An Elephant Hunt In Siam.

a perpendicular position , with , the bead doAvnward ; the eels bad twined themselves around it in large numbers . I sent back the body to Bankok , and putting Lbuang-Vicet on board bis steamer , I set out to acquaint tlie Regent Avitb the result of my mission ; after having done so , I returned , Avet and tired , to my but , Avbere after reposing a ICAV hours , I felt perfectly recovered .

It Avas just four o ' clock , and I bad only time to jump on a horse , Avhich Avas standing , saddled , before my door , and jobi the Regent ' s escort , AVMCII bad gone to meet tlie elephants . AVe reached a little rising ground from AVMCII Ave Avould have a vieAv as they defiled before us . The Regent

bade me observe a black cloud AVMCII ivas advancing ivith great rapidity above tlie forest . The cloud Avas raised by tbe dust , AVMCII these animals throw over then- heads and shoulders during the Avarm season , Avhen tbey can find no water or young

plants . Soon a strange noise reached our ears , and Ave could distinctly bear how tbe animals tore up and broke the trees in their Avay ; tbe earth trembled , Avbile a thousand hunting horns resounded to inform us of their approach .

The largest elephant of the royal stables opened tbe march . This gigantic animal Avas no less than twenty-sei-en feet high . On both sides Avere files of domesticated male elephants , easily recognizable from their magnificent tusks and tbe drivers astride then necks . There Avere no less

than three hundred of these domesticated annuals . TAventy-five , marching abreast , closed tbe rear , and drove on tbe laggards . It ivas a curious spectacle to see these three hundred tame animals marching so silently and gravely , and keeping tune , as they conducted tbe four hundred Avild ones to

the trap . The latter set up a horrible din Avhen tbey perceived us ; nothing could give an idea of the four hundred roars Avitb Avliicb tbey greeted us . Tbey had noAV reached tbe river , and their joy at finding the Avater was expressed by various

grunts and snorts . OMy their heads and the ends of their trunks were visible as tbey took their cooling bath . Tlie drivers bad never left their posts for a moment , so that tbe lines ivere preserved unbroken . AVe now left our positions , and crossed over to the other side of the river , and ascended to the platform

of tbe trap , Avbere Ave found tbe guests waiting to see tbe capture . His Majest y AVit-Nhii tbe Second King , bad already arrived Avitb bis court . Fine mats bad been placed on the top of tbe structure , and on these tbe Siamese sat CIOAVU in Oriental fashionaccording to their rank .

, The Europeans . Avere provided Avith rich stools of Chinese and TMbetian stuffs , Avbile a large tent of green silk , Avith flowers worked on it , protected us from tbe rays of the sun . The eastern gate , formed of two

moveable trees , IIOAV opened , and tbe decoy , — the large elephant , —entered , folloived by Ms Avild companions , while the other tame elephants remained between the bank of the river and the alley , so as to prevent any from escaping or falling behind . The brandies and shoots Avere broken off and

rooted up and eaten , and it Avas Avonderful to see tbe care these annuals took to clean them from the clay and dirt which adhered to tbeni . If , after striking them , together there still remained any dust , tbey would place tbe branch under their feet and clean it Avitb tbe greatest precision . Tbe

gourmands of tbe herd completely destroyed those splendid lanes AVMCII I described above . Tbe keepers did not disturb tbeii enjoyment , so that it Avas nearly three hours before all tbe herd bad entered tbe structure . I had gone down in tbe

meantime into tbe space between tbe iion-Avood stakes and tbe interior of the wall . I Avas astonished at the height of these gigantic animals , Avhich , as soon as they bad entered , began their horrible din again ,

turning round and round the immense pit , Avitb their trunks held aloft in tbe ah '—in tragic deprecation , I fancied , of the treachery of their domesticated bothers . Five oi six , in a fit of rage , attacked an enormous-sized stake iu the middle of the structureon Avhich Avas a Avooden pagoda

, , and shook it Avitb such force that tbe pagoda and tbe little Buddha of plaster , Avhich Avas inside , soon tumbled doAvn—to their great satisfaction . The Avhole night tbey never ceased their Mdeous noise , Avhich could be heard for miles around .

Tbe Regent bad returned to Ms camp and tbe guests to their steamers . The next day tMee of tbe finest elephants ivere to be captured , to replace three domesticated ones Avhich bad died in the course of the year . ( To be concluded in onr next . )