ELEPHANT— GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. 403 



the noosers seated behind him, she moved slowly along with a 

 sly composure and an assumed air of easy indifference ; saunter- 

 ing leisurely in the dii-ection of the captives, and halting now and 

 then to pluck a bunch of grass or a few leaves as she passed. As 

 she approached the herd they put themselves in motion to meet 

 her, and the leader, having advanced in front and passed his 

 trunk gently over her head, turned and paced slowly back to 

 his dejected companions. Siribeddi followed with the same 

 listless step, and drew herself up close behind him, thus afford- 

 ing the nooser an opportunity to stoop under her and slip the 

 noose over the hind foot of the wild one. The latter instantly 

 perceived his danger, shook off the rope, and turned to attack 

 the man. He would have suffered for his temerity had not 

 Siribeddi protected him by raising her trunk and driving the 

 assailant into the midst of the herd, when the old man, being 

 slightly wounded, was helped out of the corral, and his son, 

 Ranghanie, took his place. 



The herd again collected in a circle, with their heads 

 towards the centre. The largest male was singled out, and 

 two tame ones pushed boldly in, one on either side of him, till 

 the three stood nearly abreast. He made no resistance, but 

 betrayed his uneasiness by shifting restlessly from foot to foot. 

 Ranghanie now crept up, and holding the rope open with both 

 hands (its other extremity being made fast to Siribeddi's collar), 

 and watching the instant when the wild elephant lifted its 

 hind foot, succeeded in passing the noose over its leg, drew it 

 close, and fled to the rear. The two tame elephants instantly 

 fell back, Siribeddi stretched the rope to its full length, and 

 whilst she dragged out the captive, her companion placed 

 himself between her and the herd to prevent any inter- 

 ference. 



In order to tie him to a tree he had to be drawn back- 

 wards some twenty or thirty yards, making furious resistance, 

 bellowing in terror, plunging on all sides, and crushing the 

 smaller timber, which bent like reeds beneath his clumsy 

 struggles. Siribeddi drew him steadily after her, and wound 

 the rope round the proper tree, holding it all the time at its 

 full tension, and stepping cautiously across it when, in order to 

 give it a second turn, it was necessary to pass between the tree 

 and the elephant. With a coil round the stem, however, it 

 was beyond her strength to haul the prisoner close up, which 

 was, nevertheless, necessary in order to make him perfectly 

 fast; but the second tame one, perceiving the difficulty, re- 

 turned from the herd, confronted the struggling prisoner, 



DS 2 



