning, and it is a 

 remarkable circumstance that they eat from the first. They do not seem to be 

 able to break through their habit of constantly feeding — a wild elephant grazes 

 or browses almost incessantly — and if an elephant refuses its food it is 

 generally something more serious than alarm that ails it. A not uncommon 

 idea that elephants are starved into submission is quite unfounded. In a day 

 or two the elephant pays little attention to the men — being engaged on the 

 choice fodder with which it is supplied when they are at work at it. They 

 gradually approach till they can clap its sides, its legs being secured for 

 fear of a kick, which might kill them on the spot. The elephant soon 

 learns to take sugar-cane, fruit, &c, from the hand, and allows them to be 

 put into its mouth, which all elephants prefer to taking food in their trunks. 

 I found a small allowance of rice for each elephant useful, as a pinch can be 

 wrapped up in grass, with a little sugar, and the constant feeding with such 

 morsels forms a bond between the animal and its attendants. Girth-ropes 

 are soon tied round its body, and under the tail as a crupper, and the men 

 climb on to it by these. When an elephant once gives up striking at its 

 attendants (which it generally does in a few days), it is very seldom that it 

 subsequently does anything intended to injure them, unless terrified by haste 

 or excitement in their movements. Nor are there any elephants which can- 

 not be easily subjugated, whatever their size or age. The largest elephants 



