HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 193 



stinately refused to increase the pride and power of 

 its conquerors by propagating a race of slaves. It 

 therefore follows, that of all the numerous bands of 

 Elephants that are trained to service, there is not 

 one that has not been originally wild, nor one that 

 has not been forced into a state of subjection. To 

 recruit, therefore, the numbers that are unavoidably 

 consumed by disease, accident, or age, the eastern 

 princes are obliged every year to send into the 

 forests, and use various methods to procure fresh 

 supplies. 



The manner of taking, taming, and rendering 

 these animals submissive, is curious, and well de- 

 serves a place in the history of the Elephant. In 

 the midst of a forest abounding with Elephants, a 

 large piece of ground is marked out, and surround- 

 ed with strong palisades, interwoven with branches 

 of trees : one end of the inclosure is narrow ; from 

 which it widens gradually, so as, to take in a great 

 extent of country. Several thousand men are em- 

 ployed upon the occasion, who place themselves in 

 such a manner as to prevent the wild Elephants 

 from making their escape: they kindle large fires 

 at certain distances, and make a dreadful noise with 

 drums and various kinds of discordant instruments, 

 calculated for the purpose of stunning and terrifying 

 the poor animals ; whilst another party, consisting 

 of some thousands, with the assistance of tame 

 female Elephants, trained for the purpose, drive the 

 wild Elephants slowly towards the great opening of 

 the inclosure, the whole train of hunters closing in 

 after them, shouting, and making a great noise, till 

 they are driven by insensible degrees into the nar- 

 row part of the inclosure, through which there is an 

 opening into a smaller space, strongly fenced in, 



VOL. III. 2 B 



