Book I 



Travels in India. 



Piftols inlaid with Silver, he demanded of us what had brought Us into that 

 Countrey ; but when we told him that we came to attend Mirgimola, Genemlif 

 fmo of the King of Golconda's Army, about bufinefs, he was infinitely kind to us : 

 However, underftandingthat he took us for Hollanders, we told him we were noc 

 Hollanders, but Freucb-mcn. Thereupon , not underftanding what Nation we 

 were, he fell into a long difcourfe with us about the Government of our Coun- 

 trey, and the Grandeur of our King! Six or leven days before, they had taken five 

 or lix Elephants, three whereof had efcap'd, having kill'd ten or twelve of the 

 Natives who afïifted in the Chace $ in purfuit whereof the General was prepa- 

 ring ; and becaufe we could not ftay to fee the fporr, we were contented to inform 

 our ielves of the manner of hunting that vait Animal ; which is thus. They cut 

 out feveral Alleys or Walks in the Wood, which they dig full of great deep holes, 

 and cover with Hurdles ftrow'd over with a little earth. Then the Hunters hoop- 

 ing and hollowing, and bearing up Drums, with Pikes that have Wild-fire ti'd to 

 the end of them, force the Elephant into thofe Walks, where he tumbles into the 

 •holes, not being able to rile again. Then they fetch Ropes and Chains : and fome 

 'they bring under their bellies, others they wind about their legs and trunk, and 

 when they think they have fufficiently hamper d the Beaft, they have certain En- 

 gines ready, wherewithal to draw him up. Neverthelefs, of five, three efcapU, 

 notwithftanding the cords and chains about their bodies and their legs.' The 

 people told us one thing which feem'd very wonderful; which was, that thefe. 

 Elephants having been once deceiv'd,and having efcap'd the fhare.are very mifrruft- 

 ful ever after ; and when they get into the Wood again, they break off a great 

 bough from one of the Trees with their trunk, with which they examine every 

 ftep they go, before they fet down their feet, to try whether there be any hole or 

 no in their way. So that the Hunters that told us the Story, feem'd to be out of 

 hopes of ever taking thofe three Elephants which had efcap'd. Had we been 

 afford that we might hâve been eye-witneffes of this miraculous precaution of 

 the Elephant, we would have ftaid three or four days, what-ever argent bufinefs 

 we had had. The Captain himfelf was a kind of a Brigadeer, that commanded 

 three or four-thoufand men , who were quarter'd half a league round the 

 Countréy. 



The feven and twentieth, after two hours travel, we came to' a great Village., 

 where we faw the two Elephants which had been lb lately taken. Every one of 



\ the two wild Elephants was plaç'd between two tame ones. Round about the 

 wild Elephants Hood fix men, with every one an Half-pike in their hands, and a 

 lighted-Torch faften'd at the end of the Pike, who talk'd to the Beafts, giving 

 them meat, and crying out in their language, Take it, eat if. The food which they 

 gave them was a little bottle of Hey, fome pieces of brown-Sucre, and Rice boil'd 

 in water, with fome few corns of Pepper. If the wild Elephants refus'd to do as 

 they were bidden, the men made figns to the tame Elephants to beat them, which 

 they did, banging the refrattory Elephant upon the head and forehead with their 

 trunks 5 and if he offer'd to make any refiftance, the other Elephant thwackt him 

 on the other fide ; fo that the poor Elephant, not knowing what to do, was cdn- 

 ftrain'd to learn obedience. 



Being thus fall'n into the Story of Elephants, I will add fome other obfèrva- 

 tionSj which I have made upon the nature of thofe Animals. Though the Ele- 

 phant never meddles with the female, after he is once taken, yet he is fometimes 



I (eiz'd with a kind of luftful rage. One day that Sha-jehan was an Hunting upon 

 one of his Elephants, with one of his Sons that fate by him to fan him, the Elc- 



; phant became fo furious by reafon of his luft, that the Governor who was by no 

 means able to mafter him, declar'd to the King, that to allay the fury of the Ele- 

 phant, who would elfe doubtlefs bruife him to pieces among the Trees, there was 

 no way, but for one of thé three to forfeit his life : and that he would willingly 

 facrifice his for the (àfety of the King and the Prince his Son. Only he defir'd 

 his Majefty to take care of three fmall Children which he muft leave behind him. 

 Having fo faid, he threw himfelf under the Elephant's-feet, who had no fooner 

 taken him in his trunk and fqueez'd him to pieces with his feet, but he grew as 

 quiet and peaceable as before. The King, as an acknowledgment for fo famous a 

 deliverance, gave to the poor two-hunder'd-thoufand Roupies^ and highly advanc d' 



éverf 



