22 THE ELEPHANT. 



who make war againft them ; for, inflead of 

 making, like the king of Siam, walls, tcrrafles, 



pallifades, 



tremely numerous in Siam, dreffed in white, approaches the a- 

 nimal, mounted on an elephant, turns gently round him, and 

 bedews him with a confecrated water, which the prieft carries 

 in a golden vtflcl. They believe that, by this ceremony, the 

 elephant lofes his natural ferocity, and is rendered fit for the 

 King's {ervice. Next day, he walks along with his enflaved 

 neighbours ; and, at the end of fifteen days, he is complete- 

 ly tamed ; Premier voyage du P. Tachard, />. 298. 



They had no fooner alighted from their horfes, and mounted 

 the elephants which were prepared for them, than the King ap- 

 peared, accompanied with a great number of mandarins, riding 

 on elephants of war. They all proceeded about a league into 

 the wood, when they arrived at the place where the wild ele- 

 phants were enclofed. This was a fquare park, of three or four 

 hundred geometrical paces, the fides of which were fenced with 

 large flakes; in which, however, considerable openings were left 

 atcertain diftances. It contained fourteen large elephants. As 

 foon as the royal train arrived, a circle was formed, confiding 

 of a hundred war elephants, which were placed round the park 

 to prevent the wild ones from forcing through the pallifades. 

 V. T c were ftationed behind this fence, near the King. A dozen 

 of the (Ircngcft tame elephants were puihed into the park, each 

 of them being mounted by two men, furnifhed with large ropes 

 and noofes, the ends of which were fixed to the elephants they 

 rode. They firit ran againft the elephant they wifhed tofeize, 

 who, feeing himfelf purfued, endeavoured to force the barrier 

 and make his efcape. But the whole was blockaded by the 

 war-elephants, who pufhed him back; and, in his courfe, the 

 hunters, mounted on the tame elephants, threw their noofes 

 fo dexteroully upon the fpots where it behoved the animal to 

 •place his feet, that the whole were feized in the fpace of an hour. 

 Each elephant was then bound with ropes, and two tame ones 

 placed on each fide of him, by means of which, he is tamed in 

 fifteen days ; Idem, p. 340. 



A few days after, we had the pleafure of being prefent at the 

 hunting of elephants. The Siamefe are very dexterous at this 



fpecies 



