72 MANTRA GAJAH. 



them a much more recent period than I had suggested in my 

 first article. 



It is impossible to say when the Siamese first came down 

 the Peninsula in search of elephants. Their own country has 

 always been richly stocked with elephants ; and at this day, 

 from all accounts, there roam through the forests, in a semi- 

 wild condition, herds of these great animals for which there is 

 little or no commercial use. It is unlikely, therefore, that the 

 Siamese should, at any early period, have gone far afield in 

 search of animals for which there was but little demand in 

 their own country ; unless, of course, the search was one that 

 was being made for the sacred white elephant. 



It was perhaps not until the development of India and 

 Burmah caused a demand for elephants for state ceremonies 

 and for business purposes, and created a trade between Siam and 

 these countries, that the Malay Peninsula was laid under contri- 

 bution to supply elephants. 



This trade in elephants was particularly referred to by 

 Gemelli Careri, who in 1695 went from Goa to Malacca. He 

 wrote in his " Giro del Mondo " (Vol. III. pp. 358, 359) an 

 account, which is translated in Churchill's Voyages, Vol. IV- 

 p. 284, as follows : — " all the country of Malacca, Cambaya 

 " Siam, Ciampa, Cocincinna and Tunchin abounds in elephants 

 " of which the Siamese particularly make a great trade, carry - 

 " ing them by land to the opposite coast and port of Tena- 

 " zarin, belonging to the King of Siam, near the Gulf of Bengala, 

 " where merchants buy to transport them by sea into the 

 " dominions of Mahometan princes." 



The extent to which this trade in elephants grew is shewn 

 in the records of the India Office. The following notices of 

 ships with elephants arriving at the port of Masulipatam, from 

 Tenasserim alone, are taken from the Diary and Consultation 

 Book of that factory.* 



April 25 1680 A ship with elephants 

 May 3 1680 A ship with 16 

 April 21 1681 „ „ 13 „ 



♦Anderson's " English Intercourse with Siam in the Seventeenth 

 Century" p. 20. 



Jour. Straps Branch 



