In the drive, the men stretch out, and surround the elephants; and, when they are encompassed, fires are built ten paces apart, and kept burning all day and night. Gradually they close in on the victims; and in every direction, except that of the corral, a fusillade of guns is kept up, accompanied by shouts, and beating of drums, until finally the terrified animals rush into the corral, and are caught. When the elephants are entrapped, female elephants with riders enter the corral; and soon the captives are noosed, and tied to trees. Then commence the struggles that often continue for hours; the huge beasts assuming the most seemingly impossible positions,—standing on their heads, twisting their bodies into various shapes, breaking down trees, and venting their rage in a variety of ways,—until, utterly wearied, they lie or stand, and throw dust over their bodies with their trunks, then insert the latter into their mouths, and withdraw enough water to convert it into mud. The wonderful sagacity, if obedience to the mahouts can be called such, exhibited by the female elephant, is remarkable. They seem to understand just what is required of them,—butting over fractious captives, assisting to tie them, kneeling upon them when they attempt to rise too quickly, holding their trunks when they are directed to the approaching noose, and in every way assisting their drivers, and showing what would generally be considered great intelligence. “The whole scene,” says Sir Emerson Tennent, “exhibits the most marvellous example of the voluntary alliance of animal sagacity and instinct in active co-operations with human intelligence and courage; and nothing else in nature, not even the chase of the whale, can afford so vivid an illustration of the sovereignty of man over the brute creation, even when confronted with force in its most stupendous embodiment.” The process of training the elephants is not so difficult as is generally supposed. For a few days, or until they eat freely, they are allowed to rest, a tame elephant being tied near to re-assure them; and, where a large number are being educated, wild ones are placed in stalls between half tame ones, until they take their food regularly. In the first lesson, the head stableman, or “Cooroowe vidahm,” takes his place in front of a wild elephant, bearing a long, sharp, iron-pointed stick. Two other men station themselves on each side, assisted by the tame elephants, and hold their crooks toward the wild elephant’s trunk; while others rub his back soothingly, chanting such epithets as, “Ho! my son,” or, “Ho! my father.” This irritates the animal, who immediately strikes out with his trunk, the men receiving it upon their weapons; and, in a very short time, the elephant learns not to strike at a man.