Who oftentimes
when by lighting of Torches, and hollowing, they will not go out,
take their Bowes and go and shoot them, but not without some hazard,
for sometimes the Elephant runs upon them and kills them. For fear
of which they will not adventure unless there be Trees, about which
they may dodg to defend themselves. And altho here be both Bears
and Tygers in these Woods, yet they are not so fierce, as commonly
to assault people; Travellers and Way-faring men go more in fear of
Elephants than of any other Beasts.

[Serve the King for Executing Malefactors.] The King makes use of
them for Executioners; they will run their Teeth through the body, and
then tear it in pieces, and throw it limb from limb. They have sharp
Iron with a socket with three edges, which they put on their Teeth at
such times; for the Elephants that are kept have all the ends of their
Teeth cut to make them grow the better, and they do grow out again.

[Their Diseases.] At some uncertain seasons the males have an infirmity
comes on them, that they will be stark mad, so that none can rule
them. Many times it so comes to pass that they with their Keepers on
their backs, run raging until they throw them down and kill them: but
commonly there is notice of it before, by an Oyl that will run out of
their cheeks, which when that appears, immediately they chain them fast
to great Trees by the Legs. For this infirmity they use no Medicine,
neither is he sick: but the females are never subject to this.

[The Sport they make.] The Keepers of the Kings Elephants sometimes
make a sport with them after this manner. They will command an Elephant
to take up water, which he does, and stands with it in his Trunk, till
they command him to squirt it out at some body, which he immediately
will do, it may be a whole paleful together, and with such a force,
that a man can hardly stand against it.

[Ants of divers sorts.] There are Ants of several sorts, and some
worthy our remark.

First of all, there are the Coumbias, a sort of small reddish Ants
like ours in England.

Secondly, the Tale-Coumbias, as small as the former but blackish. These
usually live in hollow Trees or rotten Wood, and will sting most
terribly.

Thirdly, the Dimbios, great red Ants. These make their nests upon
the Boughs of great Trees, bringing the Leaves together in clusters,
it may be as big as a mans head; in which they lay their Eggs and
breed. There will be oftentimes many nests of thes