Evening star., 1924-03-30

The drivers understand my instruc-
tions well enough, but the trained
elephants and the men who were to
do the hobbling had to have a re-
hearsal-a dress rehearsal, so to
speak-with all the trappings.
The spot where the "try-out' was
to take place was selected as care
fully as the site for a circus tent.
1t was in full view OF the flimsy pa
vilion, a roof and kajang walls held
upon stakes. In this the Tunku
Besar established himself. squatting
on mat. Back of him squatted
Asayh and her four attendants.
1 selected the best trained among
the elephants to play the part of the
wild one in the first round. He was
pushed, back first, up against a tree,
and to his evident astonishment held
there by two other elephants. I then
directed the men who were to do the.
tying to slip off.
The men slid on their stomachs and
let go the ropes as they reached the
ground. The first time the elephant
rehearsing as a wild one lifted its
foot, the noose-end of the rope was
slipped around it and fastened to a
tree 1t called for quick work. The
men in their agility were graceful
as cats.
All day long we were at 1t, rehears-
ing the animals. pair by pair, until
there was no hitch. And all day
long, except during the hours of
greatest heat, our pavilion audience
watched and cheered.
The day after our rehearsal we
started out at sunrise. There were
fifty men on foot who were to sur
round the wild herd and keep it
within a certain limited area.
About two hours from the kan
pong we came upon the men who
had been keeping the wild herd in
sight. L gave the order for silence
and lined up the fifty men who were
to surround the wild elephants. l
instructed them to extend the circle
they would form to the other side of
a small stream since it was there l
wanted to start the drive. l told
them would allow half an hour for
the completion of the circle.
1 knew they could make a fair
estimate of time by the changing
angle at which the sunlight, sitting
through the dense foliage, struck the
leaves. When the half hour had
passed, they must close in very
slowly and above all make no noise.
But If, in spite of every care, the
elephants got frightened and began
to run toward them. they were to
beat the tom-toms, to shout and drive
them back. After the talk l started
them off.
When L concluded that the work of
surrounding must be complete,
gave the signal. and we started for
ward. The eight tame elephants
were spread out about ten feet apart,
pretty much in a straight line. We
presented a front of some eighty
feet.
In this formation we came upon
the herd.
L counted twelve full grown ele-
plants and five young ones-a suck
ling among them.
X X X +
US The rest of the herd stood
peri eCIIy SlllL1 waiting LOT MIN "
make the first move. There was no
sound from him or from them.
Slowly we pushed in among them.
The drivers had had their instruc-
tions to work first toward the fe-
males and young. 1t is the young
that in nine cases out of ten, start
a stampede.
I motioned the driver next me to
close up on the old bull who now
stood, head up, ears cooked, grum-
bling hoarsely. He was enraged.
His head began to move from side
to side. He raped his trunk sharply
IN the ground and trumpeted shrilly.
We worked our way through the
rest of the herd. I spoke distinctly,
giving orders in a low tone to the
driver of the elephant that was to
work with the one was on. Gradu-
ally we managed to get on either
side of the bull. / gave low call to