340 THE ELEPHANT. [Part VIIL 



party was suddenly di'iven back by a furious elephant, 

 wliicli we found picketed by two Panickeas on the 

 crest of the bank. In such a position, the elephant 

 soon ceases to stru2:a'le ; and what with the exhaustion 

 of rage and resistance, the terror of fire which he 

 cbeads, and the constant annoyance of smoke wliich he 

 detests, in a very short time, a few weeks at the most, 

 his spirit becomes subdued ; and being plentifully sup- 

 phed with plantains and fresh food, and indulged 

 with water, in which he luxuriates, he grows so far 

 reconciled to his keepers that they at length venture to 

 remove him to their own village, or to the sea-side for 

 shipment to India. 



No part of the hunter's performances exhibits greater 

 skill and audacity tlian this first forced march of the 

 recently captured elephant from the great central forests 

 to the sea-coast. As he is still too morose to submit 

 to be ridden, and it would be equally impossible to 

 lead or to drive him by force, the ingenuity of the 

 captors is displayed in alternately kritating and eluchng 

 his attacks, but always so attracting his attention as to 

 aUure him along in the du^ection in which they want him 

 to go. Some assistance is derived from the rope by 

 which the original captm^e was effected, and which, as 

 it serves to make him safe at night, is never removed 

 fi'om the leg till his taming is sufficiently advanced to 

 permit of his being entrusted with partial hberty. 



In Ceylon the principal place for exporting these 

 animals to India is Manaar, on the western coast, to 

 which the Arabs from the continent resort, bringing 

 horses to be baitered for elephants. In order to reach 

 the sea open plains mvist be traversed, across which it re- 

 quires the utmost courage, agihty, and patience of the 

 Moor 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 

 sliipment is effected in the most primitive manner, it 

 beinf next to impossible to induce the still untamed 



