Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-31
ROYAL SPORT IN SIAM
THE GREAT ANNUAL ELEPHANT
HUNT is AN INTERESTING SHOW.
Queer Sights and Stirring DOings I'm
the Ancient Corral of the
Siamese Capital.



considerable Importance on the Meinam.
some fifty miles north of Bangkok. 1t is
the occasion of a general holiday. Banks
and offices are closed. Ministers, consus,
missionaries, lawyers, doctors, merchants
and clerks join in one gigantic picnic up the
river. There are roads to Ayuthia, so
they must go by water. The more fortu-
nate travel in well-appointed houseboats,
others in anything, from small launches to
large river steamers, while members of the
club generally charter a mammoth steam
wheeler. And, to add eclat to the event,
sthe hunt IS directed by one of the princes.
on the occasion L describe by a brother OF
the King =
The kraal corral, or paneet, which was
built more than a hundred years ago, is
large Enclosure 2G2 feet square, surrounded
by a brick wall nine feet high, varying
from thirteen to twenty feet in thickness.
with a parapet on each side, forming
fine promenade shaded by several trees
whose roots deeply imbedded in the
brickwork. Three sides of the square.
reached by steps from without, are open to
the general public. There is raised plat
form over. the center of the south wall,
forming the grand stand, for favored Eu-
ropeans and natives, which is rooted by
typical example of Siamese architecture,
and consists of a central cruciform part
with the arms extended by two lengths of
gable on either side, each lower than, and
projecting from, the other. which gives the
IMPRESSION
can be run in or out to suit requirements.
There are two entrances, one in the north
wall, in front of the grand stand, and the
other in the southeast corner, both guarded
by strong and ingeniously contrlyed gates
two at each entrance-composed OF two
heavy timbers hanging on pins from cross
beams above. and reaching below the lever
of the ground where they fit into groove.
These are drawn apart at the bottom by
small windlasseS. and when open form an
inverted V, with just room enough Tor one
elephant at time to pass through. IN
by their own weight. About twenty-four
feet within the walls is a smaller inclosure'
fenced by a palisade of huge teak logs
planted in the ground so closely together
that there is only space for man to
squeeze between them. The enormous
strength of the fence is at once apparent
from the size of the timbers, many of them
! being upward of four feet in circumference.
measured several, and found one five feet
nine inches around. The fence is further
strengthened by horizontal beams firmly
dashed to the logs foot or SO below their
heads and from these struts rake backward
to the foot of the wall, the whole forming
an inclosure capable of resisting a tremen-
dous pressure from within. In the middle
is shelter or refuge composed of a clump
of teak piles supporting wooden tower
with a threetiere roof rising to a grace
full needle-like spire. This also forms an
obstruction to the movement of the ami
mails when excited. and serves as a center
around which to mill the herd. In this
kraal the catching takes place. The term
hunt although invariably used in Siam,
is misleading, as the real hunting is done
in the jungle by the natives who drive in
the wild elephants.
A Great Popular Outing.
The general interest starts with the ar
rival of the animals, the day before that
appointed for the catch. Ayuthia then ap-
pears like city of the dead. All the bust
ness shops are closed, the floating houses
and huts are deserted, and large boats and
steamers, that cannot go up the klong or
canal to the kraal, are moored to the banks
or anchored in the stream. But mile
further up all is gayety and animation-a
second Henley. The river, lined with
launches, house and chow boats. is simply
alive with canoes, sampans and small craft
of every description. Europeans are camp
ing out in the temple resthouses, or wat
salas, and the banks are crowded with
thousands of brightly dressed natives eager
and excited, conspicuous among whom are
the foreigners-especially the women. The
massive brown walled corral looks solemn
and imposing in contrast to some graceful
green and red rooted temple buildings half
a mile across pleasant stretch of springy
sward. An hour IS quickly Whlled away
here, greeting friends and watching the
habits of a good variety of eastern races.
A sharp eye at last detects dark mass
emerging from a fringe Of jungle on the
far side of an open expanse OF sun-drled
paddy fields, and the shout ma law Is
taken UP all over the ground as the people
rush to secure good places for seeing the
animals ford the river: One by one the
herd, numbering nearly four hundred. comes
into view, rounded up and led by the tram
ed elephants. There is no hurry-they take
nearly an hour to do mile One would
think, to see their measured steps, that
they could not go faster; but only get them
excited, and see the rate at which their
clumsy legs can carry their ponderous,
swaying bodies! $50
1t is a strange sight to see them sliding
L. i,,t~ fhn ri
their back legs stretched out behind. And
with what evident delight they play about
and cool themselves by blowing shower
baths of. water over their backs. After
few minutes the mahouts prod their mounts
and lead on, followed by the whole herd.
which is punched together by outriders on
the sides, who keep in stragglers. The
kraal is only couple of hundred yards
from the river and there is a funnel-shaped
Enclosure extending from the north gate to
the ford. Into this the animals are slowly
led for they must now be kept very quiet
One leader and then another passes through
the narrow gateway, followed by some con-
fiding friends. The decoys stand near, by
way of encouragement to those in the rear,
which are imperceptibly crowded forward.
A few get restless, but before long they are
all safely in, and the trained elephants slip
out through the other gate.
In Captivity.
Then it is that the wild ones realize that
they have been trapped, and, madly eager
to get out trumpet below and groan, Gre
ating, as local paper truly said, "a scene
of such confusion that no two people saw
it alike" The walls now swarm with spec
tators who amuse themselves by watching
the bewidered beasts, some of which seem
to resent their Imprisonment, while others
are Indifferent, and others, again. engage
in settling private quarrels or roaring def |
ance at the gallery. One inquisitive young
ster, destined for a civilized and useful
life, tried to squeeze between the piles of
the refuge. and got damned across the ribs, |
the thckest part of his body. His efforts |
to get free attracted his friends. who |
watched him while he struggled and bel |
lowed. One big fellow tried to push him
back. but failed: then there was pause,
during which one could almost see them
thinking, and another, having apparently |
worked it out in his mind, tried from be- |
hind, and fairly lifting him off his legs |
pushed him through, amid shouts of ap
plause from the crowd. A native put his !
head between the timbers Of the fence and
was Immediately charged at by a large bull |
that had been busying himself by raking |
up with his forefoot little mounds of EARTH |
heaping them on the end Of his trunk and |
then blowing them over his back. Many |
others were doing the same thing. but their |