460 THE ELEPHANT 



that he is able to bend such gigantic creatures to his will. Tlie 

 professional elephant- catchers of Ceylon or Panickeas, as they 

 are called, are particularly remarkable for their daring aiul 

 adroitness. Their ability in tracing their huge game, rivalling' 

 that of the American Indian in following the enemy's trail, lias 

 almost the certainty of instinct, and hence their services aie 

 eagerly sought by the European sportsmen who go down into 

 their country in search of game. "So keen is their glance, 

 that almost at the top of their speed, like hounds running breast- 

 high, they will follow the course of an elephant over glades 

 covered with stunted grass, where the eye of a stranger would 

 fail to discover a trace of its passage, and on through forests 

 strewn with dry leaves, where it seems impossible to perceive a 

 footstep. Here they are guided by a bent or broken twig, or by 

 a leaf dropped from the animal's mouth on which they can 

 detect the pressure of a tooth. If at fault, they fetch a circuit 

 like a setter, till lighting on some fresh marks, they go a-head 

 again with renewed vigour. So delicate is the sense of smell in 

 the elephant, and so indispensable is it to go against the wind in 

 approaching him, that the Panickeas on those occasions when 

 the wind is so still that its duration cannot be otherwise dis- 

 cerned, will suspend the film of a gossamer to determine it, and 

 shape their course accordingly. 



" On overtaking the game, their courage is as conspicuous as 

 their sagacity. If they have confidence in the sportsman for 

 whom they are finding, they will advance to the very heel of 

 the elephant, slap him on the quarter, and then convert his 

 timidity into anger, till he turns upon his tormentor, and 

 exposes his heavy front to receive the bullet which is awaiting 

 him. 



" So fearless and confident are they, that two men without 

 aid or attendants will boldly attempt to capture the largest-sized 

 elephant. Their only weapon is a flexible rope made of buffalo's 

 hide, with which it is their object to secure one of the hind- 

 legs. This they effect either by following in his footsteps when 

 in motion, or by stealing close up to him when at rest, and, 

 availing themselves of the propensity of the elephant at such 

 moments to swing his feet backwards and forwards, they con- 

 trive to slip a noose over his hind-leg. 



" At other times, this is achieved by spreading the noose on 



