376 THE ELEPHANT. [Part Vnt 



force him along. Wlieii dragged to tlie place at which 

 he was to be tied up, he coiitiuiied the contest ^\iih 

 desperation, and to prevent the second noose being placed 

 on his foot, he sat down on his haunches, almost in the 

 attitude of the "Florentine Boar," keeping his hind- 

 feet beneath him, and defending his fore-feet with liis 

 trunk, with which he flung back the rope as often as it 

 was attempted to attach it. When oveipowered and 

 made fast, his grief was most affecting ; his \'iolence sunk 

 to utter prostration, and he lay on the ground, uttering 

 choking cries, with tears trickhng down liis cheeks. 



The final operation Avas that of slackening the ropes 

 and marching each captive down to the river between 

 two tame ones. This was effected very simply. A 

 decoy, with a strong coUar round his neck, stood on 

 either side of the wild one, on which a similar collar 

 was formed, by successive coils of coco-nut rope ; and 

 then, by connecting the three collars together, the pri- 

 soner was effectually made safe between his two guards. 

 During this operation, it was ciuious to see how the 

 tame elephant, from time to time, used its trunk to 

 sliield the arm of its rider, and ward off the trunk of 

 the prisoner, who resisted the placing the rope round 

 his own neck. This being done, the nooses were removed 

 from his feet, and he was marched off to the river, in 

 wliich he was allowed to bathe ; a pri\alege of wliich all 

 eagerly availed themselves. Each was then made fast to 

 a tree in the forest, and keepers being assigned to him, 

 with a retinue of leaf-cutters, he was plentifidly supphed 

 with his favourite food, and left to the care and tuition of 

 liis new masters. 



Eetm-ning from a spectacle such as I have attempted 

 to describe, one cannot help feehng how immeasurably it 

 exceeds in interest those royal battues where timid deer 

 are driven in crowds to unresisting slaughter ; or those 

 vaunted "wild sports" the amusement of which appears 

 to be in proportion to the effusion of blood. Here the 

 only display of cruelty was the imposition of restraint ; 

 and though considerable mortality often occurs amonirst 



