156 The Life of an Elephant 



not obey when instinct told that there was 

 danger, while the other would wisely refrain 

 from enforcing an order which the elephant 

 showed continued reluctance to carry out. 



Of the method of capture of elephants by 

 pitfalls much has been written, but perhaps 

 the facts remain unaltered, that it is a method 

 economical in initial outlay and expensive ulti- 

 mately in the loss of animal life. A considerable 

 proportion of elephants are permanently maimed 

 or injured by the fall, while there is no possibility 

 of selecting animals suitable for subsequent train- 

 ing. This system of hunting is perhaps the 

 most ancient in existence, and is adapted to 

 the capture of all the jungle tribes ; to that of 

 the hare, which steps on a cunningly contrived 

 door which opens only downwards ; of the deer 

 or pig, which springs across an inviting gap 

 in the hedge surrounding the wheat fields, to 

 find itself impaled on a bamboo spike in the 

 concealed pit beyond ; to the tiger, bison, or 

 elephant, which quietly passing along well- 

 known paths is suddenly hurled into the dark 

 depths prepared for them ; but it is better 



