58 



Method of catching [no. 5, new series, 



II. Description of the method adopted in the Coimbatore 

 District for catching ivild Elephants. By Captain D. Ha- 

 milton, Assistant Conservator of Forests. 



I beg to enclose some rough sketches (Plates I, II, III and IV.) 

 referring to the late Elephant Hunt, which, with a brief description, 

 maybe of some interest, showing the method adopted in the Coim- 

 batore District for capturing wild Elephants. 



The spot selected for the hunt on this occasion, was at the en- 

 trance of a valley (vide Plate I) at the foot of the Neilgherries near 

 Seermoogay, where are the remains of an old Coopum or Kraal. 

 The situation was an excellent one, for the river on one side, and 

 steep hills on the other, left only a narrow gorge at the entrance of 

 the valley; so that once having got the Elephants into the valley, 

 it appeared easy enough to drive them into the Coopum. 



The Coopum consisted of a circular trench 280 feet in diameter, 



(vide Plate III) the breadth of the ditch being 13 feet, narrowing at 

 the bottom to a few inches; the depth 10 feet. The causeway at the 

 entrance 17 feet broad was composed of blocks of light wood, and 

 earth. The object of using wood was to enable the causeway to 



