THE ELEPHANT. 34? 



often content to propagate a race of slaves that 

 pass down in this wretched state through suc- 

 cessive generations ; but the elephant under sub- 

 jection is unalterably barren, perhaps from some 

 physical causes which are as yet unknown. 



The Indian princes having vainly endeavoured 

 to multiply the breed of elephants, like that of 

 other animals, have been, at last, content to sepa- 

 rate the males from the females, to prevent those 

 accesses of desire, which debilitated without mul- 

 tiplying the species. In order to take them wild 

 in the woods, a spot of ground is fixed upon, 

 which is surrounded with a strong palisade. This 

 is made of the thickest and the strongest trees ; 

 and strengthened by cross bars, which give firm- 

 ness to the whole. The posts are fixed at such 

 distances from each other, that a man can easily 

 pass between them ; there being only one great 

 passage left open, through which an elephant can 

 easily come, and which is so contrived as to shut 

 behind, as soon as the beast is entered. To draw 

 him into this enclosure, it is necessary first to find 

 him out in the woods ; and a female elephant is 

 conducted along into the heart of the forest, 

 where it is obliged by its keeper to cry out for 

 the male. The male very readily answers the 

 cry, and hastens to join her; which the keeper 

 perceiving, obliges her to retreat, still repeating 

 the same cry, until she leads the animal into the 

 enclosure already described, which shuts the mo- 

 ment he is entered. Still, however, the female 

 proceeds calling, and inviting, while the male 

 proceeds forward in the enclosure, which grows 



