woods in the same orderly manner in which they made their irruption. Such are the habits of this animal, considered in a social light; and if we regard it as an individual, we shall find its powers still more extraordinary. With a very awkward appearance, it possesses all the senses in great perfection, and is capable of applying them to more useful purposes than any other quadruped. The elephant, as we observed, has very small eyes, when compared to the enormous bulk of its body. But though their minuteness may at first sight appear deformed, yet, when we come to examine them, they are seen to exhibit a variety of expression, and to discover the various sensations with which it is moved. It turns them with attention and friendship to its master; it seems to reflect and deliberate; and as its passions slowly succeed each other, their various workings are distinctly seen. The elephant is not less remarkable for the excellence of its hearing. Its ears are extremely large, and greater in proportion than even those of an ass. They are usually dependent; but it can readily raise and move them. They serve also to wipe its eyes, and to protect them against the dust and flies that might otherwise incommode them. It appears delighted with music, and very readily learns to beat time, to move in measure, and even to join its voice to the sound of the drum and the trumpet. This animal's sense of smelling is not only exquisite, but it is in a great measure pleased with the same odours that delight mankind. The elephant gathers flowers with great pleasure and attention; it picks them up one by one, unites them into a nosegay, and seems charmed with the perfume. The orange-flower seems to be particularly grateful, both to its sense of taste and smelling; it strips the tree of all its verdure, and eats every part of it, even to the branches themselves. It seeks in the meadows the most odoriferous plants to feed upon; and in the woods it prefers the cocoa, the banana, the palm, and the sago tree, to all others. As the shoots of these are tender, and filled with pith, it eats not only the leaves and the fruits, but even the branches, the trunk, and the whole plant to the very roots. But it is in the sense of touching that this animal excels all others of the brute creation, and perhaps even man himself. The organ of this sense lies wholly in the trunk, which is an instrument peculiar to this animal, and that serves it for all the purposes of a hand. The trunk is, properly speaking, only the snout lengthened out to a great extent, hollow like a pipe, and ending in two openings or nostrils like those of a hog. An elephant of fourteen feet high has the trunk about eight feet long, and five feet and a half in circumference at the mouth where it is thickest. It is hollow all along, but with a partition running from one end of it to the other; so that though outwardly it appears like a single pipe, it is inwardly divided into two. This fleshy tube is composed of nerves and muscles, covered with a proper skin of a blackish colour, like that of the rest of the body. It is capable of being moved in every direction, of being lengthened and shortened, of being bent and straightened; so pliant as to embrace any body it is applied to, and yet so strong that nothing can be torn from the gripe. To aid the force of this grasp, there are several little eminences, like a caterpillar's feet, on the underside of this instrument, which without doubt contribute to the sensibility of the touch, as well as to the firmness of the hold. Through this trunk the animal breathes, drinks, and smells, as through a tube; and at the very point of it, just above the nostrils, there is an extension of the skin, about five inches long, in the form of a finger, and which in fact answers all the purposes of one; for with the rest of the extremity of the trunk, it is capable of assuming different forms at will, and consequently of being adapted to the minutest objects. By means of this, the elephant can take a pin from the ground, untie the knots of a rope, unlock a door, and even write with a pen. "I have myself seen," says Elian, “an elephant writing Latin characters on a board, in a very orderly manner, his keeper only showing him the figure of each letter. While thus employed, the eyes might be observed studiously cast down upon the writing, and exhibiting an appearance of great skill and erudition." sometimes happens that the object is too large for the trunk to grasp; in such a case the elephant makes use of another expedient, as admirable as any of the former. It applies the extremity of the trunk to the surface of the object, and, sucking up its breath, lifts and sustains such a weight as the air in that case is capable of keeping suspended. In this manner this instrument is useful in most of the purposes of life; it is an organ of smelling," of touching, and of It 5 Cuvier considers that the trunk is not in itself an organ of smell, but that the sense of smell is confined to that part of the nostrils which is enclosed in the bones of the head. As an organ of touch, the proboscis of the elephant is exquisitely fine. Elephants sometimes become blind; and under that privation, the poor animal can not only collect its food, and discriminate as to its quality, by this wonderful instrument, but can travel, without much difficulty, over unequal ground, avoiding lumps and hollows, and stepping over ditches. The creature, under such circumstances, rarely touches the ground with its trunk; but projecting it forward, as far as possible, lets the finger, which is curled inward to protect the nostrils, skim along the surface, to the inequalities of which this organ adjusts itself with wonderful exactness. The great care of the elephant, whether he be in a state of nature, or under the control of man, is, invariably to put his trunk out of harm, as he is attacked by a tiger, or any other wild animal, far as he can, when any danger presents itself. If he carries his trunk as high as he can in the air, and if this delicate organ be in the slighest degree in suction; it not only provides for the animal's | may be added its enormous tusks, which are unnecessities and comforts, but it also serves for its serviceable for chewing, and are only weapons of ornament and defence. But though the elephant be thus admirably supplied by its trunk, yet with respect to the rest of its conformation, it is unwieldy and helpless. The neck is so short that it can scarcely turn the head, and must wheel round in order to discover an enemy from behind. The hunters that attack it upon that quarter generally thus escape the effect of its indignation; and find time to renew their assaults while the elephant is turning to face them. The legs are, indeed, not so inflexible as the neck, yet they are very stiff, and bend not without difficulty. Those before seem to be longer than the hinder; but upon being measured, are found to be something shorter. The joints, by which they bend, are nearly in the middle, like the knee of a man; and the great bulk which they are to support, makes their flexure ungainly. While the elephant is young, it bends the legs to lie down or to rise; but when it grows old, or sickly, this is not performed without human assistance, and it becomes, consequently, so inconvenient, that the animal chooses to sleep standing. The feet upon which these massy columns are supported, form a base scarcely broader than the legs they sustain. They are divided into five toes, which are covered beneath the skin, and none of which appear to the eye; a kind of protuberance like claws are only observed, which vary in number from three to five. The apparent claws vary; the internal toes are constantly the same. The sole of the foot is furnished with a skin as thick and hard as horn, and which completely covers the whole under-part of the foot. To the rest of the elephant's encumbrances jured, the elephant becomes wild with rage and ter ror. defence. These, as the animal grows old, become so heavy, that it is sometimes obliged to make holes in the walls of its stall to rest them in, and ease itself of the fatigue of their support. It is well-known to what an amazing size these tusks grow; they are two in number, proceeding from the upper jaw, and are sometimes found above six feet long. Some have supposed them to be rather the horns than the teeth of this animal; but besides their greater similitude to bone than to horn, they have been indisputably found to grow from the upper jaw, and not from the frontal bones, as some have thought proper to assert. Some also have asserted, that these tusks are shed in the same manner as the stag sheds its horns; but it is very probable, from their solid consistence, and from their accidental defects, which often appears to be the effect of a slow decay, that they are as fixed as the teeth of other animals are generally found to be. Certain it is, that the elephant never sheds them in a domestic state, but keeps them till they become inconvenient and cumbersome to the last degree. An account of the uses to which these teeth are applied, and the manner of choosing the best ivory, belongs rather to a history of the arts than of nature. This animal is equally singular in other parts of its conformation; the lips and the tongue in other creatures serve to suck up and direct their drink or their food; but in the elephant they are totally inconvenient for such purposes; and it not only gathers its food with its trunk, but supplies itself with water by the same means. When it eats hay, as I have seen it frequently, it takes up a small wisp of it with the trunk, turns and shapes it with that instrument for some time, He is even afraid of a dead tiger, and carefully and then directs it into the mouth, where it is puts his trunk out of reach. The instinct by which chewed by the great grinding teeth, that are the creature defends and preserves this precious in- large in proportion to the bulk of the animal. strument, is in proportion to its paramount impor- This pacquet, when chewed, is swallowed, and tance. Mr. Williamson saw an elephant whose trunk had been cut through with a bill-hook; and though never ruminated again, as in cows or sheep, the the wound was healed, the animal was perfectly stomach and intestines of this creature more rehelpless unable to supply its own food, and inca-sembling those of a horse. Its manner of drinkpable even of travelling without danger. He was ing is equally extraordinary. For this purpose fed with bundles of grass which were put into his mouth; had he been in a state of nature he must the elephant dips the end of its trunk into the have perished. An affecting example of the instinct water, and sucks up just as much as fills that with which the elephant preserves his trunk, is ex- great fleshy tube completely. It then lifts up its hibited in the death of the poor animal who was head with the trunk full, and turning the point burned at Dublin. The author of the anatomical into its mouth, as if it intended to swallow trunk account says "Doubtless the elephant's care to preserve the proboscis was great; for when we dis- and all, it drives the point below the opening of sected him, we found it thrust near two feet into a very the windpipe. The trunk being in this position, hard ground; upon which account we thought it had and still full of water, the elephant then blows been burned, till the head was divided from the body, and then we found it kept fast to the ground strongly into it at the other end, which forces by the proboscis." The care with which the ele- the water it contains into the throat; down phant endeavours to put his trunk out of danger, which it is heard to pour with a loud gurgling makes him extremely cautious of using it as a wea- noise, which continues till the whole is blown pon. He rarely strikes with it; though he will fre- down. From this manner of drinking some have quently throw clods and stones with it at objects which he dislikes. Elephants often thus attack hogs, casting their missiles with tolerable force and precision.-ED. 6 See Mr. Daubenton's description of the skeleton of this animal. been led into an opinion that the young elephant | as learning a lesson from mankind, and instructsucks with its trunk, and not with its mouth; ed by him in all the arts of war, massacre, and this, however, is a fact which no traveller has hitherto had an opportunity of seeing, and it must be referred to some future accident to determine.? The hide of the elephant is as remarkable as any other part. It is not covered over with hair, as in the generality of quadrupeds, but is nearly bare. Here and there indeed a few bristles are seen growing in the scars and wrinkles of the body, and very thinly scattered over the rest of the skin; but in general the hide is dry, rough, and wrinkled, and resembling more the bark of an old tree than the skin of an animal. This grows thicker every year; and by a constant addition of substance, it at length contracts that disorder well known by the name of elephantiasis, or Arabian leprosy; a disease to which man, as well as the elephant, is often subject. In order to prevent this, the Indians rub the elephant with oil, and frequently bathe it, to preserve its pliancy. To the inconveniencies of this disorder is added another, arising from the great sensibility of those parts that are not callous. Upon these the flies settle in great abundance, and torment this animal unceasingly; to remedy which, the elephant tries all his arts; uses not only his tail and trunk in the natural manner to keep them off, but even takes the branch of a tree, or a bundle of hay to strike them off with. When this fails, it often gathers up the dust with its trunk, and thus covers all the sensible places. In this manner it has been seen to dust itself several times a-day, and particularly upon leaving the bath. Water is as necessary to this animal as food itself. When in a state of nature, the elephant rarely quits the banks of the river, and often stands in water up to the belly. In a state of servitude, the Indians take equal care to provide a proper supply: they wash it with great address; they give it all the conveniencies for lending assistance to itself; they smooth the skin with a pumice-stone, and then rub it over with oils, essences, and odours. It is not to be wondered at, that an animal furnished with so many various advantages, both of strength, sagacity, and obedience, should be taken into the service of man. We accordingly find that the elephant, from time immemorial, has been employed either for the purposes of labour, of war, or of ostentation; to increase the grandeur of eastern princes, or to extend their dominions. We have hitherto been describing this animal in its natural state; we now come to consider it in a different view, as taken from the forest, and reduced to human obedience. We are now to behold this brave harmless creature 7 The young elephant, it is now known, does not suck by the trunk, but by the mouth only as in all other quadrupeds; during which the trunk of the voung is thrown back over the head.-ED. devastation. We are now to behold this halfreasoning animal led into the field of battle, and wondering at those tumults and that madness which he is compelled to increase. The elephant is a native of Africa and Asia, being found neither in Europe nor America. In Africa he still retains his natural liberty. The savage inhabitants of that part of the world, instead of attempting to subdue this powerful creature to their necessities, are happy in being able to protect themselves from his fury. Formerly, indeed, during the splendour of the Carthaginian empire, elephants were used in their wars; but this was only a transitory gleam of human power in that part of the globe; the natives of Africa have long since degenerated, and the elephant is only known among them from his devastations. However, there are no elephants in the northern parts of Africa at present, there being none found on this side of Mount Atlas. It is beyond the river Senegal that they are to be met with in great numbers, and so down to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as in the heart of the country. In this extensive region they appear to be more numerous than in any other part of the world. They are there less fearful of man: less retired into the heart of the forests, they seem to be sensible of his impotence and ignorance; and often come down to ravage his little labours. They treat him with the same haughty disdain which they show to other animals, and consider him as a mischievous little being, that fears to oppose them openly. But although these animals are most plentiful in Africa, it is only in Asia that the greatest elephants are found, and rendered subservient to human command. In Africa, the largest do not exceed ten feet high; in Asia, they are found from ten to fifteen. Their price increases in proportion to their size; and when they exceed a certain bulk, like jewels, their value then rises as the fancy is pleased to estimate. The largest are entirely kept for the service of princes; and are maintained with the utmost magnificence, and at the greatest expense. The usual colour of the elephant is a dusky black, but some are said to be white; and the price of one of these is inestimable. Such a one is peculiarly appropriated for the monarch's own riding; he is kept in a palace, attended by the nobles, and almost adored by the people. Some have said that these white elephants are larger than the rest ;9 others assert that they are less; and still others entirely doubt their existence. As the art of war is but very little improved in Asia, there are few princes of the East who do not procure and maintain as many elephants as they are able, and place great confidence on their assistance in an engagement. For this The Indian princes having vainly endeavoured to multiply the breed of elephants, like that of other animals, have been at last content to sepa herds, that the greater expense of breeding them will discourage any attempts to continue the species under the direction of man, there is no doubt, if it were desirable, that the elephant might be improved in size, strength, and activity, exactly in the same manner that the horse of England has been rendered so superior in power and swiftness to the horse in a state of nature, by a judicious intermixture of various races. The ordinary period of gestation in the elephant is twenty months and eighteen days. This point has been established by the observations of Mr. Corse. The young elephant at its birth is about thirty-five inches high. In the first year he grows about eleven inches; in the second eight; in the third six; in the fourth five; in the fifth five; in the sixth three and a half; and in the seventh two and a half. Mr. Corse thinks that elephants attain their full size between eighteen and twenty-four years of age; though other writers, reasoning from the duration of life, believe that the animal continues to increase in size, when in a state of nature, for nearly double that period. Mr. Ranking, who was resident many years was only eighteen hours old. in Hindostan, saw an elephant in Bengal when it It was about thirtythree inches high, weak and tottering, but very playful, twisting in its proboscis a few blades of large grass." purpose they are obliged to take them wild in their native forests, and tame them; for the elephant never breeds in a state of servitude. It is one of the most striking peculiarities in this ex-rate the males from the females, to prevent those traordinary creature, that his generative powers accesses of desire, which debilitated without multitotally fail when he comes under the dominion of man; as if he seemed unwilling to propagate a race of slaves to increase the pride of his conqueror. There is, perhaps, no other quadruped that will not breed in its own native climate, if indulged with a moderate share of freedom; and we know that many of them will copulate in every climate. The elephant alone has never been seen to breed; and though he has been reduced under the obedience of man for ages, the duration of pregnancy in the female 10 still remains a secret. Aristotle, indeed, asserts, that she goes two years with young; that she continues to suckle her young for three years, and that she brings forth but one at a time: but he does not inform us of the manner in which it was possible for him to have his information. From authorities equally doubtful, we learn, that the little one is about as large as a wild boar the instant it is brought forth; that its tusks do not yet appear; but that all the rest of its teeth are apparent; that at the age of six months, it is as large as an ox, and its tusks pretty well grown; and that it continues in this manner, for near thirty years, advancing to maturity. All this is doubtful; but it is certain that, in order to recruit the numbers which are consumed in war, the princes of the East are every year obliged to send into the forests, and to use various methods to procure a fresh supply. Of all these numerous bands, there is not one that has not been originally wild; nor one that has not been forced into a state of subjection. Men themselves are often content to propagate a race of slaves, that pass down in this wretched state through successive generations: but the elephant, under subjection, is unalterably barren; perhaps from some physical causes, which are as yet unknown.11 10 Multis persuasam est elephantem non brutorum sed hominum more coire. Quod retro mingit non dubitatur. Sed ipse vidi marem hujusce speciei, in nostri regis stabulis, super fæmellam itidem inclusam quadrupedum more silientem, pene paululum incurvato sed sufficienter recto. 11 On this point Goldsmith was misinformed, for Ælian asserts that elephants were bred at Rome; and Columella, a writer on rural affairs, distinctly says, "within our own walls (Rome) we have seen elephants born." In India it was thought unlucky to allow tame elephants to breed; but the Emperor Akber overcame that scruple. The custom, however, evidently went into disuse; for Tavernier, and other oriental travellers, were not only ignorant of the fact, but expressly asserted that the circumstance never took place. Upon this inaccurate information many writers on natural history founded a theory that the proud elephant refused to multiply slaves for the use of man. The experiments of Mr. Corse have, however, completely set this question at rest; and though it is probable, as long as elephants are sufficiently numerous to be taken in 66 When has been denied by some writers. Mr. William-on, During rutting time, which occurs in the spring, the elephants often become extremely violent; and it is believed, that at that period the larger males are driven from the herd. It is necessary that those which are domesticated should be kept low at that season; but this does not always prove efficacious, and the animal is either turned out into the woods or destroyed to prevent mischief. Three examples of this kind have occurred within a few years in Eu rope.-Ed. not easily turn, and so wound it from behind till it falls.12 The elephant, when once tamed, becomes the most gentle and obedient of all animals. It soon conceives an attachment for the person that attends it, caresses him, obeys him, and seems to anticipate his desires. In a short time it begins to comprehend several of the signs made to it, and even the different sounds of the voice; it perfectly distinguishes the tone of command from that of anger or approbation, and acts accordingly. It is seldom deceived in its master's voice ; it receives his orders with attention, and executes them with prudence, eagerly, yet without precipitation. All its motions are regulated, and its actions seem to partake of its magnitude; being grave, majestic, and secure. It is quickly taught to kneel down, to receive its rider; it caresses those it knows with its trunk; with this salutes such as it is ordered to distinguish, and with this, as with a hand, helps to take up a part of its load. It suffers itself to be arrayed in harness, and seems to take a pleasure in the finery of its trappings. It draws either chariots, cannon, or shipping, with surprising strength and perseverance; and this with a seeming satisfac cause, and that its master appears pleased with its exertions. plying the species. In order to take them wild in the woods, a spot of ground is fixed upon which is surrounded with a strong pallisade. This is made of the thickest and the strongest trees; and strengthened by cross bars, which give firmness to the whole. The posts are fixed at such distances from each other that a man can easily pass between them; there being only one great passage left open, through which an elephant can easily come; and which is so contrived as to shut behind as soon as the beast is entered. To draw him into this enclosure, it is necessary first to find him out in the woods; and a female elephant is conducted alone into the heart of the forest where she is obliged by its keeper to cry out for the male. The male very readily answers the cry, and hastens to join her; which the keeper perceiving, obliges her to retreat, still repeating the same cry, until she leads the animal into the enclosure already described, which shuts the moment he is entered. Still, however, the female proceeds calling and inviting, while the male proceeds forward in the enclosure, which grows narrower all the way, and until the poor animal finds himself completely shut up, without the power of either advancing or retreating; the female in the meantime being led out by ation, provided that it be not beaten without a private way, which she has been previously accustomed to. The wild elephant, upon seeing himself entrapped in this manner, instantly attempts to use violence; and, upon seeing the hunters, all his former desires only turn to fury. In the meantime, the hunters, having fixed him with cords, attempt so soften his indignation, by throwing buckets of water upon him in great quantities, rubbing the body with leaves, and pouring oil down his ears. Soon after, two tame elephants are brought, a male and a female, that caress the indignant animal with their trunks; while they still continue pouring water to refresh it. At last a tame elephant is brought forward, of that number which is employed in instructing the new-comers, and an officer riding upon it, in order to show the late captive that he has nothing to fear. The hunters then open the enclosure; and while this creature leads the captive along, two more are joined on either side of it, and these compel it to submit. It is then tied by cords to a massy pillar, provided for that purpose, and suffered to remain in that position for about a day and a night, until its indignation be wholly subsided. The next day it begins to be somewhat submissive; and in a fortnight is completely tamed like the rest. The females are taken when accompanying the males; they often come into these enclosures, and they shortly after serve as decoys to the rest. But this method of taking the elephant differs according to the abilities of the hunter: the negroes of Africa, who hunt this animal merely for its flesh, are content to take it in pit-falls; and often to pursue it in the defiles of a mountain, where it can The elephant's conductor is usually mounted upon its neck, and makes use of a rod of iron to guide it, which is sometimes pointed, and at others bent into a hook. With this the animal is spurred forward when dull or disobedient; but, in general, a word is sufficient to put the gentle creature into motion, especially when it is acquainted with its conductor. This acquaintance is often perfectly necessary; for the elephant frequently takes such an affection to its keeper, that it will obey no other; and it has been known to die for grief, when, in some sudden fit of madness, it has killed its conductor. We are told, that one of these, that was used by the French forces in India for drawing their cannon, was promised, by the conductor, a reward, for having performed some painful service; but being disappointed of its expectations, it slew him in a fury. The conductor's wife, who was a spectator of this shocking scene, could not restrain her madness and despair; but running with her two children in her arms, threw them at the elephant's feet, crying out, that, since it had killed her husband, it might kill her and her children also. The elephant, seeing the children at its feet, instantly stopped, and moderating its fury, took up the eldest with its trunk, and placing him upon its neck, adopted him for its conductor, and obeyed him ever after with great punctuality. But it is not for drawing burdens alone, that 12 See Supplementary Note A, p. 506. |
