206 STORY OF 



in times of scarcity, particularly when on hard ser- 

 vice. Besides their vegetable diet, they are fed with 

 rich balls, called massaulla, composed of spices, sugar^ 

 butter, and other expensive ingredients, especially in 

 a camp, where every thing was extravagantly dear. 

 This rich food was necessary both for the elephants 

 and choice Arab horses, in a country every where 

 laid waste and destroyed by the enemy, and affording 

 but little provender. A scarcity of food, therefore, 

 for man and beast, is no uncommon circumstance in 

 warlike expeditions in India. But, however others 

 might suffer from want of daily sustenance, there was 

 an ample allowance for the favourite elephants of the 

 Mahratta sovereign ; yet they pined away, and grew 

 emaciated without any apparent cause. At length 

 the keepers were suspected of defrauding them of 

 their massaulla ; as the delicacies in these balls com- 

 posed likewise the most expensive and savoury parts 

 of the pilaus, curries, and other dishes eaten by the 

 Moguls, and too costly for persons in their situation 

 to purchase. The Master of the Elephants, who, like 

 the Master of the Horse in Europe, is generally a man 

 of rank, then appointed inspectors to see them fed, and 

 the elephants regained their strength, and;, for a time, 

 appeared in good condition. But in a few months 

 they fell off again, to the gi-eat astonishment of the 

 inspectors, who daily saw them fed, frequently ex- 



