THE ELEPHANT. 127 



As soon as the hunters have determined on the 

 animal they mean to secure, three of the Koonikees 

 are conducted silently and slowly, at a little distance 

 from each other, near to the place where he is 

 feeding. The Koomkees advance very cautiously, 

 feeding as they go long, and appear like v/ild 

 Elephants that have strayed from the forest. When 

 the male perceives them approaching, if he takes 

 the alarm, and is viciously inclined, he beats the 

 ground with liis trunk, and makes a noise, shewing 

 evident marks of his displeasure, and tliat he will 

 not allow them to approach nearer. In this case, if 

 thev persist he will immediately attack and gore 

 them with his tusks ; for which reason they take 

 care to retreat in good time. He, however, gene- 

 rally allows them to approach., and sonic-tiines even 

 advances to meet him. 



The drivers now conduct two of tb.e tcmalcs, one 

 on each side, close to him, and make them press 

 themselves gx-ntly against his neck and shoulders; 

 the third female tlien comes up, and places herself 

 directly across his tail. In this sitiiation, far from sus- 

 pecting any design against his liberty, he begins to toy 

 with the females, and caresses them with his trunk- 

 While thus eiigagcd, the fourth female is brought 

 near attended by properassistantsfurnished with re pes,, 

 who imUicdiatel^y get under the l)eUy of the animal 

 at the tail, and ))ut a slight rope round his iiincl legs^ 

 If he takes no notice of this slight confinement, tjjc 

 hunters proceed to tie his legs with a stronger rope ;. 

 which is passed alternately, by means of a forked 

 -tick, and a kind of hof-k, from one le®- to the otlier,. 



