THE AIRICAN ELEPHANT, 205 
excited by shouts, the waving of hands and spears, &c., to move towards the 
inclosure, which is cunningly concealed by the trees among which it is built, 
If the operation should take place at night, the surrounding hunters are 
supplied with burning torches, while the keddah is carefully kept in darkness. 
Being alarmed by the noise and the flames, the Elephants rush instinctively 
to the only open space, and are thus fairly brought within the precincts of 
the keddah, from which they never emerge again save as captives. 
The terrified animals run round and round the inclosure, and often attempt 
a desperate charge, but are always driven back by the torch-bearers, who 
wave their flaming weapons and discourage the captured animals from their 
meditated assault. At last the poor creatures are so bewildered and fatigued 
that they gather together in the centre of the keddah, and are then consi- 
dered to be ready for the professional elephant hunters. These courageous 
men enter the keddah either on foot or upon the back of their koomkies, and 
contrive to tie every one of the captives to some spot from whence it 
cannot move. Most ingenious stratagems are employed by the hunters in 
this perilous task, the details of which may be found in many werks on 
the subject. 
The Elephant is always guided by a mahout, who sits astride upon its neck 
and directs the movements of the animal by means of his voice, aided 
by a kind of spiked hook, called the haunkus, which is applied to the animal’s 
head in such a manner as to convey the driver’s wishes to the Elephant. 
The persons who ride upon the Elephant are either placed in the howdah, a 
kind of wheelless carriage strapped on the animal’s back, or sit upon a large 
pad, which is furnished with cross ropes in order to give a firm hold. The 
latter plan is generally preferred, as the rider is able to change his position at 
will, and even to recline upon the Elephant’s back if he should be fatigued by 
the heavy rolling gait of the animal. The Elephant generally kneels in order 
to permit the riders to mount, and then rises from the ground with a peculiar 
swinging motion. Very small Elephants are furnished with a saddle like 
that which is used upon horses, and is fitted with stirrups. The saddle, 
however, cannot be conveniently used on animals that are more than six 
feet in height. ; 
The size of Elephants has been greatly exaggerated, as sundry writers have 
given fourteen or sixteen feet as an ordinary height, and have even mentioned 
instances where Elephants have attained to the height of twenty feet. It is 
true that the enormous bulk of the animal makes its height appear much 
greater than is really the case. Eight feet is about the average height of a 
large Elephant, and scarcely any, Elephant measures much more than ten 
feet high at the shoulder. . ; : 
The general colour of the Elephant is brown, of a lighter tint when the 
animal is at liberty, and considerably deeper when its hide is subjected to 
rubbing with a cocoa-nut brush and plenty of oil. Sometimes an albino or 
White Elephant is seen in the forests, the colour of the animal being a pinky 
white, and aptly compared to the nose of awhite horse. The king of Ava, one 
of whose titles is “ Lord of the White Elephants,” generally contrives to 
monopolize every White Elephant, and employs them for purposes of state, 
decorating them with strings of priceless gems, pearls, and gold coins, and 
lodging them in the most magnificent of houses, where their very eating- 
troughs are of silver. ; 
The AFRICAN ELEPHANT is spread over a very wide range of country, 
extending from Senegal and Abyssinia to the borders of the Cape Colony. 
Several conditions are required for its existence, such as water, clense forests, 
and the absence of human habitations. ; aroun Paes 
Although it is very abundant in the locality which it inhabits, it is not often 
