There is a very curious account of the mode in which the Arab conquerors of Seinde, in the 9th and 10th centuries, equipped the elephant for war; which being written with all the particularity of an eye-witness, bears the impress of truth and accuracy.  MASSOUDI, who was born in Bagdad at the close of the 9th century, travelled in India in the year A.D. 913, and visited the Gulf of Cambay, the coast of Malabar, and the Island of Ceylon:—­from a larger account of his journeys he compiled a summary under the title of “Moroudj al-dzeheb,” or the “Golden Meadows,” the MS. of which is now in the Bibliotheque Nationale.  M. REINAUD, in describing this manuscript says on its authority, “The Prince of Mensura, whose dominions lay south of the Indus, maintained eighty elephants trained for war, each of which bore in his trunk a bent cymeter (carthel), with which he was taught to cut and thrust at all confronting him.  The trunk itself was effectually protected by a coat of mail, and the rest of the body enveloped in a covering composed jointly of iron and horn.  Other elephants were employed in drawing chariots, carrying baggage, and grinding forage, and the performance of all bespoke the utmost intelligence and docility.”—­REINAUD, Memoires sur l’Inde, anterieurement au milieu du XIe siecle, d’apres les ecrivains arabes, persans et chinois.  Paris, M.D.CCC.  XLIX. p. 215.  See SPRENGER’S English Translation of Massoudi, vol. i. p. 383.]

An impression prevails even to the present day, that the process of training is tedious and difficult, and the reduction of a full-grown elephant to obedience, slow and troublesome in the extreme.[1] In both particulars, however, the contrary is the truth.  The training as it prevails in Ceylon is simple, and the conformity and obedience of the animal are developed with singular rapidity.  For the first three days, or till they will eat freely, which they seldom do in a less time, the newly-captured elephants are allowed to stand quiet; and, if practicable, a tame elephant is tied near to give the wild ones confidence.  Where many elephants are being trained at once, it is customary to put every new captive between the stalls of half-tamed ones, when it soon takes to its food.  This stage being attained, training commences by placing tame elephants on either side.  The “cooroowe vidahn,” or the head of the stables, stands in front of the wild elephants holding a long stick with a sharp iron point.  Two men are then stationed one on either side, assisted by the tame elephants, and each holding a hendoo or crook[2] towards the wild one’s trunk, whilst one or two others rub their hands over his back, keeping up all the while a soothing and plaintive chaunt, interlarded with endearing epithets, such as “ho! my son,” or “ho! my father,” or “my mother,” as may be applicable to the age and sex of the captive.  The elephant is at first furious, and strikes in all directions with his trunk; but the men in front receiving