-'4 THE ELEPHANT. 



artifices. They dig *, in the places where the e- 

 lephants are fuppofed to pafs, ditches fo deep* 

 that, after falling into them, there is no poffibi- 

 lity of getting out. 



The 



remain in his prifon. To appeafe him, they threw pailfulls of 

 water on his body. Ropes, however, were put round his legs 

 and neck. After being fatigued for fome time, he was brought 

 out by means of two tame elephants who drew him forward 

 with ropes, while other two pufhed him behind, till he was 

 fixed to a large poft, round which he could only turn, m an 

 hour after, he became fo tractable, that a Siamefe mounted on 

 his back ; and next day he was let loofe, and conducted to the 

 ftables alongwith the others; Secord voyage du P. Tachard, p. 352. 

 * Though thefe animals be large and favage, great numbers 

 of them are taken in ./Ethiopia by the following ftratagem : In 

 the thickeft parts of the foreft, where the elephants retire du- 

 ring the night, an enclofure is made of flakes, interlaced with 

 large branches, in which a fmall opening is left, which has a 

 door lying fiat on the ground. When the elephant enters, the 

 hunters, from the top of a tree, draw up the door, by means of 

 a rope. They then defcend and flay the animal with arrows. 

 But if, by accident, they mifs their aim, and the creature efcapes 

 from the enclofure, he kills every man he meets ; L' ' Afrique de 

 Marmol, torn. 1. />. 58. — There are different modes of hunting 

 elephants. In fome places, caltrops are fpread on the ground, 

 by means of which the animals fail into ditches, from whence, 

 after being properly entangled, they are eafily drawn out. In 

 others, a tame female is led into a narrow defile, and allures 

 the male to approach by her cries. When he arrives, the hunt- 

 ers fhut him up by barriers, which they have in readinefs for 

 the purpofe ; and, though he rinds the female on her back, he 

 copulates with her, contrary to the practice of other quadru- 

 peds. After this, he endeavours^ to retire. But, while he goes 

 about in queft of an outlet, the hunters, Who are upon a wall, 

 or fome elevated fituation, throw ropes and chains of different 

 dimensions, by which they fo entangle his trunk and the reft of 

 his body, that they can approach him without danger] and, af- 

 ter 



