352 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL INDIA 



tMs country was somewhat peculiar, and lias been thus 

 described by an eye-witness : ^ 



" Several modes of capture were tried here, but the 

 most successful was a simple stockade erected hurriedly in 

 one of the runs near the spot where the elephants were 

 tracked. To make this process successful, a very large 

 establishment is required, for all necessary arrangements 

 to be of any use must be made at once. A rough ring- 

 fence of bamboos is thrown round a large area, traversing 

 in circumference some two or three miles, within which 

 the elephants have lots of moving room. This enclosure 

 must contain water and fodder, or the elephants are certain 

 to break through. At every few paces there are two coolies 

 who reheve one another, and by striking the fence with a 

 stick, keep up a continual clatter. Then at every hundred 

 yards or so, there is a matchlock-man supplied with blank 

 ammunition. Near this fence the jungle is cleared, so that 

 at any point the elephants make for, they are at once visible 

 and when they are seen approaching, a rush of men occurs 

 to the threatened locality with an immense shouting and 

 firing of matchlocks. This has the effect of driving the 

 herd back, and as it is at night that these efforts are chiefly 

 necessary, they entail much watchfulness and labour. In 

 fact, at night the whole circle is, as it were, a blaze, for each 

 party has lighted a grand pile of wood. These fires surround 

 the elephants in a ring of light, which they believe them- 

 selves powerless to break through, especially as they are 

 assailed with all the din of battle if they approach too near, 

 so that it is a sheer case of desperation, or gross carelessness, 

 or a weak establishment, if they succeed in getting out. 

 From a neighbouring camp the scene is exciting enough, 

 for the hiU-side resounds with shouting, and the discharge 

 of blank ammunition seems incessant, partly from necessity 

 and partly from the inherent afEection an Asiatic has for 

 noise. All this time the stockade is progressing, made 

 of immense piles of wood, capable of standing any charge, 

 and enclosing a few hundred square yards of ground. The 



^ Report on tie Settlement of tke Bildspur district of the Central 

 Provinces, by J. W. Chisiolm, Esq. 



