Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c8.10

c8.10

"The manner of hunting the elephant is this. Round a bare patch of ground is dug a deep trench about 5 or 6 stadia (a stadium=202¼ yds.) in extent, and over this is thrown a very narrow bridge which gives access to the enclosure. Into this enclosure are introduced three or four of the best-trained female elephants. The men themselves lie in ambush in concealed huts. The wild elephants do not approach this trap in the daytime, but they enter it at night, going in one by one. When all have passed the entrance, the men secretly close it up; then, introducing the strongest of the tame fighting elephants, they fight it out with the wild ones, whom at the same time they enfeeble with hunger. When the latter are overcome with fatigue, the boldest of the drivers dismount unobserved, and each man creeps under his own elephant, and from this position creeps under the belly of the wild elephant and ties his feet together."—Megasthenes, Bk. III, Fragment xxxvi.