462 THE ELEPHANT 



and it would be equally impossible to lead or to drive him by 

 force, the ingenuity of the captors is displayed in alternately 

 irritating and eluding his attacks, but always so attracting his 

 attention, as to allure him along in the direction in which they 

 want him to go. 



'' In Ceylon, the principal place for exporting these animals to 

 India is Manaar on the western coast, to which the Arabs from 

 the continent resort, bringing horses to be bartered for elephants. 

 In order to reach the sea, open plains must be traversed, across 

 which it requires the utmost courage, agility, and patience of 

 the Panickeas to coax their reluctant charge. At Manaar the 

 elephants are usually detained till any wound on the leg caused 

 by the rope has been healed, when the shipment is effected in 

 the most primitive manner, it being next to impossible to induce 

 the still untamed creature to walk on board, and no mechanical 

 contrivances being provided to ship him. A dhoney, or native 

 boat, of about forty tons burthen, is brought alongside the quay, 

 and being about three parts filled with the strong-ribbed leaves 

 of the Palmyra palm, it is lashed so that the gunwale may be as 

 nearly as possible on a line with the level of the wharf. The 

 elephant, being placed with his back to the water, is forced by 

 goads to retreat till his hind -legs go over the side of the quay ; 

 but the main contest commences when it is attempted to dis- 

 engage his fore-feet from the shore, and force him to entrust 

 himself on board. 



"The scene becomes exciting from the screams and trumpetinys 

 of the elephants, the shouts of the Arabs, the calls of the Moors, 

 and the rushing of the crowd. Meanwhile the huge creatine 

 strains every nerve to regain the land; and the day is often 

 consumed before his efforts are overcome, and he finds himself 

 fairly afloat. The same dhonefy will take from four to fi\e 

 elephants, who place themselves athwart it, and exhibit amusiiii;- 

 adroitness in accommodating their own movements to the 

 rolling of the little vessel, and in this way they are ferried 

 across the narrow strait which separates the continent of India 

 from Ceylon." * 



Unfortunately my limits forbid me entering upon a detailed 

 account of the great elephant hunts of India and Ceylon, where 



* Tennent's Ceylon, vol. ii. pp. 33G-340. ■ 



