From Elephant Khedder to Crocodile Tank 365 



his own mahout, were marched into the khedder, 

 mingling freely with the wild captives, and gradually 

 separating them one by one from the rest of the herd, 

 thus enabling the noosers to slip off the tame elephants 

 on to the ground, and to pass ropes and chains round 

 the hind-legs of the captives, who are thus picketed 

 until they are reduced to subjection. 



The process of training occupies a comparatively 

 short time with the sagacious co-operation of tame 

 elephants, These may generally be dispensed with 

 after two months, and the captive ridden by the mahout 

 alone. After three or four months he may be com- 

 pletely trusted though elephants vary in temper. 



Thus ended a most interesting experience ; elephants 

 have been friends of mine ever since. 



Joe, belonging to a civilian in Madras, was extra- 

 ordinarily intelligent : he would draw a cork from a 

 bottle of claret and drink the contents without spilling 

 a drop. One morning he let himself in by the back 

 gate, warning the bungalow of his presence by trumpet- 

 ing. His master came out, and asked him what he 

 wanted. There was a pitcher at hand with a little water 

 in the bottom ; Joe poured it on the ground, attempt- 

 ing to sip with his trunk. His master gave him the 

 desired water, and having told him to go back, followed 

 to bolt the gate. But Joe had already not only shut 

 and bolted it, but turned the bolt in the slot. He 

 had a healthy appetite, and was partial to figs, palms, 

 bread-fruit, wood-apples, sugar-cane, pine-apples, and 

 water-melons. He would break a cocoanut by rolling 



