THE ELEPHANT. 37 



elephant, I went to Dacca in 17^9, determined to see this 

 huge animal measured. At first I sent for the driver, to ask 

 some questions concerning this elephant ; he without hesita- 

 tion assured me he was from ten to twelve cubits, that is, 

 from fifteen to eighteen feet high ; but added, he could not 

 without the Nabob's permission bring me the elephant to be 

 examined. Permission was accordingly asked and granted. 

 I had him measured exactly, and was rather surprised to find 

 he did not exceed ten feet in height." 



The Hon. Company's standard for serviceable elephants 

 is seven feet and upwards, measured at the shoulder in the 

 same manner as horses are. At the middle of the back 

 they are considerably higher, the curve of which, particu- 

 larly in young elephants, makes a difference of several inches. 

 After an elephant has attained his full growth, it is a sure 

 sign of old age when this curve becomes less, and still 

 more so when the back is fiat or a little depressed. A par- 

 tial depression of the spine is however not unfrequently ob- 

 served even in very young elephants, and is in general the 

 effect of external injury : for in herds of wild elephants 

 just taken, Mr. Corse observes, u it is no uncommon circum- 

 stance for the large elephants, both male and female, to vent 

 their rage upon the young ones, putting the projecting part 

 of the upper jaw, from which the tusks grow out, on the 

 spine of the young ones, and pressing them violently to the 

 ground, while they roared out from pain." 



Having thus described the differences which characterize 

 the African and Asiatic elephants, and traced the latter from 

 its birth to its maturity, we shall next briefly advert to such 

 circumstances as may be most usefully known to those des- 

 tined to reside in our Indian dominions. The impositions 

 practised by the elephant dealers upon the inexperienced Eu- 

 ropean in the purchase of this expensive animal, are as com- 

 mon in India as those of the horse-jockey in our own country ; 

 for not only do the elephants participate in as many various 

 bodily defects as the horse, but they exhibit as great vari- 

 eties of disposition. 



When the price of a perfect elephant is demanded, the 

 buyer should assure himself, first, that the animal is of the full 

 size — if a male, not less than eight feet high, with the arch or 

 curve of his back rising gradually from the shoulder to the 

 middle, and thence descending to the insertion of the tail; and 

 that all the joints are firm and strong : the nails should not 

 be overgrown, and should be perfect in number, viz. five nails 

 on each of the fore feet, and four on each of the hind ones, 

 making eighteen in all j the tusks perfect and unbroken ; 



