Training. 1 5 5 



earliest attempts to take and train the elephant, were 

 with a view to military uses, and that the art was per- 

 petuated in later times to gratify the pride of the eastern 

 kings, and sustain the pomp of their processions. 



An impression prevails even to the present day, that 

 the process of training is tedious and difficult, and the 

 reduction of a full-grown elephant to obedience, slow 

 and troublesome in the extreme. 1 In both particulars, 

 however, the contrary is the truth. The training as it 

 prevails in Ceylon is simple, and the conformity and 

 obedience of the animal are developed with singular 

 rapidity. For the first three days, or till they will eat 

 freely, which they seldom do in a less time, the newly- 

 captured elephants are allowed to remain perfectly quiet; 

 and, if practicable, a tame elephant is tied near them to 

 give the wild ones confidence. Where many elephants 

 are being trained at once, it is customary to put each 

 new captive between the stalls of half-tamed ones, when 

 it soon takes to its food. This stage being attained, 

 training commences by placing tame elephants on either 

 side. The " cooroowe vidahn," or the head of the stables, 

 stands in front of the wild elephants holding a long stick 

 with a sharp iron point. Two men are then stationed 

 one on either side, assisted by the tame elephants, and 

 each holding a hcndoo or crook ^ towards the wild one's 

 trunk, whilst one or two others rub their hands over his 

 back, keeping up all the while a soothing and plaintive 

 chaunt, interlarded with endearing epithets, such as " ho ! 



' Broderip, Zoological Recreations, ° The iron goad with which the 

 p. 226. keeper directs the movements of the 



