156 



MAMMALIA. 



[Chap. V. 



CHAP. V. 



THE ELEPHANT. 



An Elephant Corral. 



So long as the elephants of Ceylon were merely required 

 in small numbers for the pageantry of the native prin- 

 ces, or the sacred processions of the Buddhist temples, 

 their capture was effected either by the instrumentality 

 of female decoys, or by the artifices and agility of the 

 individuals and castes who devoted themselves to their 

 pursuit and training. But after the arrival of the 

 European conquerors of the island, and when it had be- 

 come expedient to take advantage of the strength and 

 intelligence of these creatures in clearing forests and 

 making roads and other works, establishments were or- 

 ganised on a great scale by the Portuguese and Dutch, 

 and the supply of elephants kept up by periodical 

 battues conducted at the cost of the government, on a 

 plan similar to that adopted on the continent of India, 

 when herds varying in number from twenty to one 

 hundred and upwards are driven into concealed en- 

 closures and secured. 



In both these processes, success is entirely dependent 

 on the skill with which the captors turn to advantage 

 the terror and inexperience of the wild elephant, since 

 all attempts would be futile to subdue or confine by 

 ordinary force an animal of such strength and sagacity. 1 



1 The device of taking them by India : but in addition to the diffi - 

 means of pitfalls still prevails in culty of providing against that 



