Chap. V.] THE CAPTIVES. 367 



which an elephant uses liis trunk on such occasions is 

 very striking. It is doubtless owing to the combina- 

 tion of a circular with a horizontal movement in that 

 flexible hmb ; but it is impossible to see an elephant 

 fanning himself without being struck by the singular 

 elegance of motion which it displays. They too in- 

 dulged themselves in the luxury of dusting themselves 

 with sand, by flinging it from their trunks ; but it was 

 a curious instance of then' dehcate sagacity, that so 

 long as the mahout was on their necks, they confined 

 themselves to flinging it along theii' sides and stomach, 

 as if aware, that to tliTow it over their heads and back 

 would cause annoyance to their riders. 



One of the decoys which rendered good service, and 

 was ob\'iously held in special awe by the wild herd, was 

 a tusker belonging to Dehigame Eate-mahatmeya. It 

 was not that he used his tusks for purposes of offence, 

 but he was enabled to insinuate himself between two 

 elephants by wedging them m where he could not force 

 his head ; besides which, they assisted him to raise up 

 the fallen and refractory with greater ease. In some 

 instances where the intervention of the other deco3^s 

 failed to reduce a wild one to order, the mere presence 

 and approach of the tusker seemed to inspire fear, and 

 insure submission, without more active intervention. 



I do not know whether it was the sm^prising quahties 

 exhibited by the tame elephants that cast the courage 

 and dexterity of the men into the shade, but even when 

 supported by the presence, the sagacity, and co-operation 

 of these wonderful creatures, the part sustained by the 

 noosers can bear no comparison with the address and 

 daring displayed by the iiicador and matador in a 

 Spanish bull-fight. They certainly possessed great 

 quickness of eye in watching the shghtest movement 

 of an elephant, and great expertness in flinging the 

 noose over its foot and attaching it firmly before the 

 animal coidd tear it off" with its trunk ; but in all this 

 they had the cover of the decoys to conceal tliem ; and 



