THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIEE 49 



2. The Kheddah in the Congo Free State. 

 By Monsieur Nibueld. 



' Bruxelles, le 24 Janvier, 1907. 



* Monsieur, — Comme suite a la demancle contenue dans voire 

 lettre du 14 d6cembre 1906, j 'ai I'honneur de vous adresser, ci-joint, 

 une note siir les essais de capture et de dressage des elephants du 

 Congo, tentes par une mission organisee par I'Etat Independant 

 du Congo. 



* Afin de vous renseigner egalement sur les mesures prises pour 

 la conservation des animaux sauvages — sujet que mentionne egale- 

 ment votre communication pr^rappelee — je joins aussi un exem- 

 plaire du decret du 29 avril 1901 reglementant cette question pour 

 les territoires de I'Etat Independant du Congo. 



* Agr^ez, Monsieur, 1 'assurance de ma consideration tres dis- 

 tingu^e. 



' Au Nom du Secretaire d'Etat, 

 * Le Secretaire General 



* du Departement de I'lnt^rieur, 



* Nibueld. ' 



(Translation.) 



The Congo Free State, in consequence of reports received from 

 several people employed in the domestication of elephants, decided 

 in 1899 to try an experiment in this line themselves. A mission to 

 capture and train the elephants was organised, and it was placed 

 under the direction of Commandant Laplume. 



The instructions were to organise the captures in the district 

 of Uele, where numerous troops of elephant are found. Different 

 means were tried for taking the pachyderms. Pits were dug, 

 covered with grass and branches, but in the rainy season the cover- 

 ing of the pits sunk, owing to the added weight. This system 

 meant a great deal of work, and as it led to no appreciable result, 

 it was abandoned, and drives were organised. 



It was not possible to capture the adult elephants. Moreover, 

 apart from the difficulty of watching them, taking care of them, 

 and feeding them, they were very wild and dangerous. They then 

 had to confine themselves to trying to capture the young elephants, 

 who were more gentle, easy to watch, and whose education would 

 be accomplished with fewer difficulties. But here there were other 

 reasons for failure. When the beasts were too young they died a 

 few days after the separation from their mothers,. or inexplicable 



D 



