IS THE ELEPHANT. 



ces of India keep great numbers of elephants ; 

 and, after many fruitlefs attempts to multiply 

 them like other domeftic animals, they found it 

 neceflary to feparate the males from the females, 

 in order to diminifh the frequency of thofe in- 

 effectual ardours, which are always accompanied 

 with fury. Hence there arc no domeftic ele- 

 phants which have not formerly been wild ; 

 and the manner of taking, taming, and render- 

 ing them fubmiffive j*, merits particular atten- 

 tion. 



where they may be expofed to the pbfervation of men ; Voyage 



de Fr. Peyrard, p. 357. The elephants never couple but in 



fecret,. and produce only one at a birth ; Cofmographle du Le- 

 vant, par Thevot, p. 70. 



f I went to fee the grand hunting of the elephants, which 

 was performed in the following manner : The King fent a 

 great number of women into the woods ; and, when the re- 

 port was brought that they had difcovered a troop of ele- 

 phants, he despatched thirty or forty thoufand men, who 

 made a large circle round the place. They polled themfelves 

 in fours, at the diftar.ee of twenty or twenty- five feet from 

 each other, and at every ftation they kindled a lire, which 

 was raifed about three feet above the furface of the earth. 

 There was another circle compofed of elephants trained to 

 war, diftant from one another about a hundred or a hundred 

 and fifty paces ; and, in fuch places as the wild elephants 

 might molt eafily efcape, the war elephants were polled 

 cloier. There were cannons in feveral places, which are dis- 

 charged when the wild elephants attempt to force a paiTage j 

 for they are terrified at fire. This circle is daily diminiihed, 

 and at laft becomes fo fmail, that the fires are not above five 

 or fix paces diftant. As the elephants hear a great noife all 

 round them, they dare not fly, though it is not uncommon 

 for fome of them to make their efcape ; for I was told that 

 ten of them got eff in one day. When the hunters want to 

 feize them 3 they are made to enter a place (unrounded with 



ftakes, 



