ciuh. IV. IN CHASE OF ELEPHANTS. 6? 



side by dense thorny bush brought us to a chena jun- 

 gle ground, or cultivated field. The different watch- 

 houses erected in the large trees were full of people, 

 who were shrieking and yelling at the top of their 

 voices, having just succeeded in scaring the elephants 

 into the jungle. 



The whole of the country in this neighbourhood has, 

 in successive ages, been cleared and cultivated: the 

 forest has been felled. The poverty of the soil yields 

 only one crop, and the lately cleared field is again 

 restored to nature. Dense thorny jungle immediately 

 springs up, which a man cannot penetrate without being 

 torn to pieces by the briars. This is called chena 

 jungle, and is always the favourite resort of elephants 

 and all wild animals, the impervious character of the 

 bush forming a secure retreat. 



From these haunts the elephants commit nocturnal 

 descents upon the crops of the natives. The korrakan 

 is a sweet grass, growing about two feet high, and so 

 partial are the elephants to this food that they will 

 invade the isolated field even during the daytime. 

 Driven out by shouts and by shots fired by the natives 

 from their secure watch-houses, they will retreat to 

 their cover, but in a few minutes they reappear 

 from another part of the jungle and again commence 

 their depredations. 



The havoc committed by a large herd of elephants 

 can well be imagined. 



