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IV". Account of the Method of Catching Wild Elephants at 

 Tipura in the Eajl Indies. By John Corse, Efq. From 

 The Afiatic Refearches. 



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AVING now related, partly from my own knowledge, 

 and partly from comparing the accounts given by different 

 people employed in this huiinefs, the manner in which the 

 male elephant?, called Goondahs, are fecurcd ; I fliall next, 

 entirely from my own knowledge, deferihe the methods F 

 have feen employed for fecuring a herd of wild elephants. 

 Female elephants are never taken fingly, but always in the 

 herd, which con lifts of young and old of both fexes. This 

 noble, docile, and ufeful animal, feems naturally of a focial 

 difpofition, as a herd in general connfts of from about 40 to 

 100, and is conducted under the direction of one of the 

 oldeft and largeii females, called the Palmai, and one of the 

 largeft males. When a herd is difcovered, about 500 peo- 

 ple are employed to furround it, who divide themfelves into 

 fin all parties, called Chokeys, conlifiing generally of one 

 Mahote and two Coolies, at the diftance of twenty or thirty 

 yards from each other, and form an irregular circle in which 

 the elephants are inclofed: each party lights a lire and clears 

 a foot-path to the ftation that is next him, by which a regu- 

 lar communication is foon formed through the whole cir- 

 cumference from one to the other. By this path reinforce- 

 ments can immediately be brought to any place where an 

 alarm is given ; and it is alfo neceffary for the luperintend- 

 ants, who are always going round to fee that the people are- 

 alert upon their pods. The firft circle (the Dawkee) being 

 thus formed, the remaining part of the day and night is 

 fpent in keeping watch by turns, or in cooking for them- 

 felves and companions. Early next morning one man is 

 detached from each ftation, to form another circle in that 

 direction where they wifh the elephants to advance. When 



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