276 
SCENES IN INDIA* 
nearly two yards broad, and several feet deep. Within 
this ditch was a low railing of strong pointed stakes, 
rising full eighteen inches from the surface of the 
ground. At the lower end of the enclosure were a 
number of deep pits not more than two feet apart, 
and covered with light materials, but so skilfully as 
to resemble the ground. The jungle within the railed 
area was extremely thick, and preserved with great 
care, in order to divert the animals’ attention, as they 
advanced towards the snare into which they were has- 
tening ; for their perception of danger is so acute that 
it is a difficult matter to baffle it ; and even under cir- 
cumstances similar to those which I am now detailing, 
I imagine it would be next to impossible to entrap 
them, if they were not thrown off their guard by their 
terrors. 
The driving commenced at nine o’clock in the 
morning, the sun pouring a clear broad flood of light 
upon the scene, tinging the hollows of the mountains, 
and clothing in one broad mass of radiance their tall 
but well wooded summits. Tomtoms, horns, shouts, 
muskets, and rockets were employed to urge forward 
the refractory herd, which had become exceedingly 
excited by the close proximity of the fires. The pro- 
digious roaring of these huge creatures, uniting with 
the din raised by the hunters, produced such a hurly- 
burly that I was nearly stunned. I now changed my 
situation, placing myself upon an elevation above the 
opposite angle of the entrance towards which the ele- 
phants were rapidly but reluctantly progressing. 
After some time the herd crossed a vista of the 
forest, where a rude road had been cut. They 
