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



cut to a great distance to prevent the animals from breaking 

 through and escaping. 



The elephants being now enclosed within the two wings 

 C D, are driven into the first (No. 1), and afterwards into the 

 tnaal coraal (No. 2), and from the maal coraal into the 

 trave (No. 3), the furthest end of which is, in such a case, 

 strengthened with cross-beams and well secured to prevent 

 escape, each beast that comes in here being at once secured 

 by strong cross-beams from behind the body, so that it can 

 go neither backward nor forward, and when four to five are 

 caught they are brought out one by one. 



But as I shall have to say something about this hunt at 

 the end of this Paper, I should state here that the same 

 requires great trouble and practice, and is well worth seeing 

 to one who is fond of such things, notwithstanding the 

 discomforts and dangers often attendant thereon, for it is 

 wonderful how men play with these strong and wild beasts 

 without showing any fear, although sometimes accidents 

 do occur and many people are killed, but every possible 

 precaution is taken against such accidents. 



The elephants who are thus imprisoned in the trave and 

 secured by cross-beams are closely examined, and should 

 any great defects be observed in them which cannot be 

 easily remedied, these beasts are allowed to escape into the 

 woods, for otherwise they would have to be kept without 

 being used for many years, and fed to the great expense 

 of the natives. 



And now to show how elephants are caught in the 

 dominion of the King of Kandy, it must be stated at first 

 that those who go to the forest for that purpose (consisting 

 generally of from fifteen to twenty persons), when they 

 meet a fine and fit beast, hide behind a great tree until they 

 can get an opportunity to put a noose round one of its hind 

 feet, which being done they keep it always fast bound to a 

 tree when the beast begins to move, so that the beast find- 

 ing much hindrance finally gets tired and worn out without 

 being able to make much resistance, after which the said 



