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.
The preparations for capturing these animals sometimes last several weeks, as, besides enclosing the spot selected, a great many persons are employed to hunt up the elephants far and wide, and drive them gradually to the watering place.
Persons sometimes go elephant-hunting, armed merely with firearms; but this is attended with danger.

The elephant, as is well known, is easily vulnerable in one spot only,--the middle of the skull.

If the hunter happens to hit the mark, the monster lies stretched before him at the first shot; but if he misses, then woe to him, for he is speedily trampled to death by the enraged beast.

In all other cases the elephant is very peaceable, and is not easily induced to attack human beings.
The Europeans employ elephants to draw and carry burdens--an elephant will carry forty hundred-weight; but the natives keep them more for show and riding.
I left Candy after a stay of three days, and returned to Colombo, where I was obliged to stop another day, as it was Sunday, and there was no mail.
I profited by this period to visit the town, which is protected by a strong fort.