xlii 



facial sinuses, skin eruptions, conjunctivitis, and sloughing of tlie 

 external ear and tail from exposure to the sun. The head there- 

 fore should be protected by a white padding of wool one or two 

 inches thick or the small felted cloth on which the driver sits 

 should be large enough to project and cover the forehead (Forsyth) . • 

 The trappings generally suffice to protect the rest of the surface 

 of the body of animals carrying a load. With a view to allowing 

 domesticated elephants to give to themselves that protection 

 which is adopted by wild ones they should not be prevented 

 caking mud over the body surface however it may interfere with- 

 smartness of appearance. Good elephant attendants are very 

 difficult to get and in proportion to the ignorance of the Euro- 

 peans in charge concerning elephant management is the self 

 sufficiency and positivism of the mahout. Government allows to 

 each elephant one mahout (the best come from Oudh and Chitta- 

 gong) who is "held responsible for the appearance and con- 

 dition of his animal and should not be unnecessarily removed from 

 it," also one cooly (two when the animal is habitually violent or 

 musth). Also one Bhistie is allowed per 20 elephants in Bengal. 

 When 20 elephants are in a station one Jemadar is placed in 

 charge. When a less number an experienced mahout acts as a 

 Naib Jemadar. Thus the mahout must be considered equivalent 

 to a " groom" and the coolie or coolies as " strappers". It is neces- 

 sary in engaging a mahout to see that he really knows something 

 about elephants. He is very well paid and has good position and 

 perquisites and so should thoroughly understand his work, but few 

 are really competent although, it seems, we are better oS in India 

 than they are in Burma. Sanderson finds that the following are' 

 the principal vices of mahouts as elephant keepers, and it will be 

 inferred that with them as with other Indian servants aU details 

 of general management, especially the utilization of supplies in 

 full for the benefit of the elephant, must be most strictly super- 

 vised. Mahouts make their elephants' comfort and convenience 

 subservient to their own but are rarely wantonly cruel. They 

 prevent them throwing dust and litter over themselves and rarely 

 put them under a tree to protect from sun. They picket them 

 tightly and uncomfortably with two chains allowing no change of 

 position to avoid wind, rain, and sun. They use chains either 

 too thick or too thin for elephant fetters. The mis-appropriation 



