The Di'ive. 1 1 5 



onwards towards the immediate confines of the corral. 

 When their suspicions become awakened and they exhibit 

 restlessness and alarm, bolder measures are adopted for 

 preventing their escape. Fires are kept burning at ten 

 paces apart, night and day, along the circumference of 

 the area within which they are detained ; a corps of from 

 two to three thousand beaters is completed, and pathways 

 are carefully cleared through the jungle so as to keep 

 open a communication along the entire circuit. The 

 headmen keep up a constant patrol, to see that their 

 followers are alert at their posts, since neglect at any one 

 spot might permit the escape of the herd, and undo in a 

 moment the vigilance of weeks. By this means any at- 

 tempt of the elephants to break away is generally checked, 

 and on any point threatened a sufficient force can be 

 promptly assembled to drive them back. At last the 

 elephants are forced onwards so close to the enclosure, 

 that the investing cordon is united at either end with the 

 wings of the corral, the whole forming a circuit of about 

 two miles, within which the herd is detained to await the 

 signal for the final drive. 



Two months had been spent in these preliminaries, and 

 the preparations had been thus far completed, on the day 

 when we arrived and took our places on the covered 

 stand erected for us, overlooking the entrance to the 

 corral. Close beneath us a group of tame elephants 

 sent 'by the temples and the chiefs to assist in securing 

 the wild ones, were picketed in the shade, and lazily 

 fanning themselves with leaves. Three distinct herds, 

 whose united numbers were variously represented at from 



