THE ELEPHANT. 147 



Mode of taking wild clephauts. 



Female elephants are never taken singly, but 

 always in the herd, which consists of fifty or a 

 hundred animals of both sexes, and is always 

 under the direction of one of the oldest females, 

 and one of the largest males. 



When a herd is discovered, about five hundred 

 people are employed, who divide themselves 

 into small parties at the distance of twenty or 

 thirty yards from each other, and form an irre- 

 gular circle, in which the elephants are enclosed. 

 Each party then lights a fire, and clears a foot- 

 path to the nearest station, by which a regular 

 communication is soon formed through the whole 

 circumference, and reinforcements can easily be 

 brought to any quarter upon a sudden emergency. 

 The first circle being thus formed, the remaining 

 part of the day and night is spent in keep- 

 ing watch, cooking victuals, 8cc. Early next 

 morning, a man is detached from each station to 

 form another circle in the direction where they 

 wish the elephants to advance. When this is 

 accomplished, the people, stationed by the new 

 circle, put out their fires, and file off to the right 

 and left; thus leaving an opening for the herd 

 to pass through, and, also, by this movement 

 both the old and new circle are united, and form 

 an oblong. 



The people from behind now begin shouting 



and making a noise with their rattles, Sec. to 



cause the elephants to advance; and as soon as 



they are got within the new circle, the people 



T 3 



