1810, Decoy Elephants Catching a Male, in Enos Bronson (editor), Select Reviews of Literature, and Spirit of Foreign Magazines, Volume 3, page 123, Though on some occasions the mahouts accompany the koomkies up to the saun, yet it is safer, and generally the most sure and easy mode, for them to dismount in some contiguous cover with their blankets and ropes, leading the koomkies to the saun, towards which they proceed in the most cunning style.
Source: wiktionary