

Method of Catching Wild Elephants. 7 



As the hunters know the places where the elephants come, 

 out to feed, they advance towards them in the evening with 

 four Koomkees, which is the number of which each hunt- 

 ing party confifts : when the nights are dark, and thefe are 

 the moft favourable for their purpofe, the male elephants are 

 difcovered by the noife they make in cleaning their food, by 

 whilking and ftriking it againft their forelegs, and bv moon- 

 light they can fee them diftinclly at fome diftance. 



As foon as they have determined on the Goondah they 

 mean to fecure, three of the Koomkees are conducted filently 

 and flowly by their Mahotes (drivers) at a moderate diftance 

 from each other, near to the place where he is feeding ; the 

 Koomkees advance very cautioufly, feeding as they go along, 

 and appear like wild elephants, that have ft rayed from the 

 jungle. When the male perceives them approaching, if he 

 takes the alarm and is vicioutly inclined, he beats the ground 

 with his trunk and makes a noife, mowing evident marks of 

 his difpleafure, and that he will not allow them to approach 

 nearer; and if they perfift, he will immediately attack and 

 gore them with his tufks ; for which reafon they take care 

 to retreat in good time. But mould he be amoroufly dif- 

 pofed, which is generally the cafe, (as thefe males are fup- 

 pofed to be driven from the herd at a particular period by 

 their feniors, to prevent their having connection with the 

 females of that herd,) he allows the females to approach, and 

 fometimes even advances to meet them. 



When, from thefe appearances, the MaKotes judge that he 

 will become their prize, they conduct two of the females, 

 one on each fide clofe to him, and make them advance back- 

 wards, and prefs gently with their pofteriors againft his neck 

 and (boulders : the third female then comes up and places her- 

 felf directly acrofs his tail; in thisfituation, fo far from fuf- 

 pefting any defign againft his liberty, he begins to toy with 

 the females and carefs them with his trunk. While thus 

 engaged, the fourth female is brought near, with ropes and 

 proper afliltants, who immediately get under the belly of the 



B 4 third 



