Chap. V.] 
THE ELEPHANT. 
175 
circle of about two miles, within the area of which the 
herd is detained to await the signal for the final drive. 
Two months had been spent in these preliminaries, 
and the preparations had been thus far completed, on 
the day when we arrived and took our places on the 
stage erected for us, overlooking the entrance to the 
corral. Close beneath us a group of tame elephants 
sent by the temples and the chiefs to assist in securing 
the wild ones, were picketed in the shade, and lazily 
fanning themselves with leaves. Three distinct herds, 
whose united numbers were variously represented at 
from forty to fifty elephants, were enclosed, and were 
at that moment concealed in the jungle within a short 
distance of the stockade. Not a sound was permitted 
to be made, each person spoke to his neighbour in 
whispers, and such was the silence observed by the mul- 
titude of the watchers at their posts, that occasionally 
we could hear the rustling of the branches as some of 
the elephants stripped off a leaf. 
Suddenly the signal was made, and the stillness of 
the forest was broken by the shouts of the guard, the 
rolling of the drums and tom-toms, and the discharge 
of muskets ; and beginning at the most distant side of 
the area, the elephants were urged forward at a rapid 
pace towards the entrance into the corral. 
The watchers along the line kept silence only till the 
herd had passed them, and then joining the cry in their 
rear they drove them onward with redoubled shouts and 
noises. The tumult increased as the terrified rout drew 
near, swelling now on one side now on the other, as the 
herd in their panic dashed from point to point in their 
1 endeavours to force the line, but they were instantly 
driven back by screams, muskets, and drums. 
