Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-06-25

The noise Of herd in motion can be heard
at great distance.
Mr.. June had the greatest success IN the
low lands in the northern part Of the island,
near araiarpoora. The method of catch
ing elephants, as described by him. must be
very exciting kind of business. The first
step is to make kraal, or pen, in some
spot where the animals abound. This Is
constructed of very heavy posts, set upright
in the ground, closely bound together with
wlhes, and made firm by other posts rest
ing against them on the outside, as stays.
The hraaI forms three sides Of a square,
having an aperture on the fourth Tor
the entrance Of the elephants, and from each
side of which extends long palisade, slant
ing outward, like the mouth of funnel
When all is completed, the natives lie In
wait till fine herd has wandered near the
opening of'the trap; then, surrounding them
they urge them forward with shouts and
firing of muske,s, till the frightened animals
rush through the entrance and are safe with
in the kraaL.
Now comes the work Of catching and Sc
curing them, which would be difficult and
DANCE Gus task, were it not for the assistance
rendered by tame elephants, trained for the
purpose. One Of these animals will grad
ually en,ice one Of the imprisoned herd to
lit,le distance from his fellows, and engage
his attention by a genlle caress. He rubs
his ears, strokes his trunk softly, and mum
bles phrases of elephsn.ne endearment, un-
Ill the susceptible beas. is completely be-
guiled by these tokens Of affection. Present.
ly second tame elephant comes up to the
other side and repeats the process, ill the
most complete confidence is established
Then, at The right period, they dexteriously
Iwine both their trunks round the trunk OF
their victim, and hold him as in vice.
These elephants wear collars round their
shoulders, to which stou. ropes are faslen-
ed. While the trunk Of The wild elephant
is held, two or three natives are busy in
fastening these ropes to his hind legs, and
he is thus incapable Of moving either for
ward or backward, except as his loving
friends allow. He is then taken and made
fast to tree, where he is suffered TO remain
three or four days without food or drink.
At the end Of this time the tame elephants
are brought up again, and after being secur-
ed he is taken down TO a stream and a,er-
ed. He is approached very cautiously al
first, but in the course Of ten days or two
weeks becomes docile enough TO be driven
at large with the tame beasts.
The natives have another way Of taking
them, but it is not often practiced. The
elephant, like all gentlemen living in the
tropics, is fond Of a siesta during the heal
of the day. Occasionally he will res. his
huge bulk against some convenient ,ree, and
take an hours doze with great satisfaction.
Some Of the CIngaIese are daring enough,
a. this time to creep steal.hily through the
Jungle till they reach his very feet. Not
wi,hsianding his thick hide, the elephant is
very sensitive TO touch. The native, pro-
vided with rope, the other end Of which
the hind leg of the animal, who lifts his foo,
to shske offlhe supposed fly, Instantly gives
an opportunity for moose to be slipped
under. The same process is repeated with
the other foot, and the elephant wakes upI
and finds himself caught. Large numbers
are shot, principally by the British officers
stationed in Ceylon, who appear to enjoy
sporting on such gigantic scale. A cool
head and sure aim are all that is required.
A sligh, hollow in the elephants forehead,
Just between and above his eyes, is penetrable
by musket ball, and single shot is general
ly sufficien, to bring him down.
The Ceylon elephants are divided into
two casses-the tusker, or ,usked elephants,
and the altar, who are destitute of those
appendsges. The former are more valuable
than the latter, and are principally caught
for the priests, to be employed in the service|
Of the temples.
Among the wild elephants. one is occa-
sionaIly found who, in his mischievous or
unsociaI disposition, is banshed from the
herd and becomes sort Of oucast These
are called rogue elephants. Mr.. June sue
ceeded in capturing one of them, which gave
him great deal of trouble before he was
shipped al Point de Gale, but which he now
considers the most valuable animal IN his
recollection. On one OCCASION, while in
Handy, he broke from the courtyard, in
which he was confined during the nighI,
and after considerable search, was found
demolishing plantation of bananas. He
also attempted to escape while on the road
to Colombo, but happening to cross field of
paddy which had just been irrigated, he sank
10 his knees, and was captured.
Mr.. June attempted 10 cross the mountain
chain east Of Handy, into the country of
the Eeddahs, or abrlginal inhabitants of Cey
lon, but was obliged TO return on account,
Of the rough nature of the country, which is
here primitive wilderness. In addition TO
The almost IInpene,rabIe forests and Jungles,
the mountains rise in line of sheer precI-
pice, many hundred feet IN height, and not
TO be scaled without great difficulty and