600 MANNER OF CAPTURING THE ELEPHANT. 



him with some protection for the sole of the foot, but from his extreme weight and mode of 

 planting the foot, they have all been unsuccessful. His eyes are also liable to frequent inflam- 

 mation. In Ceylon, the murrain among cattle is of frequent occurrence, and carries off great 

 numbers of animals, wild as well as tame. In such visitations, the Elephants suffer severely, 

 not only those at liberty in the forest, but those which are carefully tended in the Govern- 

 ment stables. 



"On being first subjected to work, the Elephant is liable to severe and often fatal swell- 

 ings of the jaws and abdomen. On the whole, there may be a question as to the prudence or 

 economy of maintaining a stud of Elephants for the purposes to which they are assigned in 

 Ceylon. In the rude and unopened parts of the country where rivers are to be forded, and 

 forests are only traversed by jungle paths their labor is of value in certain contingencies, in 

 the carrying of stores and in the earlier operations for the construction of fords and bridges of 

 timber. But in more highly civilized districts, and wherever macadamized roads admit of the 

 employment of horses and oxen for draught, I apprehend that the services of Elephants 

 might, with advantage, be probably reduced, if not altogether dispensed with." The able 

 writer then proceeds to observe that if the peculiar constitution, irritability, and expensive 

 maintenance of the Elephant be taken into consideration, the value of its labor will be found 

 to be less than that of a good draught horse. The keep of an Elephant in Ceylon costs from 

 $1.50 to $1.75 per diem, and the animal can only work, on an average, four days in each week, 

 while the keep of a powerful dray horse, which works five days in the week, is only about 

 60 cents per diem. 



The general disposition of the Asiatic Elephant is gentle, but there are always some stray 

 individuals that are not admitted into any herd, but live in solitary moodiness, and are termed 

 "rogues," from their irritable temper. So gentle, indeed, is their nature, that even when 

 most irritated by wounds, they literally do not know how to kill their foe, even if he is lying at 

 their mercy, and there are many instances where hunters who have been chased and struck down 

 by these animals, have escaped without suffering any serious damage. The tusks are seldom 

 employed as offensive weapons, and the Elephant has but little idea of directing them towards 

 an adversary. A momentary pressure of the foot, or a blow with the tusk, would in any case 

 be sufficient to cause death, but the animal seems to be scarcely aware of its own power, and 

 often contents itself with kicking its prostrate foe from foot to foot, hustling him between the 

 fore and hinder limbs in a very unpleasant manner. A little Indian Elephant, that had been 

 much worried by wild boars, was accustomed to defeat them by receiving their charge, and 

 then knocking them about from foot to foot until they were effectually disabled. 



There are two modes of capturing the Asiatic Elephant, the one by pursuing solitary indi- 

 viduals and binding them with ropes as they wander at will through the forests, and the other 

 by driving a herd of Elephants into a previously prepared pound, and securing the entrance so 

 as to prevent their escape. 



In the former method, the hunters are aided by certain trained females, termed " koom- 

 kies," which enter into the spirit of the chase with wonderful animation, and help their riders 

 in every possible manner. When the koomkies see a fine male Elephant, they advance care- 

 lessly towards him, plucking leaves and grass, as if they were perfectly indifferent to his 

 presence. He soon becomes attracted to them, when they overwhelm him with endearing 

 feminine blandishments, and occupy his attention so fully that he does not observe the pro- 

 ceedings of the "mahouts," or riders. These men, seeing the Elephant engaged with the 

 "koomkies," slip quietly to the ground, and attach their rope nooses to his legs, fastening the 

 ends of the cords to some neighboring tree. Should no suitable tree be at hand, the koomkies 

 are sagacious enough to comprehend the dilemma, and to urge their victim towards some large 

 tree which is sufficiently strong to withstand his struggles. As soon as the preparations are 

 complete, the mahouts give the word of command to the koomkies, who move away, leaving 

 the captive Elephant to his fate. 



Finding himself deserted and bound, he becomes mad with rage, and struggles with 

 all his force to get free. In these furious efforts, the Elephant displays a flexibility and 

 activity of body that are quite surprising, and are by no means in accordance with the clumsy, 



