MANNER OP CAPTURING THE ELEPHANT 
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stiff aspect of its body and limbs. It rolls on the ground in despair, it rends the air with 
furious cries of rage, it butts at the fatal tree with all its force, in hope of bringing it to the 
ground, and has been known to stand with its hind legs fairly off the ground, in its furious 
endeavors to break the rope. After a while, however, it finds its exertions to be totally use 
less, and yields to its conquerors. Formerly it was allowed to remain in its captivity until 
reduced by hunger, but as the ropes are apt to cut severely into the ankle, and to cause pain- 
ful and dangerous wounds, the time of bondage is now shortened as much as possible, and the 
animal removed to another spot where ropes are needless. The koomkies afford invaluable 
assistance both in tying the animal and in leading him away from the tree to which he had 
been bound. One of these animals is reported to have gone on a solitary hunting expedition 
on her own account, and to have captured a fine male Elephant, which she tied to a tree with 
some iron chains. 
The second mode of capturing Elephants is more complicated, and secures a greater 
number of beasts at a time, but as it necessarily includes the young, the old, and the vigor- 
ous of both sexes in the general seizure, its results are not so admirable as might be anticipated. 
The inclosure into which the Elephants are driven is termed a “keddah,” and is ingeni 
ously constructed of stout logs and posts, which are supported by strong buttresses, and are 
so arranged that a man can pass through the interstices between the logs. When the keddah 
is set in good order, a vast number of hunters form themselves into a huge circle, inclosing one 
or more herds of Elephants, and moving gradually towards die inclosure of the keddah, and 
arranging themselves in such a manner as to leave the entrance towards the keddah always 
open. When they have thus brought the herd to the proper spot, a business which will often 
consume several weeks, the Elephants are excited by shouts, the waving of hands and spears, 
etc., to move towards the inclosure, which is cunningly concealed by the trees among which it 
is built. If the operation should take place at night, the surrounding hunters are supplied 
with burning torches, while the keddah is carefully kept in darkness. Being alarmed by the 
noise and the flames, the Elephants rush instinctively to the only open space, and are thus 
fairly brought within the precincts of the keddah, from which they never emerge again save 
as captives. 
The terrified animals run round and round the inclosure, and often attempt a desperate 
charge, but are always driven back by the torch-bearers, who wave their flaming weapons, 
and discourage the captured animals from their meditated assault. At last the poor creatures 
are so bewildered and fatigued, that they gather together in the centre of the keddah, and are 
then considered to be ready for the professional Elephant-hunters. These courageous men 
enter the keddah either on foot or upon the backs of their koomkies, and contrive to tie every 
one of the captives to some spot from whence it cannot move. Most ingenious stratagems are 
employed by the hunters in this perilous task, the details of which may be found in many 
works on the subject. 
When the natives hunt the Elephant merely for the sake of his ivory or his flesh, and 
do not care to take him alive, they achieve their object by stealing cautiously upon him as he 
dozes, and by gently tickling one of his hind-feet with a slight twig they induce him to lift the 
foot from the ground. As soon as he does so, the hunters, who are furnished with a mallet 
and a sharp wooden spike about eight inches in length, drive the spike into his foot, and 
effectually lame him with a single blow. He is then quite at their disposal, and is easily 
despatched. The flesh of the Elephant is thought to be very poor indeed ; but the heart, the 
tongue, the trunk, and the foot, are considered to be good eating if properly dressed. 
The “points ” of a good Elephant are as important in India and Ceylon as those of a horse 
in Europe. In a native work upon the Elephant, quoted by Sir E, Tennent, the points are 
given as follows : — “ The softness of the skin, the red color of the mouth and tongue, the fore- 
head expanded and full, the ears large and rectangular, the trunk broad at the root, and 
blotched with pink in front, the eyes light and kindly, the cheeks large, the neck full, the 
back level, the chest square, the fore-legs short and convex in front, the hind-quarters plump, 
five nails in each foot, all smooth, elastic, and round. An Elephant with ail these perfections 
will impart glory and magnificence to the king.” 
