Capturing Elephants in a Keddah. 1 2 j 



is plentiful ; but in parts of Assam, in the vast plains, 

 sometimes only the former is used, though the opera- 

 tions are much the same. A narrow entrance is left, 

 to be closed either by a portcullis or abattis, which is 

 placed at the entrance after the herd has been driven 

 in. From the narrow entrance two deep ditches or two 

 strong fences are made in a A shape and are carried to 

 a considerable distance. If the herd once gets within 

 this angle, and the beaters act together it is not 

 difficult to drive the elephants within the enclosure. 

 Every means to frighten the herd and drive it forward 

 are resorted to ; guns are fired, huge bonfires lighted, 

 tomtoms beaten, cholera horns blown, and amidst the 

 yelling of the beaters, the trumpeting of the bulls, the 

 bellowing of the cows repeated by the tame elephants 

 used as beaters an uproar is created sufficient to 

 awaken the dead. Amid this overwhelming din of 

 conflicting tumults, a final exertion is made, and the 

 whole or the greater part of the herd is impelled head- 

 long into the stockade or keddah, and the entrance 

 is closed, while the wild animals, seeking in vain an 

 exit and finding themselves entrapped, set to work 

 and create a row to which that previous was as no- 

 thing. Great endeavour is made by the wild herd 

 to pull down the sides of the stockade and to trample 

 down the ditch, but every place is guarded and they 

 are everywhere repulsed either with sharp spears being 

 thrust into their faces or confronted with blazing 

 torches. The scene is grand and animating, and con- 

 tinues without intermission for hours. The wild 

 animals finding escape impossible, abandon hope and 

 resign themselves to their fate. Sometimes they are 

 left alone for a day or two, or if few in numbers, a 



