ELEPHANTS 



of destruction ceased and the opposite steps were taken to 

 preserve them, but certain it is that the country is not 

 overfull of elephants nowadays. Some years ago the 

 number to be found wild in Ceylon was estimated at 

 5000, but I very much doubt if there are as many as 

 2000 at the present day. 



They are found in the greatest numbers in the North- 

 Western, Eastern, Southern, and Sabaragamuwa Provinces, 

 and are certainly not' plentiful in the Northern or North 

 Central Provinces. I think, some years ago, Mr. R. W. 

 levers, when Government Agent of the North Central Pro- 

 vince, 1 estimated the number of elephants there at about 170, 

 and I think he was very near the mark. He was a good 

 sportsman and knew what he was talking about. The 

 largest Ceylon elephants are undoubtedly to be found in 

 the wila country of Tamankaduwa, along the course of 

 the Mahaweliganga, where a limited number of really 

 abnormal sized elephants exist, some of which reach close 

 on the very unusual height of 10 feet at the shoulder. 



Sir Samuel Baker says that elephants are " naturally 

 savage, wary, and revengeful" wary they certainly are, 

 but savage and revengeful in their wild state certainly 

 not, except in the case of undoubted "rogues," luckily 

 very, very few and far between. There were more 

 elephants, and therefore more " rogues," to be met with 

 in Sir Samuel Baker's day, and as far as herd elephants 

 are concerned, any animal almost will turn savagely 

 at bay if driven, harassed, bewildered, wounded, and 

 maddened, as were the unfortunate members of herds 

 he fell in with, under his determined pursuit. Compared 

 with their height Ceylon elephants have very large feet, 



1 Lately deceased, sincerely regretted by all who knew him. AUTHOR. 



91 



