ithin the stakes, the men
in ambush fell to their work, which was to fence in the gap left,
which, there being little less than a Thousand men, they soon did;
and so all the Herd were easily caught; and this among the rest.

[Of their Elephants.] The King hath also an Elephant spotted or
freckled all the body over, which was lately caught; and tho he hath
many and very stately Elephants, and may have as many more as he
pleases, yet he prefers this before them all. And since I am fallen
upon discourse of the Elephant, the creature that this Countrey is
famed for above any in India, I will detain my self a little longer
upon it.

[The way of catching Elephants.] I will first relate the manner of
taking them, and afterwards their Sagacity, with other things that
occur to my memory concerning them. This Beast, tho he be so big
and wise, yet he is easily catched. When the King commands to catch
Elephants, after they have found them they like, that is such as have
Teeth, for tho there be many in the Woods, yet but few have Teeth,
and they males onely: unto these they drive some She-Elephants,
which they bring with them for the purpose; which when once the
males have got a sight of, they will never leave, but follow them
wheresoever they go; and the females are so used to it, that they
will do whatsoever either by a word or a beck their Keepers bid them;
and so they delude them along thro Towns and Countreys, thro the
Streets of the City, even to the very Gates of the Kings Palace;
Where sometimes they seize upon them by snares, and sometimes by
driving them into a kind of Pound, they catch them. After they have
brought the Elephant which is not yet caught together with the She,
into the Kings presence, if it likes him not, he commands to let him
go; if it does, he appoints him some certain place near unto the City,
where they are to drive him with the Females; for without them it is
not possible to make him stay; and to keep him in that place until
the Kings further order and pleasure is to catch him, which perhaps
may not be in two or three or four Years; All which time there are
great men with Souldiers appointed to watch there about him: and if
he should chance to stray a little out of his bounds set by the King,
immediately they bring him back fearing the Kings displeasure, which
is no less than death it self. Here these Elephants do, and may do,
great dammage to the Country, by eating up their Corn, and trampling
it w