MAMMALIA — ELEPHANT. 



283 



sters of war; they opened their ranks to let them go thiough; tLey did not 

 attempt to wound them, but threw all their darts against their leaders, who 

 were forced to surrender, and to calm the elephants when separated from 

 their troops ; and now that fire is become the element of war, and the prin- 

 cipal instrument of death, the elephants, who are afraid of the noise and the 

 fire of the artillery, would be rather an incumbrance in battle, and more 

 dangerous than useful. 



In those regions, however, where our cannons and murdering arts are 

 yet scarcely known, they fight still with elephants. At Cochin, and in parts 

 of Malabar, they do not make use of horses, and all those who do not fight 

 on foot are mounted upon elephants. In Tonquin, Siam, and Pegu, the 

 king, and all the grandees, never ride but upon elephants. On festival days 

 they arc preceded and followed by a great number of these animals richly 



