ii THE ELEPHANT 35 



when obstreperous, by the tusks of Moota Quiche* applied 

 behind. 



This elephant completely recovered from its temporary madness, 

 and became a useful animal, affording a striking example of the 

 passing insanity of the male passion, and the power of careful 

 management in subduing a brute of such stupendous force. 



After this incident Moota Gutchd with about forty of the 

 keddah elephants, was kindly lent to me by Mr. Sanderson during 

 a shooting excursion of twenty-five days upon the " churs " or islands 

 of the Brahmaputra river south of Dhubri. In India the tiger is 

 so commonly associated with the elephant that in describing one it 

 is impossible to avoid a connection with the other. 



Moota Gutchd was a peculiar character, not altogether amiable, 

 but it was as well to have him upon your own side. During the trip 

 my friend Sanderson was ill with fever, and could not accompany 

 me. I was therefore at the disadvantage of being the only gun in 

 a long line of elephants, which would on ordinary occasions have 

 been manned by at least four guns. At first I imagined that my 

 trip would be a failure, as I knew a mere nothing of the language, 

 and the elephants and their mahouts were alike strangers to me, 

 but I soon discovered that their excellent training as keddah 

 servants constantly employed in the capture of wild elephants 

 under their indefatigable superintendent, Mr. Sanderson, rendered 

 them capable almost instinctively of understanding all my ways, 

 and we became excellent friends, both man and beast. 



I arranged my long line of elephants according to their paces 

 and dispositions, and each day they preserved the same positions, 

 so that every mahout knew his place, and the elephants were 

 accustomed to the animals upon the right and left. In the centre 

 were the slowest, and upon either flank were the fastest elephants, 

 while two exceedingly speedy animals, with intelligent mahouts, 

 invariably acted as scouts, generally a quarter of a mile ahead on 

 either flank. 



My own elephant was accompanied on one side by Moota 

 Gutchd, on the other by a rough but dependable character whose 

 name I have forgotten. I kept these always with me, as they 

 were useful in the event of a tiger that would not bolt from the 

 dense wild-rose thickets, in which case our three elephants could 

 push him out. 



This arrangement was perfect, and after a few days' experience 

 our line worked with the precision of well-drilled cavalry ; some- 

 times, with extra elephants, I had as many as fifty in the field. 

 The result of this discipline was that no tiger or leopard ever 



