366 THE ELEPHANT. [Part VIII. 



noosed ; and amidst the most violent struggles, when 

 the tame ones had frequently to step across the cap- 

 tives, they m no . instance trampled on them, or oc- 

 casioned the shghtest accident or annoyance. So far 

 from this, they saw intuitively a difficidty or a danger, 

 and addressed themselves voluntarily to remove it. Li 

 tying up one of the larger elephants he contrived, before 

 he coidd be hauled close up to the tree, to walk once 

 or twice round it, carrying the rope with liim ; the decoy, 

 perceiving the advantage he had thus gained over the 

 nooser, walked up of her own accord, and pushed him 

 backwards "wdtli her head, till she made liim unwind 

 himself again ; when the rope Avas hauled tight and 

 made fast. More than once, when a A\ald one Avas 

 extending his trunk, and would have intercepted the 

 rope about to be placed over his leg, Suibeddi, by a 

 sudden motion of her oAvn trunk, pushed his aside, 

 and prevented him ; and on one occasion, when suc- 

 cessive efforts had failed to put the noose over the leg 

 of an elephant Avhich was already seciu-ed by one foot, 

 but Avhich Avisely put the other to the ground as often 

 as it was attempted to pass the noose under it, I saw 

 the decoy watch her opportunity, and Avlien his foot was 

 again raised, suddenly push in her own leg beneath 

 it, and hold it up till the noose Avas attached and draAvn 

 tight. 



One could almost fancy there Avas a display of dry 

 humour in the manner in Avhich the decoys thus played 

 Avith the fears of the wild herd, and made hght of their 

 efforts at resistance, Wlien reluctant they shoved 

 them forward, AA'hen A-iolent they di'OA-e them back ; 

 A\dien the Avild ones thrcAV themselves doAvn, the tame 

 ones butted them A\atli head and shoidders, and forced 

 them up again. And Avhen it Avas necessary to keep 

 them doAvn, they knelt upon them, and prevented them 

 fi'om rising, tiU the ropes Avere secured. 



At cA'ery moment of leisure they fanned themseh^es 

 Avith a bunch of leaves, and the gracefid ease Avith 



