148 NEIGHBORS WITH CLAWS AND HOOFS. 



two to five hundred, proceed to the region where the wild 

 elephants are known to be. Here, in some convenient 

 place, they form an inclosure, which consists of a deep 

 ditch or a strong palisade of timber. The elephant has 

 a mortal fear of a ditch, and, when it encounters one, it 

 will follow along its bank for miles rather than attempt 

 to cross it. Where the ground is not favorable for dig- 

 ging, a barricade of posts and logs is erected. This in- 

 closure is quite extensive, and has within it a number of 

 large trees. The opening into this space is narrow, and 

 the avenue leading to it has converging lines of ditches 

 and barricades, which at their outer angle are wide apart. 



9. The wild elephants in the jungle are then carefully 

 surrounded by the hunters, and by skillful and judicious 

 handling are gradually driven toward the entrance of the 

 pen. When once surrounded, great fires are kept up on 

 the opposite side to keep them from breaking out and 

 escaping. If the herd is large, it may take several days 

 to bring them within the entrance of the inclosure. The 

 hunters then rapidly close in upon them, and, as all dan- 

 ger seems to be in the rear, they press forward through 

 the narrow entrance, which is immediately closed by 

 dropping a strong portcullis from above. The elephants 

 thus entrapped are then approached by the aid of tame 

 elephants, and secured by fastening ropes around their 

 legs and tying them to trees. By skillful and kindly 

 handling the wild elephants become tame in the course of 

 one or two weeks. 



10. Elephants are trained to do a great many different 

 kinds of work. " To give an idea of these labors," says 

 Bingley, " it is sufficient to remark that all the tuns, sacks, 

 and bales transported from one place to another in India, 

 are carried by elephants ; that they carry burdens on their 

 bodies, their necks, their tusks, and even in their mouthsj 



