CiiAP. IV. J AX ELEPHAXT CORRAL. 351 



concentrated within such an area as will admit of their 

 being completely encircled by the watchers ; and day 

 after day, by slow degrees, they are moved gradually on- 

 wards to the immediate confines of the corral. When 

 their suspicions become awakened and they exhibit 

 restlessness and alarm, bolder measures are resorted to 

 for preventing their escape. Fires are kept burning at 

 ten paces apart, night and day, along the cu'cumference 

 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 open a communication along the entire line. 

 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 \agilance of weeks. By this 

 means any attempt of the elephants to break away is 

 immediately checked, and on any point threatened a 

 sufficient force can be instantly assembled to drive them 

 back. 



At last the elephants are forced omvards so close to 

 the enclosure, that the investing cordon is united at 

 either end with the wings of the corral, the whole 

 forming a circle of about two miles, within the area of 

 which the herd is detained to await the signal for the 

 final drive. 



Two months had been spent in these preparations, 

 and they had been thus far completed, on the day 

 when w^e arrived and took our places on the stage 

 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 fan- 

 ning themselves with leaves. Three distinct herds, 

 whose united numbers w^ere variously represented at 

 from forty to fifty elephants, were enclosed, and were 

 at that moment concealed in the jimgie within a short 

 distance of the stockade. Not a sound was permitted 



