THE ELEPHANT 



137 



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But the Indian elephant is chiefly used for riding; and we 

 should be sure to see several elephants in the streets, each with 

 a load of riders upon its back. These riders would be sitting 

 in a large basket-work seat, called a " howdah ", which is fastened 

 upon the elephant's 

 back, while the ani- 

 mal is guided by a 

 " mahout", or driver, 

 who sits astride upon 

 its neck. The ma- 

 hout carries a long 

 iron spike, with a 

 hook at the end, 

 called a " haunkus ", 

 and this he presses 

 against the ele- 

 phant's head, to 

 show in which direc- 

 tion it is to go. 



The elephant is 

 often trained to 

 hunt the tiger; but 

 this is not at all an 

 easy task, for it is 

 very much afraid of 

 that animal. At first 

 the skin of a tiger is 

 given to it, and it is 

 encouraged to toss 

 it about.and trample 

 upon it. Then the skin is stuffed, and given to it again, that it 

 may treat it in the same way. Lastly, the elephant is securely 

 fastened up, while a boy gets into the skin and runs about upon 

 his hands and feet, in order that the elephant may be accustomed 

 to seeing what it takes to be a tiger in motion. After this the 

 elephant is considered to be ft for ernployment in the tiger chase. 

 But, even after all this care, it often happens that when an angry 



Elephants with Howdah 



