Method of catching wild Elephants. 



2 35 



made faft to two Koomkees, one on each fide of the Goondab, by a couple 

 of turns rotnd irte belly, clofe to the fhoulder, like a girth, where a turn is 

 made, and it is then carri d acrofs the chefl and fattened to the girth on the 

 oppoii.e fide. Every thing being now ready, and a paffage clear-id from 

 the jungle, all the ropes are tuken from his legs and only fhe Tcoman remains 

 round his buttocks to confine the motion of his hind legs : the Koomkees 

 pull him forward by ti.e Doo/s, and the people from behind urge him on. 

 Inftead of advancing in the direction they wifh, he attempts to retreaf farther 

 into the jungle, he exerts all his force, falls down, and tears the earth with 

 .his tuiks, fa earning and groaning, and by his violent exertions often hurts 

 and bruiies himfelf very much, and inftances happen of their furviving thefe 

 violent exertions only a few hours or at moll a few dys. In g< neral how* 

 ever, th^y foon become reconciled to the'r fate, will &&i immediately after 

 they are taken, and, if neceffary, may be conJucled from the verge of the 

 jungle as fo:.n as a -paflkge is cleared. When the elephant is brought to his 

 proper fbt^on and ma.de faft, he is treated with a mixture ot fevertty and gen- 

 tlenefs, aad in a few months (if doc le) he b. comes tr clable and appears 

 perfectly reconciled to his fine II aspcars^foraewhit extraordinary, that 

 -though the Goon&ah ufcs his utmoft force to difenga \e himfelf when taken, 

 .and would kill any perfon coming within his reach, yet he never or at leafl 

 fclc'om attempts to hurt the females that have enfnared him, but on the con- 

 trary feems pleafed (as often as they are brought near, in order to adjuft his 

 harneding, or move and flackenthofe ropes which gall him) foothed and com- 

 forted by them, as it were, for the lofs of his liberty. A]\ the elephants, 

 foon after they are taken, are led out occafLnally for exercife by the Room* 

 kees, which attend JLr that purpofe. 



Having now related, partly from my own knowledge and partly from 



F f 2, 



