476 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



separate the quarry from the rest of the herd ; then for half- 

 an-hour or more it is a case of the devil take the hindmost. 

 You must go as fast as your steed can amble. The koonkie 

 ranges alongside, the noose is thrown over its head ; the wild 

 one, feeling it dangling about its face, curls up its trunk, and in 

 so doing assists in its own capture, for the noose then slips 

 under the neck and is at once drawn tight. The koonkie now 

 plants herself as firmly as possible, leaning her whole weight 

 to the side opposite to the prisoner, with one foot advanced 

 to meet the struggles its opponent is sure to offer, and who, 

 recovering its wind, rushes off with great violence, dragging 

 the koonkie after it ; but the noose tightens, and the animal 

 gets half strangled and has again to pull up. A second noose 

 made of stouter rope is then thrown this has a slip-knot; 

 another koonkie runs up alongside and another noose is 

 thrown, and the beast is safe. The attendants slip off and 

 fasten hobbles round the front and hind legs. 



The mahout who first lassoed has now the dangerous task 

 of loosening the slip-knot and of fastening thick ropes round 

 the neck of the victim. So expert are the men, that an acci- 

 dent seldom occurs. Two or three elephants range alongside, 

 get in front, and lavish attentions on the poor half-strangled 

 captive, while the man is attaching a small rope, which he 

 carries for that purpose, to the end of the slip-knot to loosen 

 it, which is often a matter of difficulty, for the sling first cast 

 cuts deep into the flesh, and cannot readily be withdrawn. 

 Directly this is accomplished, the wild elephant is led away 

 between two tame ones, and is tethered at the appointed spot, 

 where water and fodder are plentiful. Sometimes the mahouts, 

 contrary to orders, noose an old elephant, who now and then 

 proves too much for them and has to be cut loose ; but 

 generally, as soon as an elephant finds himself in the toils, he 

 abandons hope and resigns himself to his fate. 



1 have now described most of the wild sports of Assam and 

 where to look for them. I will here briefly note how animals 

 are trapped in nets and speared to death. 



On the day appointed I found over a hundred men carrying 

 nets, whilst about fifty more were laden with stronger nets, 

 made of jute of the thickness of my little finger, and who were 



