A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, Volumes I & IISleeman, W. H. (William Henry), Sir
History
A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, Volumes I & II
Sleeman, W. H. (William Henry), Sir
Oudh (India) -- Description and travel
Had he ran or shown any signs of fear, the elephant
would, he thought, have killed him also, for he had killed three men
in the service of his former proprietor, and was now in his annual
fit of madness, or must. Holding the elephant by the ear, he led him
to the first tree, and placed himself on the opposite side to see
whether the animal had become quite sober. Seeing that he had, he
again approached, and put upon his two forelegs the chain fetters,
which they always have with them, suspended to some part of the body
of elephants in this state. He could not venture to command the
elephant to kneel down in the usual way, that he might get upon his
neck; and, ascending the tree, he let himself down from one of the
branches upon his back, where he sat. He then made the animal walk on
in fetters, towards camp, and on the way, met the mahout, or driver,
to whom the second attendant had reported the accident. The driver
came up, and, after the usual volume of abuse on the elephant, his
mother, father, and sundry female relations, he ordered the attendant
to make him sit down that he might get on his neck. He did so in fear
and trembling, and the driver got on his neck, while the attendant
sat on his back, and the elephant took them to Benee Madho's village,
close to my camp, where he was fastened in chains to a tree, to
remain for some months on reduced allowances, till he should get over
his madness. The body of the poor man was burnt with the usual
ceremonies, and the first attendant told me, that his family would be
provided for by Benee Madho, as a matter of course.
I asked him how he or any other person could be found to attend a
beast of that kind? Pointing to his stomach, he said--"We poor people
are obliged to risk our lives for this, in all manner of ways; to
attend elephants has been always my profession, and there is no other
open to me; and we make up our minds to do whatever our duties
require from us, and trust to Providence." He told me that when the
elephant shoved him off, he thought that in his anger he might have
forgotten him, and called out as loud as he could,--"What, have you
forgotten a service of six years, and do you intend to kill the man
who has fed you so long?" That the beast seemed to recollect his
voice and services, and became, at once, quiet and docile--"that had
he not so called out, and reminded the animal of his long services,
he thought he should have been killed; that the driver came, armed
with a spear, and showed himself more angry than afraid, as the
safest plan in such cases."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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