194 



ISLAND OF CEYLON. 



elephant could fqueeze itfelf into the opening. When the 

 governor gives orders for an elephant chace on the company's 

 account, which happens at the expiration of a certain number 

 of years, it is performed in the following manner : A great 

 multitude of men, as well European as Cingalefe, are fent out 

 into the woods, in the fame manner in which people go out on 

 a general hunt for wolves and bears in the north of Europe. 

 Thefe difFufe themfelves, and encompafs a certain extent of 

 land which has been difcovered to be frequented by elephants. 

 After this they gradually draw nearer, and w-ith great noife, 

 vociferation, and beat of drum, contract the area of the circle ; 

 in the mean time the elephants approach nearer and nearer 

 to the fide on which the toil is placed. Finally, torches are 

 lighted up, in order to terrify ftill more thefe huge animals, and 

 force them to enter into the toil prepared for them. As foon 

 as they all have entered, the toil is clofed up behind them. 

 The laft time that elephants were caught in this manner, their 

 numbers amounted to upwards of a hundred, and on former 

 occafions has fometimes amounted to one hundred and thirty." 

 " The firft care of the captors, is to bring them out of the toil, 

 and to tame them. For this purpofe one or two tame elephants 

 are placed at the fide w^here the opening is, through which 

 each elephant is let out fingly, when he is immediately bound 

 faft, with ftrong ropes, to the tame ones, who difcipline him 

 with their probofcis, till he likewife becomes tame, and fufFers 

 himfelf to be handled and managed at pleafure. This difcipli- 

 nary correction frequently proceeds very brifkly, and is fome- 

 times accomplilhed in a few days, efpecially as the wild elephant 



is at the fame time brought under control by hunger." 



The 



