736 MANNER OF CAPTURING THE ELEPHANT. 



that if the peculiar constitution, irritability, and expensive maintenance of the Elephant 

 be taken into consideration, the value of its labor will be found to be less than that 

 of a good draught horse. The keep of an Elephant in Ceylon costs between six and 

 seven shillings per diem, and the animal can only work, on an average, four days in 

 each week ; while the keep of a powerful dray horse, which works five days in the 

 week, is only half-a-crown per diem. 



The general disposition of the Asiatic Elephant is gentle, but there are always some 

 stray individuals that are not admitted into any herd, but live in solitary moodiness, 

 and are termed " rogues," from their irritable temper. So gentle, indeed, is their nature 

 that even when most irritated by wounds, they literally do not know how to kill their 

 foe, even if he is lying at their mercy ; and there are many instances where hunters 

 who have been chased and struck down by these animals have escaped without suffer- 

 ing any serious damage. The tusks are seldom employed as offensive weapons, and 

 the Elephant has but little idea of directing them towards an adversary. A momentary 

 pressure of the foot, or a blow with the tusk, would in any case be sufficient to cause 

 death, but the animal seems to be scarcely aware of its own power, and often contents 

 itself with kicking its prostrate foe from foot to foot, hustling him between the fore and 

 hinder limbs in a very unpleasant manner. A little Indian Elephant, that had been 

 much worried by wild boars, was accustomed to defeat them by receiving their charge, 

 and then knocking them about from foot to foot until they were effectually disabled. 



There are two modes of capturing the Asiatic Elephant, the one by pursuing solitary 

 individuals and binding them with ropes as they wander at will through the forests, 

 and the other by driving a herd of Elephants into a previously prepared pound, arid 

 securing the entrance so as to prevent their escape. 



In the former method, the hunters are aided by certain trained females, termed 

 " koomkies," which enter into the spirit of the chase with wonderful animation, arid 

 help their riders in every possible manner. When the koomkies see a fine male Elephant, 

 they advance carelessly towards him, plucking leaves and grass, as if they were perfectly 

 indifferent to his presence. He soon becomes attracted to them, when they overwhelm 

 him with endearing feminine blandishments, and occupy his attention so fully that he 

 does not observe the proceedings of the " mahouts," or riders. These men, seeing the 

 Elephant engaged with the " koomkies," slip quietly to the ground, and attach their 

 rope nooses to his legs, fastening the ends of the cords to some neighboring tree. 

 Should no suitable tree be at hand, the koomkies are sagacious enough to comprehend 

 the dilemma, and to urge their victim towards some large tree which is sufficiently 

 strong to withstand his struggles. As soon as the preparations are complete, the 

 mahouts give the word of command to the koomkies, who move away, leaving the 

 captive Elephant to his fate. 



Finding himself deserted and bound, he becomes mad with rage, and struggles with 

 all his force to get free. In these furious efforts, the Elephant displays a flexibility 

 and activity of body that are quite surprising, and are by no means in accordance with 

 the clumsy, stiff aspect of its body and limbs. It rolls on the ground in despair, it 

 rends the air with furious cries of rage, it butts at the fatal tree with all its force, in 

 hope of bringing it to the ground, and has been known to stand with its hind legs 

 fairly off the ground, in its furious endeavors to break the rope. After a while, how- 

 ever, it finds its exertions to be totally useless, and yields to its conquerors. Formerly 

 it was allowed to remain in its captivity until reduced by hunger, but as the ropes are 

 apt to cut severely into the ankle, and to cause painful and dangerous wounds, the 

 time of bondage is now shortened as much as possible, and the animal removed to 

 another spot where ropes are needless. The koomkies afford invaluable assistance 

 both in tying the animal and in leading him away from the tree to which he had been 

 bound. One of these animals is reported to have gone on a solitary hunting expedition 

 on her own account, and to have captured a fine male Elephant, which she tied to a 

 tree with some iron chains. 



The second mode of capturing Elephants is more complicated, and secures a greater 

 number of beasts at a time, but as it necessarily includes the young, the old, and the 

 vigorous of both sexes in the general seizure, its results are not so admirable as might 

 be anticipated. 



