ELEPHANT. 
117 
fill animal seems naturally of a social disposition, 
as a herd in general consists of from forty to one 
hundred, and is conducted under the direction of 
one of the largest and oldest females, called the 
palmai , and one of the largest males. When a 
herd is discovered, about five hundred people are 
employed to surround it; who divide themselves 
into small parties, called cliokeys , consisting gene- 
rally of one driver and two coolies, at the distance 
of twenty or thirty yards from each other, and form 
an irregular circle, in which the elephants are en- 
closed : each party lights a fire, and clears a foot- 
path to the station that is next him ; by which a 
regular communication is soon formed through the 
whole circumference from one to the other. By 
this path reinforcements can immediately be brought 
to any place where an alarm is given ; and it is also 
necessary for the superintendants, who are always 
going round, to see that the people are alert upon 
their posts. The first circle (the daivkee) being 
thus formed, the remaining part of the day and 
night is spent in keeping watch by turns, or in 
cooking for themselves and companions. Early next 
morning one man is detached from each station, 
to form another circle in that direction where they 
wish the elephants to advance. When it is finished, 
the people stationed nearest to the new circle put 
out their fires, and file off to the right and left to 
form the advanced party, thus leaving an opening 
for the herd to advance through ; and by this move- 
ment both the old and new circle are joined, and 
