THE UNGULATES, OR HOOFED ANIMALS 195 



scene of the mysterious elephant dance, which no 

 human had ever before witnessed. 



The proverbial white elephant, though " very 

 strange and rare," seems to have existed in India. 

 In Hakluyt's ' Voyages,' vol. v, p. 487,"^ Ralph Fitch 

 writes of his voyage to Goa in the East Indies 

 (1583-91). He describes his visit to the King of Pegu, 

 and amongst the many marvellous possessions of this 

 king were : 



" Foure white elephants, which are very strange 

 and rare ; for there is none other King which hath 

 them but he : if any other King hath one' hee will 

 send unto him for it. When any of these white 

 elephants is brought unto the King, all the merchants 

 in the City are commanded to see them, and to give 

 him a present of halfe a ducat, which come to a great 

 summe : for that there are many merchants in the 

 City. After that you have given your present you 

 may come and see them at your pleasure, although 

 they stand in the King's house. This King in his 

 title is called ' The King of the White Elephants.' 

 If any other King have one, and will not send it to 

 him, he will make war with him for it : for he had 

 rather lose a great part of his Kingdom, than not to 

 conquere him. They do very great service unto these 

 white elephants ; every one of them standeth in an 

 house gilded with golde, and they doe feede in vessels 

 of silver and gilt. One of them when he doth go to 

 the river to be washed, as every day they do, goeth 

 under a canopy of cloth of golde, or of silk carried 

 over him by sixe or eight men, and eight or ten men 

 * Published by James MacLeliose k Sons, Glasgow, 1904. 



