THE ELEPHANT. 15$ 



tion of man. In order to take them wild in the woods, 

 a spot of ground is fixed upon, which is surrounded 

 with a palisade made of the thickest and strongest 

 trees, secured by cross bars, which tend to increase 

 their strength. These posts are fixed at such a dis- 

 tance from each other that a man can easily pass be- 

 tween ; and there is only one great passage left open, 

 through which the elephant can easily come, which is 

 contrived upon such a principle as to close upon the 

 creature as soon as it has passed. To decoy the ani- 

 mal into this snare, it is necessary to conduct a tame 

 female into the woods, which its keeper compels to set 

 up a cry that instantly attracts the attention of one of 

 her male friends, and induces him to follow the alluring 

 sound until he finds himself entrapped beyond retreat. 

 The deceiving object of his solicitude still continues to 

 lament and cry, and he pursues her into so confined a 

 passage that it is impossible for him either to proceed 

 or return ; but when he perceives her let out at a pri- 

 vate door, he begins to show violent marks of indigna- 

 tion at the deceit. The hunters, in the mean time, fix 

 cords around his body, and endeavour to soften his 

 resentment by throwing buckets of water upon his 

 back, pouring oil down his ears, and rubbing his body 

 over with fragrant leaves : two tame elephants are then 

 introduced to him, each of which alternately caress 

 him with their trunks ; afterwards a third is brought 

 forward, that has been taught to instruct the new-comer, 

 upon which an officer of some distinction rides. The 

 hunters then open the inclosure, and the tractable 

 creature leads his captive along until they arrive at a 

 massy pillar, to which, for about four-and-twenty 

 hours, it is tied. During that period its indignation 

 begins to subside, and in the course of a fortnight it 



