Proceeding with embodied force, Though did they know my warlike fame, III. OSAGE SONG OF PEACE, On terminating the War with their Neigh Ye brave Osages! one and all Here smoke the calumet at ease; Beneath your fury lost their lives; DECOY ELEPHANTS CATCHING A MALE. WE may in vain search the annals of art, and examine the records of antiquity, for such an extraordinary fact as forms the subject of this article. That many birds are made instrumental towards enslaving their own species we all know; but even if we should hesitate in admitting, that the chirping of a linnet in its cage were rather the effect of agitation, and of that sensibility which the sight of its fellow creatures ranging at full liberty must create; or, if we should deny that decoy ducks act rather from habit than from design; and though we should affix to the conduct of each, an absolute connivance in the ensnaring of their own race, and admire the regularity with which they act on such occasions; yet we do not find sufficient to interest us deeply, nor any circumstance evincing either that they are themselves sensible of VOL. III. the stratagem, or that they are attached and strongly affectionate to their employers. Not so the koomkie (or female elephant) she becomes an active accessory in the plot against her fellow creature; discovering not only great readiness, but much ingenuity and anxiety for the success of the enterprise, as well as for the personal safety of her keeper! Possibly we might be the less surprised at this, were koomkies trained from their earliest years to the device, which is by no means the case. They are generally selected, perhaps from herds comparatively fresh from the keddah (or trap) on account of their size, their docility, and their attachment to their mohouts, or drivers. In fact, however tractable and affectionate a female elephant may be, she will be of no value as a koomkie unless of a good stature; Wanapasha died afterwards at Washington. without which she could neither effectually conceal her driver from the sight of the male to be taken, nor, in the event of his being discovered, afford him the least protection.. It may be observed, that domesticated animals at the season of procreation generally are in a state of warfare; one male of superiour prow css exiling, or at least controlling, such males as may have not either spirit or strength to dispute the point. With wild animals this is, if any thing, carried to a greater extreme. Such as do not possess any exteriour weapons of offence, nature has designed should couple, as we find to be the case with hares, rabbits, rats, wolves, bears, and many others; while those to which she has assigned horns, protruding teeth, &c. ever assemble in herds; as elephants, deers, buffaloes, &c. over which one male ordinarily obtains sway. With regard to antelopes, nothing is more common than to see the conquered males wander about in solitude, at a distance from their kindred herds, which they dare not approach. If two or more of these should meet, as often happens, a fierce contest ensues; like many human litigations, terminating in mutual injury with out any object to reward the victor. With buffaloes it is in some measure the same; the evil is with them diminished by the propensity of herds, at this season, to divide into small parties, with each of which a male retires. It is not easy to ascertain precisely how the matter stands with elephants; but, from all that can be collected on the subject, we may conclude that the case is much the same with them as with deer. Dreadful conflicts between the large males of a flock of elephants have been seen, terminating in the expulsion of the weaker parties, which range the country in the most violent agitation. Full of lust and resentment, they destroy every living object within their power, and in the most wanton manner pull up sugar canes, plaintain trees, &c. rending the air with their disconsolate trumpeting. Others are more sulky, and seek the heavier covers; where, no doubt, time allays their passions, and by degrees they, rejoin their own, or some other herd. These single males, which are called sauns, very soon distinguish themselves, and attract the notice of the enterprising dealer, who fails not to despatch two or more koomkies for the purpose of securing such substantial prizes. It is to be understood, that the sauns are very valuable; being of the first class, and inferiour only to the master elephant of the herd, whose antipathy appears to be engendered solely against such among the males as, from their near equality with his own stature, become objects of jealousy. At least such we must take for granted; since we find many males of inferiour size among herds taken, at a time when such as are above described have been obliged, by one superiour in vigour, to abandon them. The koomkies despatched should be as nearly as possible the size of the saun to be taken. A mohout does not like to venture, unless among ample numbers, on such desperate service, if his koomkie bear not a due proportion as to bulk, on which, as also on the footing of attachment created between himself and his charge, which is generally an object of very great solicitude and attention, not only his success, but his very existence depends. When the koomkies are within a foot, or a foot and a half, as high as the male to be caught, two will generally suffice; though a third is rarely objected to as superfluous. Each mohout is provided with a black blanket, and a small quantity of strong rope, proper for securing the saun; the ordinary paintings of red and dun oaker on the elephants? faces, and every thing which could create in the male the least suspicion of domestication, are carefully removed. The mohouts, covered with their blankets, crouch in such manner as not to be easily distinguished from the animals they are on; and perhaps, if the situation be favourable to the measure, both the koomkie and her driver furnish themselves with green boughs, which the for mer carries in her trunk, playing with it in such a manner as to favour the concealment of the latter. Though on some occasions the mohouts accompany the koomkies up to the saun, yet it is safer, and generally the most sure and easy mode, for them to dismount in some contiguous cover with their blankets and ropes, leading the koomkies to the saun, towards which they proceed in the most cunning style. their trunks, but they even aid in effecting the ligatures therewith, passing the rope at times, when the mohouts might either be exposed to danger, or unable to reach it. The clasps for the hind legs are made with a joint in their middle, generally of rope; and the small iron spikes within them, being nothing more than the ends of nails driven through the wood from the outside, do not give any uneasiness except when the saun makes an effort to move forward; at which time, the clasps being brought against the limb by the straining of the rope, the spikes are pressed into the ankle, and cause such pain as to dishearten the animal from frequent or forcible exertions. Notwithstanding every precaution, A majestick scene now presents and the vigilance of the koomkies, it itself; the koomkies begin to caress sometimes happens that the saun the saun, raising his passions by the either sees, hears, feels, or smells, most libidinous demeanour. During the mohouts; in which case not even this scene of courtship, however, the caresses of the "agreeable dethey fail not to place themselves in ceivers" can control his violence. such manner as to favour the ap- This is a severe trial of the fortitude proach of the mohouts; who watching and fidelity of the koomkies; which their opportunities, pass the ropes have been known to expose themwith wonderous dexterity round the selves to the saun's utmost fury, to fore legs of the saun, which, being effect the escape of the mohouts, elated with his good fortune, and who do not require much urging on losing all sense but that of enjoy- such occasions to make a most prement, is speedily secured. When cipitate retreat. Sometimes the saun, a large tree is at hand, the koomkies indignant and big with rage, forgetartfully lead the saun towards it, in ing the difference of sex, uses his the first instance; whence not only teeth without mercy; goring the the approach of the mohouts is great- koomkies desperately, and twisting ly facilitated, but an opportunity is their tails with his trunk. I believe afforded him, in the course of instances have occurred of their bedalliance, while the saun, like many ing killed. One would conclude, that, a love-sick swain, has his thoughts after such a failure, koomkies would any where but where they should be, be with difficulty induced, at any fuof affixing to his hind legs a pair of ture period, to approach a saun; but, wooden clasps having spikes within though I have heard of instances of them, and joined to a strong rope, their returning to the same male, which is passed round the tree, and after such severe maltreatment by made completely fast; leaving the him, I have not been able to learn saun but little scope to move round. that any ever were so far intimidated During this process, the conduct of as to be less willing to resume their the koomkies is peculiarly artful. functions whenever required. They not only exert themselves with astonishing address to divert the attention of the saun, and to cut off his view downwards by means of After these measures have been taken to secure him, nothing further is requisite than to leave the saun to expend himself, in vain efforts to re gain his liberty. Furious and agitated to an extreme, he destroys whatever may be in his way; tearing up the tufts of grass by the roots, rending from the tree such branches as may be within his reach, and eventually straining to throw down the tree it self by his weight, or to pull it up with his trunk. In short, his whole powers are in action on this occasion; and it is not until being completely overcome with fatigue, and nearly dead from his natural thirst, which is greatly augmented by his constant roarings, that he subsides into a sort of tranquillity. During the first day, it would be of no avail to tender any sustenance; nor in general will a saun for some time touch any thing but water, which he appears to enjoy greatly, and will suck up with avidity. However, the impulse of nature soon operates, and induces him to pick at branches of plaintain, the stems of those trees, sugar canes, bundles of dhul grass, or such other provisions as are grateful to his palate. The same koomkies and mohouts attend him daily, gaining by degrees upon his confidence, and rendering him, after some days, or weeks, according to his natural temper or other cir cumstances, fit to be taken under charge of elephants, perhaps superiour to him in bulk, to the place where others belonging to the same proprietor are kept. At this time, owing to the constraint occasioned by the ligatures, and by the unifor. mity of position, as well as by the want of exercise, to which the vio lent struggles he has undergone add greatly, the saun is by no means capable of effectual exertion. Large ropes being passed round his body, and, if needful, others attached to his legs, he is conducted, generally with little trouble, to his station. Some times, however, a saun will in his way, or perhaps on his legs being liberated, make a desperate resist ance. When this happens, the conducting elephants, extending to the length of their tow ropes, urge forward as fast as may be practicable; while one or more sturdy males goad him behind with their teeth. The mohouts of the latter being provided with spears, which are applied without mercy, to the hind parts of the unwilling captive, he generally finds it most convenient to submit, and may, perhaps, in a few months afterwards, be seen leading sauns with great spirit and assiduity. Coercion should, nevertheless, be avoided as much as possible. It is far better to gain gradually upon an elephant's disposition, than to have recourse to any act of violence. No animals on earth have a keener or more lasting sense of injury; while, on the other hand, none seem more grateful for kindness. For this reason, a person wishing to obtain an elephant for his own use, should endeavour to get such as may have been taken by a dealer exercising a system of moderation; selecting from his stock one that has, from the first, been most docile, and been treated with least severity. Such an animal will prove to work better, to be more healthy, and to be on all occasions calm and tractable; while the reverse will, with rare exceptions, be found to result from harsh measures. JUGGLERS IN INDIA, FROM A LATE NARRATIVE. WE were visited one evening by a set of jugglers, who craved permission to exhibit their skill, for our diversion; which being granted they proceeded to perform a great varie ty of very pleasing deceptions, particularly that of the mango tree, which I dare say most gentlemen who have resided any time in Bengal or the upper provinces, have had op portunities of seeing. A mango stone was buried in the ground before our faces, with sundry strange grimaces, and affected incantations by the jug glers. In a short space of time, a slen der tree was observed to sprout up from the spot, which in the course of an hour grew the height of four or five feet, with an exuberant foliage, and several green mangoes, which we were requested to pluck and taste; the process was certainly very adroitly managed, and excited a considerable degree of pleasure and surprise. The whole tribe of slight-of-hand men in Europe are mere bunglers, when compared with the jugglers of India; their deceptions are so admirably executed, and some of their performances of such a strange nature, that the ignorant and superstitious natives, believing as they do all the enchantments described in such books as the Arabian Nights Entertainment, may well ascribe to them necromantick powers. Even some pious Roman catholick missionaries have gravely asserted, that the jugglers on the coast of Coromandel had dealings with the devil, as their feats were beyond the reach of human power. Without subscribing to the opinions of those reverend fathers, I must confess, that many of their actions are very wonderful, and one of them in particular has been pronounced by surgeons, eminently skilled in the anatomy of the human body, to be impossible. What I allude to is, the circumstance of a man thrusting a sword down his own throat, up to the hilt, without receiving any injury. With all due submission to these learned anatomists, who decide so dogmatically on the impossibility of the thing, I must beg to state, that I have seen it performed by the Pandarums, at Madras, above a dozen times; and I doubt not, but there are hundreds of people in England, who have seen it, also. There was no deception, no trick whatever, but an absolute deglutition 1 of the blade of a sword, formed like a cut and thrust but blunt at the point and edges. I examined it minutely, and found it to be a real and substantial piece of cold iron. The man threw his head back, so as to bring the passage of the throat in a straight line with the stomach; he then took the sword in both his hands and inserted it with great care, until the whole was engulphed, and the hilt only remained out of his mouth. I once saw it performed before several gentlemen, among whom was. the surgeon of an Indiaman, then at anchor in Madras roads. He was very sceptical on the subject, until it was fairly brought to issue, when the reality of the circumstance excited his extreme astonishment; he desired the man to repeat the operation, and when at length all his doubts were removed, he made the Pandarum a proposal to go, with him to Europe, in consideration of which, he would give him* one thousand pagodas on the spot, a like sum on his arrival in England, with his expenses there and other advantages. The tenth part of this sum would have been a fortune to the man, and for that amount he would have attended him all his life, in any part of the peninsula of India; but his cast was an insuperable barrier to his going on board a ship, to the great mortification and disappointment of the doctor. I should not have entered into so prolix a statement of this affair, were I not well assured that there are many people in England, particularly professional men, who regard the circumstance as a mere travelling romance; and it is not many months since I dined at a friend's house, with a large party, whom I found on my entrance, exercising their risible faculties, at the expense of a gentleman, who had arrived a short time before from India, and entertained them with an account of what he had seen in that country. They swallowed sundry relations of dancing * Four hundred pounds sterling. |