176 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON), [VOL. XV, 



A PERTINENT ACCOUNT AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION 

 OP THE CHARACTER, NATURE, COITUS, AND 

 PRODUCTION OF ELEPHANTS IN THE GREAT 

 ISLAND OP CEYLON, WITH A FURTHER SKETCH 

 OF HOW THOSE BEASTS ARE TRACKED, CHASED, 

 AND CAPTURED IN THE WILD FORESTS; AND 

 ALSO HOW THEY ARE STALLED AND TAMED AND 

 SOLD ON ACCOUNT OF THE HON. DUTCH EAST 

 INDIA CO., compiled and published, according to the 

 knowledge which can be derived in respect thereof, not 

 only from one's daily experience, but from other clear 

 proof presented to us, and from our own observations, 

 by Cornelis Taay van Wezel, 1 Acting (i Gezaghebber " of 

 the " Commandement " of Galle, also " Land-drost " and 

 " Hoofd" over the lands of Matara, Ao* 1713. 



Translated from the Dutch by F. H. de Vos, Barrister-at-Law. 



Notwithstanding that the well known Plinius in his 

 time had undertaken a treatise on, and description of, many 

 strange and rare animals found in various lands and parts 

 of the world, and amongst them the elephants found in 

 various regions, yet I being incited to it by a strange fancy 

 will take the trouble to give a fuller account of the aforesaid 

 great beasts, and publish the same for the delectation of 

 those curious in these matters, seeing that I, by a close 

 investigation into, and experience of, these matters, have 

 remarked and found that the aforesaid author has made 

 some mistakes,, as will be seen on a comparison of these pages 

 with the description of the aforesaid Plinius. But in order not 

 to delay the reader by a reference to those points on -which 

 Plinius and I differ, I shall proceed to treat of what has 



