HUNTING WILD ELEPHANTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1920, Page 4

HUNTING WILD ELEPHANTS.

(By a Correspondent in Ceylon).

Billigania, u.e largest decoy elephant i * Ceylon, recently ran wild after trampling its keeper to death. Decoy olepnanis aie used for the purpose of suojugatnig wild elephants after the fitter have heen driven into a stockade in the jungle. 'The following article describes the process of capture and subjugation. CEYLON. “Visitors are reminded that the object of the kraal is to catch elephants and that their presence in no way conhßrutes to this result.” Site !i a as one of tlie lather discourag,in, rules. and regulations issued rccoauy uuon an eiepnant kraal was announced to take place in the NorthWest Province of Ceylon. Kraals are ru:c-ly he! 1 ue.vadays, and there was great competition lor the privilege oi being allowed to attend the actual driving of the elephants into the stockade. Preparations for a kraal are elaborate. In this case, a suitable site for L 1 stockade in the heart of tlie jungle was first selected and boaters were sent out to scout for herds of elephants. Some three or four weeks before the date fixed for the kraal the herds were surrounded by about 4,000 beaters, who gradually narrowed the circle in which the elephants wore living and shepherded them to within a quarter of a mile of the stockade. The spot selected for the stockade was 2.) miles inside the jungle, 5J- from a wayside railway station, and some 90 miles from Colombo. Three acres in extent, it contained rising ground and a pond, with the jungle left intact, so that the elephants when first driven in would not be alarmed. Trunks of trees about 10ft high and 12in in diameter driven into the ground about 2ft apart, with tops pointed, composed the fence, which was further strengthened by thick cross-bars firmly tied with rope and buttressed outside with other heavy logs. At one o’clock in. the morning the visitors silently took up their positions in the stands erected on one side of the stockade, around which, for greater safety, was ranged a second army of beaters. A long delay ensued. Suddenly a terrific burst of . firing and shouting assailed our ears, and then we saw shadowy forms plunging through tlie foliage inside tlie stockade and heard the sound of trees crashing to the ground as the frightened elephants were driven from the open jungle into tlie prison they could not see. And then the decoy elephants began their work. Headed by a veteran, the strongest elephant in Ceylon, the seven decoys entered the stockade and the gates were closed. Charging through the jungle within, tlie decoys surrounded tlie captured herd of 39, now thirstily drinking at the pond. Two mahouts were on the back of each decoy. . Underneath each trunk stood the nooser, with a noose of plaited deer-hide in his hand, the other end being fastened to the decoy. Softly the nooser crept up. Waiting until a wild elephant raised a hind foot, lit deftly slipped the noose round it and fled for his life. If an elephant stood motionless, tlie decoy tickled his foot with the end of his trunk in order to make him raise it and let the nooser do Ins work. Then began the tug-of-war 7 the wild elephant trumpeting loudly and struggling to free himself, while the decoy slowly pulled him out of tlie “Hugger scrum” of his angry and frightened fellows towards a big tree, round which ho began to walk, twisting the rope the while. Other decoys loafed up to assist. And when the wild one became obstreperous they beat him witli their trunks and pushed him with their heads, standing; close by around him until tlie beater* had securely tied his hind legs to the tree and slipped off tlie noose. Then off the decoys rolled, to do it all again, leaving the newly tied monster to pull and struggle, trumpet and bellow, till tired out. Later eacli captured animal, no'w cowed and tractable, was led out of the stockade yoked between decoys.