I02 The Wild Elephant. 



In Ceylon the principal place for exporting these ani- 

 mals to India is Manaar, on the western coast, to which 

 the Arabs from the continent resort, bringing with them 

 horses to be bartered for elephants. In order to reach 

 the sea, open plains must be traversed, across which it 

 requires the utmost courage, agility, and patience of the 

 Moors to coax their reluctant charge. At Manaar the 

 elephants are usually detained till any wound on the leg 

 caused by the rope has been healed, when the shipment 

 is effected in the most primitive manner. It being next 

 to impossible to induce the still untamed creature to walk 

 on board, and no mechanical contrivances being provided 

 to ship him, a dhoney, or native boat, of about forty 

 tons' burthen, and about three parts filled mth the strong 

 ribbed leaves of the Palmyra palm, is brought alongside 

 the quay in front of the Old Dutch Fort, and lashed so 

 that the gunwale may be as nearly as possible on a line 

 with the level of the wharf. The elephant being placed 

 with his back to the water is forced by goads to retreat 

 till his hind legs go over the side of the quay, but the 

 main contest commences when it is attempted to disen- 

 gage his fore feet from the shore, and force him to en- 

 trust himself on board. The scene becomes exciting 

 from the screams and trumpeting of the elephants, the 

 shouts of the Arabs, the calls of the Moors, and the 

 rushing of the crowd. Meanwhile the huge creature 

 strains every nerve to regain the land ; and the day is 

 often consumed before his efforts are overcome, and he 

 finds himself fairly afloat. The same dhoney will take 

 from four to five elephants, who place themselves atliwart 



