The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-09-09

their labor iDvaluabIe They seem to
understand the object they are expected to
accomplish, and voluntarily perform many
details without guidance their driver. This
is one characteristic in which they show
superiority over the horse.
An elephants obedience to his keeper is
partly through affection and partly from
fear. There is general belief that so
strong does their attachment for their old
keepers become, that in the event Of
change they viii not obey the new one.
When kindly treated they are as obcdient
to the new keeper as to the old as soon as
they become familiar with his voice. The
punishment of so powerful an animal is not
an easy matter. 1t is customary in India
to stop their allowance of sugar cane or
keep back their share of fodder until all
their companions have finished. When
the culprit is thus punished the concious-
ness of degradation betrayed by looks, at
titude and actions would be ludicrous did
it not excite feeling of sympathy and
pity.
In both India and Ceylon the method
adopted to capture wild elephants is by
means of the corral or keddah. While
there is slight variation in each country
in the construction of the keddah, and in
the manner in which they are finally secur-
ed, the drive and roundup are identical.
From twenty to eighty are sometimes
caught in single drive, and there has
been upward Of one hundred bagged at one
time These large catches are for the
Government, many hundred being used
by the army to transport supplies and
heavy guns. have witnessed one drive
in India and one in Ceylon. In India
there were three enclosures, the larger one
covering about five acres of ground; the
second is smaller and contains, if possible,
pool of water; the third is still smaller
and funnel shaped, gradually narrowing
until barely wide enough to admit one
elephant. Being unable to turn around
they are easily secured with ropes
passed through the upright from the out
side, and are led away in custody of tame
ones trained for that purpose. In Ceylon
they use only one keddah or corral, enclos-
ing space of 500 feet long by $50 broad.
The place selected is always in the'heart
of the forest, great care being taken not to
disturb the trees or underground, in order
to conceal the corral as much as possible
by the dense foliage. Large posts about
one foot in diameter and sixteen feet long
are sunk in the ground four feet, leaving
spaces far enough apart to allow man to
pass through. The standing trees are
utilized wherever possible Long poles
about the size and length Of telegraph
ploes are dashed horizontally to these up
rights with rattan or jungle ropes. From
each corner to the front, running obliquely
to the right aud left, long wings Of the
same construction are continued, concealed
| by trees and brushwood. At this end an
entrance is left open, so prepared as to be
instantly shut by falling gates.
The keddah being made ready, many
hundreds Of men called heaters form cir
Gle encompassing an immense area of jungle
many miles in circumference, in order to
surround as many elephants as possible.
/ This circle is by degrees contracted, and
fires are kept burning day and night. The
head men keep up a constant patrol, keep
Ing the beateFs on the alert, since any
neglect at one spot would permit the escape
of the entire herd. The elephants are
gradually forced toward the enclosure until
the heaters are united at each end of the
wings of the keddah, within which the
herd is detained 70 await the signal for the
final drive
At this stage the utmost caution and
silence are necessary, in order to avoid
alarming the elephants. Suddenly the
stiffness is broken by the distant roll of
drum, which is the signal for the heaters
to begin the final drive. Those along the
farther line Immediately set up loud shouts,
beating drums and tomtoms and firing guns,
creating perfect stampede among the
wild elephants. The men along the side
lines keep silent until the herd has passed
them; then dropping in the rear they in
crease the din by joining in the cry. The
herd rushea forward till near the entrance
when it suddenly stops, tbe leader energies
from the bunch and comes few PAGES TO
the front, looking wildly around, throws
up his trunk, gives shrill screech, and
plnnges through the open gate followed
closely by the herd, where, for more than
an hour, they rush from side to side in
their frantic endeayors to break through
the enclosure, screaming and trpmpeting
with rage, until thoroughly exhausted and
apparently stupeGed.
They are no longer turbulent, but COM
pletely dazed by amazemept and fear, form
ing group, in the centre of which they
place their young. The trained elephants
are now quietly admitted, each being ridden
by keeper aud one attendant called
nooser. Two of these trained elephants
move slowly along in the direction of the
captives. Singing out one Of the largest
males they push boldly in, one on either
side Of him, till they stand abreast. The
nooser, watching his chance, when the
elephant lifts his hind foot, instantly passes
the moose over his Leg. This is made fast