Method of Catching Wild Elephants. 9 



Erie legs of the Goondah, he careffes fometimes one, and 

 fometimes another, of the feducers (Kootne), examining 

 their beauties and toying with different parts, by which his 

 defires are excited and his attention diverted from the hunt- 

 ers, and in thefe amorous dalliances he is indulged by the 

 females. But if his paffions fliould be fo roufed, before his 

 iegs are properly fee u red, as to induce him to attempt leap- 

 ing on one of the females, the Mahote, to iniure his own 

 fafety and prevent him gratifying his defires any further, 

 makes the female run away, and at the fame time, by railing 

 his voice and making a noife, he deters the Goondah from 

 purfuing : this however happens very feldom, for he is fo 

 fecured bv the preffure of a Koomkee on each fide and one 

 behind, that he can hardly turn himfelf, or fee any of the 

 people, who always keep fnug under the belly of the third 

 female, that Hands acrofs his tail, and which ferves both to 

 keep him fteady and to prevent his kicking any of the peo- 

 ple who are employed in iecuring him ; but in general ht 

 is fo much taken up with his decoyers, as to attend very little 

 to any thing ejfe. In cafe of accidents, however, mould the 

 Goondah break loofc, the people upon the firft alarm can 

 always mount on the backs of the tame elephants, by'a rope 

 that hangs ready for the purpofe, and thus get out of his 

 reach. When his hind legs are properly fecured, they leave 

 him to himfelf, and retire to a fmall diftance : as foon as 

 the Koomkees leave him, he attempts to follow, but finding 

 his legs tied, he is roufed to a proper fenfe of his fituation, 

 'and retreats towards the jungle ; the Mahotes follow at a mo- 

 derate diftance from him, on the tame elephants, accompa- 

 nied by a number of people that had been previoully fent 

 for, and who, as foon as the Goondah paffes near a ftout 

 tree, make a few turns of the Phands. or long cables that 

 are trailing behind him, around its trunk: his progrefs 

 being thus ftopt, he becomes furious, and exerts his utmoft 

 force todifengage himfelf; nor will he then allow any of the 

 Koomkees to come near him, but is^ outrageous for lome 



time, 



