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Show 136 DR. A. CAMPUELL ON THE INDIAN E L E P H A N T . [Feb. 25, now being taken to protect Sea-fowl during the breeding-season, and stated that it was proposed to bring in an Act of Parliament on the subject during the present session. The following papers were read : - 1. Notes on the mode of Capture of Elephants in Assam. B y Dr. A. C A M P B E L L , late Superintendent of Darjeeling. By far the greater number of the Elephants for the supply of the Bengal markets are now caught in A-Vssam ; the Dooars of Bootan are so iniquitously misgoverned that the Elephant-catchers nearly shun them altogether. The Nipal Tarai furnishes Elephants for the marts of the central and western provinces ; Mymunsingh and Sylhet for lower Bengal, &c. &c. The people who are principally engaged in catching Elephants for upper Bengal live in the northern parts of the Purneah and Rung-poor districts. Titalya is the most central position for the collection of Elephants by these people, and it is close to all the routes from the Elephant-catching districts*. The Elephant-merchants who conduct the trade between the eastern districts and other parts of India come from the central and western provinces; some even from the Punjab, Cashmere, and Cabool. The men who keep koonkis and supply the funds for catching Elephants are known as " Keda Walas." They often take their own Elephants for sale to the Hajipoor Fair, or further west; but usually look to the merchants, zemindars, baboos, &c. of their own districts as purchasers. At the Nek Mured Fair, in the Dinajpoor district, annually held in April, there is a good deal of business done in Elephants. An Elephant-catcher (or keda wala)'s establishment consists- 1st, of " Koonkis," i. e. tame Elephants trained to hunting and catching wild ones ; 2nd, " Phanaits," or noosemen ; 3rd, Lohattias, or Elephant-drivers, who sit on the croup and urge on the koonkis with an iron-spiked mallet; 4th, mates, or under drivers; and 5th, an abundant supply of ropes and cables for catching and tying up their gigantic quarry. The old system of decoying or driving wild Elephants on pits dug for them is altogether exploded; and the lassoo, or " phan," is the only mode now employed to catch them. The process is described as sufficiently simple, although it is attended with some danger. It is very extraordinary to hear a thin miserable-looking fellow (as many of the " phanaits" are) describing in the quietest way possible how he has caught very large and fierce Elephants. The usual mode seems to be to form the " keda," or encampment, * See Hooker's Ilimalayan Journals, vol. i. p. 181. |
