112 EXCITING NIGHT-SCENE. 



coffee. When the elephants approached the place where I was the guards 

 thrust long bamboos into the fires, which sent showers of sparks up to the 

 tops of the trees overhead, and they also threw joints of a bamboo-like reed 

 into the flames, where they exploded with a sound as loud as pistol-shots. 



The first crow of the jungle-cock was the most grateful sound I think 

 I ever heard, as it showed our anxious vigil was drawing to a close. We 

 knew that during the day the elephants would give us less trouble. My 

 headmen now joined me from the points where they had been stationed 

 during the night, and we set about considering the next step to be taken 

 — viz., making a small enclosure or pound off cover D, into which to get 

 the elephants confined. Of course this would take some time to carry 

 out. 



If driven from the east we knew the animals would pass between the 

 temple and channel, at the west end of the cover, with a view to crossing 

 the river below the temple, and regaining their native hills, which, however, 

 they were fated never to see again. I therefore laid out a pound (F) of 1 

 yards in diameter, surrounded by a ditch 9 feet wide at top, 3 at bottom, 

 and 9 feet deep. This was connected with the large cover by two guiding- 

 trenches which converged to the gate. It was completed in four days by 

 the personal exertions of the Amildar with a body of labourers, who worked 

 with a will, as their crops had frequently suffered from the incursions of 

 elephants, and they appreciated the idea of reducing their numbers. The last 

 thing completed was the entrance- gate, which consisted of three transverse 

 trunks of trees slung by chains between two trees that formed gate-posts. 

 This barrier was hauled up and suspended on a single rope, so as to be 

 cut away after the elephants had passed. The news of the intended drive 

 attracted several visitors from Mysore. Tents were pitched in an open 

 glade close to the river, and we soon had a pleasant party of several ladies, 

 the cheery Deputy Commissioner of the district and his Assistant, two officers 

 (Captains P. and B.) of her Majesty's 48th Eegiment, M. of the Forests, 

 and Captain C. and Major G-., who had remained from the first day. The 

 evening before the drive all assembled within view of the point where the 

 elephants were in the habit of drinking at sunset, and were gratified with an 

 admirable view of thirty-five of the huge creatures disporting themselves 

 timidly in the water. 



On the morning of the l7th, everything being in readiness for the drive. 

 Captains P., B., and I proceeded with some picked hands to drive the herd 

 from its stronghold towards the pound. We succeeded in moving them 

 through the thick parts of the cover with rockets, and soon got them near 

 to its entrance. A screened platform had been erected for the ladies at a 



