Value. 175 



roads from the extra weight would be such that the wear 

 and tear of the highways and bridges would prove too 

 costly to be borne. On the other hand, by restricting it 

 to a somewhat more manageable quantity, and by limiting 

 the weight, as at present, to about one ton and a half, 

 it is doubtful whether an elephant performs so much 

 more work than could be done by a horse or by bullocks, 

 as to compensate for the greater cost of his feeding and 

 attendance. 



Add to this, that from accidents and other causes, 

 from ulcerations of the skin, and illnesses of many kinds, 

 the elephant is so often invalided, that the actual cost 

 of its labour, when at work, is very considerably en- 

 hanced. Exclusive of the salaries of higher officers 

 attached to the Government establishments, and other 

 permanent charges, the expenses of an elephant, looking 

 only to the wages of its attendants and the cost of its 

 food and medicines, varies from tJwee shillings to four 

 shillings and sixpence per diem, according to its size and 

 class.' Taking the average at three shillings and nine- 



' An ordinary-sized elephant en- unopened country, the leaf-cutters are 

 grosses the undivided attention of ^/iJY't' sufficiently expert in the knowledge of 

 men. One, as his mahout or superin- those particular plants with which the 

 tendent, and two as leaf-cutters, who elephant is satisfied. Those that would 

 bring him branches and grass for his be likely to disagree with him he un- 

 daily supplies. An animal of larger erringly rejects. His favourites are the 

 growth would probably require a third palms, especially the cluster of rich, 

 leaf-cutter. The daily consumption is unopened leaves, known as the " cab- 

 two cwt. of green food with about half bage," of the coco-nut and areca ; and 

 .T bushel of grain. When in the vi- he delights to tear open the young 

 cinity of towns and villages, the atten- trunks of the palmyra and jaggery 

 dants have no difficulty in procuring an [Caryota urcjis] in search of the farina- 

 abundant supply of the branches of the ceous matter contained in the spongy 

 trees to which elephants are partial ; pith. Next to these come the varieties 

 and in journeys through the forests and of fig-trees, particularly the sacred £0 



