Since the English deposed the
native sovereign, the palace has been inhabited by the English
resident, or governor.
Had I only arrived a fortnight sooner, I should have witnessed the
mode of hunting, or rather snaring, elephants. The scene of
operations is a spot on the banks of some stream or other, where
these animals go to drink. A large place is enclosed with posts,
leading up to which, and also skirted by stout posts, are a series
of narrow passages. A tame elephant, properly trained, is then made
fast in the middle of the large space, to entice by his cries the
thirsty animals, who enter unsuspiciously the labyrinth from which
they cannot escape, as the hunters and drivers follow, alarm them by
their shouts, and drive them into the middle of the enclosure. The
finest are taken alive, by being deprived of food for a short time.
This renders them so obedient, that they quietly allow a noose to be
thrown over them, and then follow the tame elephant without the
least resistance. The others are then either killed or set at
liberty, according as they possess fine tusks or not.
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