212 



MAMMALIA. 



[Chap. VII. 



rapidity. For the first three days, or till they will eat 

 freely, which they seldom do in a less time, the newly- 

 captured elephants are allowed to stand quiet ; and, if 

 practicable, a tame elephant is tied near to give the 

 wild ones confidence. Where many elephants are being 

 trained at once, it is customary to put every new 

 captive between the stalls of half-tamed ones, when it 

 soon takes to its food. This stage being attained, 

 training commences by placing tame elephants on 

 either side. The " cooroowe vidahn," or the head of 

 the stables, stands in front of the wild elephants hold- 

 ing a long stick with a sharp iron point. Two men are 

 then stationed one on either side, assisted by the tame 

 elephants, and each holding a hendoo or crook 1 towards 

 the wild one's trunk, whilst one or two others rub their 

 hands over his back, keeping up all the while a sooth- 

 ing and plaintive chaunt, interlarded with endearing 

 epithets, such as " ho ! my son," or " ho ! my father," 

 or " my mother," as may be applicable to the age and 

 sex of the captive. The elephant is at first furious, 

 and strikes in all directions with his trunk ; but the 



1 The iron goad with which the It is figured in the medals of 



keeper directs the movements of Caracalla in the identical form in 



the elephants, called a hendoo in which it is in use at the present 



Ceylon and hawhus in Bengal, day in India, 

 appears to have retained the present The Greeks called it apir% and 



shape from the remotest antiquity, the Komans caspis. 



Medal of Numidia. 



