K B
36 KOOMKIES, OH DECOY ELEPHANTS, CATCHING A MALE.
itul-lallicrs \
h sLroiig In: arg.uuo
iiiaslers.
such n
, have
iL, no rcaso
or superior
v a y as lo cc
iieinsclvcs an invincible l)ericf. From
ing, can force tliera; for tliough, ii
, Lliey may profess a cluuige of senti'
ifiriu (lie old proverb thai
h of llis
;üd ngninsL liis
iiiou sli)]."
r shall
among ll
»PI"'
'Oiiture 10 ([uotc one of llie nnincrous stories In circnlation
wcver, 1
' w f t i m f f ^ .
I l is so applicable lo my suhject, anil tllougli it may
jiprising, is so completely cliaracteristic of llic animal in (|ileslion, that
1 should fed i-atlier ilericicnl «ere 1 to omit il. In Irutli, my own experience
respecting the sagacity, wanlonness, ami cunning of elephants, ratlier impels me
to credit than lo negative the anecdote. A gcnileman houghl a female elepl
at the sale of a deceased person's clVeets, not having the lei
1st idea that she was
a I m o m / c i e , which lo him woul.l not have been any recomii
aendation, as he was
not a dealer in that lirancli. He resided for a short lime at the pi
J of sale.
ami repeatedly refused handsome offers for his late purchase; to obtain which
many persons'scemc.l desirous, but finding him ignorant of her qualifications,
all carefully kept secret on the subject, lest a knowledge of them might cause
him lo over-rale au animal lliat each hoped at some time to obtain. The
v m l i o i i t , e(,ually anxious lo gel out of a line replete with danger, and more
willimr to be in the service of a gentleman, than with dealers, both on account
1(1 Icss driidgery, carefully forbare to reveal the valué of ihe
master. Onc moruing L u f c h m e e P c a / r e e , wliich was the
ivas nol to he found ; für several days no inlelligence could'be
of better wages
elephant lo his
elephant's name, v
obtained respectin:
Ihc
Ihe truaiil; and in faet she i
• j u n g
to the iiller astoni.slimenl of lier
round whose fore legs the iroi
clepbaiits, nor to that probability which, to those acqnainted with their nature,
may be requisite to produce a belief that the story may be true. The reader
iviil observe, that I have given it apocryphally, and as by no means confined
b y any living or substantial lestiniony. It is proper lo remark that many
elephants are in the habil of tying their own legs at night, and perform other
acts which tend to display the admirable sense of feeling they possess in their
trunks. The sons of the m o / i m i t s are generally much attached to their elephants,
and lake great pleasure in teaching the young ones, which are extremely
playful, a varielv of tricks, such as taking olf the turbans of natives ill the
streets, and lifting them up to the driver as be sits on the neck ; throwing stones
or clods of earth, which many do with great force and precisión ; picking up
money, and indeed even discriminating between silver and copper. I had once
a little c h i m c l i i i l , or pickle, of about six feel high, that was up to all such
tricks, in which she appeared lo lake great delight. Once, however, her
learning caused much ineonvenience. In marching from D a c c a to D i n a p o r e she
cxereised her talents during the night, and not only untied licr own ropes,
but liberated several other elephants that were in the camp, some of them
rather wild; and when the corps was to march in the morning, the tents were
delayed for some hours, while persons were sent to catch the elephants,
ivhieli
were found some distance off at the foot of the G o u g a p e m n i d hills.
days no ii
as given over as lost; under
pposilion that she had slrayeil into the neighbouring jungles, and joined
wilb Ihe wild herds; ihus no prospect remained of recovering her, unless by
chance with others in a k e d d a l l . Conceiving their hopes were at an end, the
many who had oll'ered to purchase her, did not scruple to reveal as lo her being
a k o o m k k i and, as is common on such occasions, they joined ill lamenting the
loss of so very valuable an animal. However, about a week after, L u t c h m c e
made her appearance at her pickets ; and, being secured, was accoutred, and
her master went on her lo take a ride. He happened lo proceed towards the
skirt of a very heavy grass-jungle, into which L t t f c h m c c frequently attcQipted to
turn, but was as often prevented by the m o h m t t ; who, as well as ihe master,
suspected that she was become rather wild, and might prove dangerous. At
lenglli L l l t c / i m c e became quite restive, and, in defiance of all eontroul, dashed
inlo the jungl e : nor did she slop until arriving at a thick patch of timber trees,
¡•rrilied burthen, a large male was discovered,
chain with which L u t c h m e c was ordinarily
fastened during the night al her pickets, was twined, so as to secure her prize
in the most complete manner.
Now in this we cannot find any thing repugnant to the general conduct of
Those who cannot give credit lo the above detail, may, wi thout much difficulty,
satisfy themselves as to its truth or falsity. Mr. Pideock .lisplays his colleelion
of wiid beasts not only in London, but generally iluring the summer makes excursions
to various parts of the kingdom. A few shillings gain admittance ; and a
trifle disbursed in beer, &c. will evince how readily an elephant can empty a
p o r t e r mug, together with a number of other matters that may be found enumerated
in that exhibitor's advertisements, and which are extremely well worth
seeing. In fact, it is wonderful that any person who can with such facility, and
on such easy terms, gratify a curiosity which we must suppose each to possess,
should refrain from not only indulging himself in, but from acquiring a knowledge
of animated nature in general ; whereby ideas contracted within the narrow
limits of our own island, may be exj: .nded so as lo embrace the i
I t has already been stated, that the s a u n s arc males banished from herds by
t h e superior prowess of such as obtain mastership among the females. Consequently,
it cannot be supposed that many s a u m are taken. It is not within
my memory, nor have I any memorandum on the subject, which could aid me
in estimating the number of s a u m - taken annually ; but, from every circumstance,
it is probabl e that the number does not, on the average, exceed a score ;
though in some seasons the number will vary. Some years very fciv elephants
can be found near the sea coasts, whence they retire into those immense jungles
which lie between Chitlagong and Ihc western frontiers of China. At other
limes the coasts are over-run with elephants, to the utter ruin of the peasantry,
whose crops and plantations are of'lcn desolated in the course of a night
This
generally happens in a dry season, when want of water and of ;
ueculent
KOOMKIES, OR DECOY ELEPHANTS, CATCHING A MALE. 37
vegi taliou in tlie ii
bordering the sea,
r, causes the herds lo dcscend lo the i-ver-v
; the diurnal breezes impart fresh vigour.
rdant plains
NaUire has wisely proportioned her animal to lier vegolable productions.
Thus we find ihe districts furnishing elephants replete with immense tracts of
liigh grass, and abounding in lakes or streams. Without sucli ample store these
stupendous animals must perish ; for exclusive of the large quantity of grass, S e e .
wliicli an elephant will daily consume, his broad feet will destroy immense quant
i t i e s ; as lo his thirst, which reipiires both frequent and copious libations,
orilinary puddles, such as might sullice for catth-, would by no means answer,
The elephant, like the búllalo, delights in wallowing, and never thrives so well
as when he is allowed to visit a rapid stream, there to exercise himself in
swimming, as well as to lie immersed and cool himself. The outward skin of
both animals is very similar; black and coarse, with distant ])ores, and consequently
very few hairs; within, however, it is very cellular. Neither the builalo
nor the elephant perspire much from their bodies, but chielly from their
mouths. This renders them, the elephant especially, subject lo various diseases,
of which the dropsy is the most common. They are much troubled wilh
worms, for the cure of which complaint the elephant eals earlh ; this acts both
a s an absorbent, probably con-ecting much cru<lity, to which we may suppose
t h e animal subject, and operates as a very powc irful aperient. Those who may
have kept elephants for years, antl nol altcnded lo minutitv, have yet to learn,
lhat ihe elephant being sensible of his malady, resorts lo ihis simple remedy
v o l u n l a r i l y ; all the i n o h o i i t has lo do on such an occasion, is to keep him
from ealing otiier food, but to allow abundance of drink. If the dung be inspected,
ihere will be seen an amazing nundier of moving objects, wliieh so
much resemble pieces of chewed sugar cane, or of green bough, as to require
some attention to distinguish. They are ordinarily about the size of a grain of
oats, and from their peculiar form, no doubt, prove particularly distressing
and injurious to the stomach and intestines. 1 have much regretted lhat the
putrefaction which takes place so rapidly in India, often in the space of a very
few hours after demise, should debar, unless »iiuler the most fortunate circumstiinces,
the possibility of ascertaining the seat of this disease.
The i n o h o H t s , who are well ac({Uiiinlcd wilh the disease, which is indeed
very common, most ele|)hanls being repeatedly troubled wilh it in the course of
ihe year, administer solutions of the k a l l a h - i i i m o k , or bit-noben, the quantity
perhaps of four ounces to as many gallons or niore of water. This salt, which
is obviously the basis of the liarrowgale, and other waters, is certainly both
natural and factitious, being found, as well as manufactured, in India; the
former however bears a very Iriiling proportion to (lie lalter. For ils virtues,
and indeed for an acconnt of the analysis it has undergone by some of the most
celebrated chemists in Europe, 1 must refer ihe reader lo a very abib and
valuable Irealise recently published by Mr. John Henderson, Physician and
Surgeon on the Bengal Establishment. If my testimony can add at all lo the
details given in lhat work, I freely oiler my own experience in corroborat ion of
the excellent qualities and perfect .safety of the l i o l l a h - m i n o k , which
kno^vn as the mo.sl comnton pui-gative in use throughout India. Iellicacy
it possesses wilh regard to the expulsion of tin; elephant worn
similar cases among the natives, 1 should imagine il would be an ii:
addition to the Veterinary Pharmacopii-ia. I'rom two lo s
for persons in general. I know not whether any b(- al this t
was informed that Mr. Henderson's zeal for the introduclio
into European practice, induced him to import a (]uanlity
expense; part of which, if f err nol, was consigned lo tlie n
Hastings, Chemist, in the May Market.
m the
and in
luable
suflice
but I
•dicine
<lracln
le for s;
of I he
I a cor.siderable
lagetiienl of Mr.
should be nearly as large
is is needful for many re!
••el of ils own eye, whicli i
when we considei
I t has already been observed lhat a h o o m k i e
male she is lo be employed in catching. Tli
The elephant rarely looks up beyond th
tremely small, and rather sunk in the socket; indeed, when we consider that
an elephant's trunk is the sole insli iiment of its sustenance, and of all its
actions, we may wilh reason suppose ils attention lo be principally «lirf-cled to
ils point. Prom these premises we tnay infer, that, were ihe k o o m i c k - much
smaller than the s a u u , it would be almost impossible for ihe r n o h o H t , when
mounted, lo secret himself from the eyes of ihe male. Add to this, ihat an
elephant of two feci greater hcighl than another, will, c c e t e r i s p a r i b u s , po.ssess
near double ils strenglh : a circumslance of some; moment, when we take into
account the manner in which an enraged s a u n , Leemitig wilh various ])assions,
lays about iiim on discovering the artifice em})loycd lo enslave him. In the
first paroxysm of his fury he makes no distinction of sexes; all objects appear
to him inimical and treaclierous ; and it is not unusual for him, when one half
secured, lo be nearly frantic wliile endeavouring to disengage liimself frotn the
few turns which the rope may have made roiuid his feet, and ultimately to
set oil' at speed, his trunk and tail both erect, with hi<leous screaming and
roaring, towards tlic nearest cover! Instances have, however, occurred of a
a a u n pursuing the k o o m k i e s for miles, and an anecdote is relal<;d of one beit)g
shot, on such an occasion, whereby the parly were saved from the most imminent
danger.
Vaillant tells us, in liis Travels in Africa, lhat he was in the habit of shooting
wild elephants ! I can easily conceive it to be possible ; and am inclined to
acknowledge his manner of effecting his measure lo be \ c r y p l a u s i b l e . However,
I must confess that my opinion, as lo the agility and vigourof elephants, would
cause me lo doubt whether the facts which Monsieur Vaillant performed in
Africa could be practised in India. With regard to liiding behind trees,
banks, &e. I am well convinced a Bengal elepliant would soon dislodge one confiding
in so weak a station ; and without disparagement to Mr. Vaillanl's veracity,
I should think I might with great safety venture a wager, both that no
native of Bengal, nor any European resident there, would undertake such a piece
of rashness as to go out shooting wild elephants ; ami lhat, in the event of
any onc possessing such lemerity, the sportsman would come off second best!