174 CASUALTIES. 



which is not a high rate of mortality for newly-caught elephants, and others 

 would probably die before they were fit for active service. This shows how 

 great a number of elephants is required annually to keep up the strength 

 of the Commissariat Department even in one Presidency. The full strength 

 of the elephant establishment in the Lower Commissariat Circle of Bengal 

 is nominally 1000, and the annexed table shows the number which died 

 in one year, and may be taken as a fair annual average. Many entered 

 in the table, particularly in the Barrackpore, Dacca, and Assam columns, 

 are newly-captured animals, and a considerable proportion of these are milk 

 calves. 



I had expected to work the kheddahs in Bengal at the commencement 

 of 1877, but circumstances arose which prevented it. Such operations as 

 were conducted were but partially successful, owing to cholera breaking 

 out amongst the kheddah men, and to the ravages of the great storm-wave 

 which caused such terrible loss of life in Chittagong and the tracts along 

 the north-east portion of the Bay of Bengal in November 1876. These 

 causes rendered it difficult to collect men for the work, or to obtain fodder, 

 and onJy thirty-six elephants were caught. 



[Table. 



