112 
ELEPHANT. 
them six or eight additional bundahs, according to 
the size of the elephant, are made fast, in the same 
manner as the others were: the putting on these 
ropes generally takes up about twenty minutes, 
during which the utmost silence is observed, and 
the drivers, who keep flat upon the necks of the 
females, are covered with dark-coloured cloths, which 
serve to keep them warm, and at the same time do 
not attract the notice of the elephant ; for he is so 
secured by the pressure of a koomkee on each side 
and one behind, that he can hardly turn himself, 
or see any of the people, who always keep snug 
under the belly of the third female, that stands 
across his tail, and which serves both to keep him 
steady, and prevent his kicking any of the assistants 
who are employed in securing him : but in general 
he is so taken up with his decoyers, as to attend 
very little to any thing else. In case of accidents, 
however, should the goonclcih break loose, the peo- 
ple upon the first alarm can always mount on the 
backs of the tame elephants, by a rope that hangs 
ready for the purpose, and thus get out of his reach. 
When his hind legs are properly secured they leave 
him to himself, and retire to a small distance. As 
soon as the koomkees leave him, he attempts to fol- 
low ; but finding his legs tied, he is roused to a 
proper sense of his situation, and retreats towards 
the jungle: the drivers follow at a moderate distance 
from him on the tame elephants, accompanied by a 
number of people that had been previously sent for, 
and who, as soon as the goondah passes near a stout 
