ELEPHANT CATCHERS OP CEYLON 459 



Captain Galloway has the credit of slaying more than half that 

 number ; Major Skinner almost as many, and less persevering 

 aspirants follow at humbler distances. 



A reward of a few shillings per head offered by the govern- 

 ment for taking elephants was claimed for 3,500 destroyed in 

 part of the northern provinces alone, in less than three years 

 prior to 1848, and between 1851 and 1856 a similar reward 

 was paid for 2,000 in the southern provinces. In consequence 

 of this wholesale slaughter, it cannot be wondered at that the 

 ( 'eylon elephant has entirely disappeared from districts in which 

 jie was formerly numerous, and that the peasantry in some parts 

 of the island have even suspended the ancient practice of 

 ]^eeping watchers and fires by night to drive away the elephants 

 from the growing crops. The opening of roads, and the clearing 

 of the mountain-forests of Kandy for the cultivation of coffee, 

 ]iave forced the animals to retire to the low country, where 

 again they have been followed by large parties of European 

 sportsmen, and the Singhalese themselves being more freely 

 l)iovided with arms than in former times, have assisted in the 

 work of extermination.* 



The practice in Ceylon is to aim invariably at the head, and, 

 •^xmerally speaking, a single ball planted in the forehead ends 

 Die existence of the noble creatures instantaneously. Thus, 

 wldle Prince Waldemar of Prussia, during his visit to the 

 island, was hunting in the forests in company with Major 

 Ivogers, they were charged by two elephants, the one furiously 

 trumpeting in their rear, while the other pushed its enormous 

 head through the bushes in front. The major, however, soon 

 put an end to their offensive demonstrations, for springing 

 between them, he instantly lodged one bullet behind the ear of 

 the one, and a second in the temple of the other. As if struck 

 by lightning, they sank to the earth with a deep hollow groan, 

 and the remainder of the herd, terrified by their fall, hurried 

 away into the depth of the woods. 



In India and Ceylon, elephants have been caught and tamed 

 from time immemorial, and w^hen we compare their colossal 

 strength with the physical weakness of man, it surely must be 

 considered a signal triumph of his intelligence and courage, 



* Tenncnt's Ceylon, vol. ii, p. 273. 



