on the back to be
stowed away. When they had got up about a dozen, the elephant made a
rush at the third attendant, who was bringing the bundles, threw him
to the ground with his foot, knelt down upon him, and crushed him to
death with his front. The second attendant ran off as soon as he saw
the elephant make a rush at the third; and the first fell off under
the bundles of sugar-cane, as soon as the elephant knelt down to
crush the third to death. When the elephant rose from the poor man,
he did not molest, or manifest any wish to molest either of the other
two, but stood still, watching the dead body. The first, seeing this,
ventured to walk up to him, to take him by the ear and ask him what
he meant. At first he seemed surly, and shoved the man off, and he
became alarmed, and retired a few paces; but seeing the elephant show
no further signs of anger, he again walked up, and took him by the
ear familiarly. 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