%94 ' Natural Hljlefy of the Eltphant. 



In June, 1787, Jattra-Mungul, a male elephant, taken the year before, was travelling, 

 in company with fome other elephants, towards Chittigong, laden with a tent and fome bag- 

 gage, for our* accommodation on the Journey. Having come upon a tiger's track, which 

 elephants difcover readily by the fmell, he took fright, and ran oiF to the woods, in fpite of 

 the efforts of his driver. On entering the wood, the driver faved himfelf, by fpringing from 

 the elephant, and clinging to the branch of a tree under which he was pafling ; when the 

 elephant had got rid of his driver, he foon contrived to fhake off his load. As foon as he 

 ran away, a trained female was difpatched after him, but could not get up in time to prevent 

 his efcape; ftie, however, brought back his driver, and the load he had thrown o^ and we 

 proceeded, without any hope of ever feeing him again. 



Eighteen months after this, when a herd of elephants had been taken, and had remained 

 feveral days in the inclofure, till they were enticed into the outlet, there tied, and let out in 

 the ufual manner, one of the drivers, viewing a male elephant very attentively, declared he 

 refembled the one which had run away. This excited the curiofity of every one, to go and 

 look at him ; but, when any perfon came near, the animal ftruck at him with his trunk, and, 

 in every refpe<St, appeared as wild and outrageous as any of the other elephants. 



At length, an old hunter, coming up and examining him narrowly, declared he was the 

 Tery elephant that had made his efcape about eighteen months before; 



Confident of this, he boldly rode up to him, on a tame elephant, and ordered him to lie 

 down, pulling him by the ear at the fame time. The animal feemed quite taken by furprife, 

 and inftantly obeyed the word of command, with as much quicknefs as the ropes, with 

 which he was tied, permitted ; uttering, at the fame time, a peculiar flirill fqueak through 

 his trunk, as he had formerly been known to do ; by which he was immediately recognized, 

 by every perfon who had ever been acquainted with this peculiarity. 



Thus we fee that this elephant, for the fpace of eight or ten days, dunng which he was 

 in the keddah, and even while he was tying in the outlet, appeared equally wild and fierce as 

 the boldeft elephant then taken ; fo that he was not even fufpedled of having been formerly 

 taken, till he was conducted from the outlet. The moment, however, he was addreffed in a 

 commanding tone, the recolledlion of his former obedience feemed to rufh upon bim at once; 

 and, without any difficulty, he permitted a driver to be feated on his neck, who, in a few 

 days, made him as tradable as ever. 



Thefe, and feveral other inftahces which have occurred, clearly evince, that elephants 

 have not the fagacity to avoid a fiiare into which they have, even more than once, fallen. 



The general idea, that tame elephants would not breed, has doubtlefs prevented trials 

 being made, to afcertain whether, under particular circumftanees, this fuppofed relucSlance 

 could be got the better of. 



I was however convinced, from obfervation, as well as from fome particular fafls, that 

 elephants had their feafons in which they were in heat ; I fhall, therefore, firft mention the 



• Mr. Buller and myftlf, 

 . . circmn- 



