no 



THE ELEPHANT. 



[Part YIIT. 



appreliension of danger. Sucli a mass of animal life I 

 had never before seen huddled together in so narrow a 

 space. It seemed to me as though they would have 

 nearly drunk the tank dry. I ^vatched them "svith great 

 interest until they had satisfied themselves as well in 

 batliing as in di'inking, when I tried how small a noise 

 would apprise them of the proximity of unwelcome 

 neighbours. I had but to break a httle twig, and the 

 sohd mass instantly took to flight like a herd of fright- 

 ened deer, each of the smaller calves being apparently 

 shouldered and carried alono; between two of the older 

 ones." ^ 



In drinking, the elephant, hke the camel, although 

 preferring water piure, shows no decided aversion to it 

 when discolom'ed ^vith mud'^; and the eagerness w4th 

 which he precipitates himself into the tanks and 

 streams attests his exquisite enjoyment of the fresh 

 coolness, which to him is the chief attraction. In 

 crossing deep rivers, although his rotundity and buoy- 

 ancy enable him to smm with a less immersion than 

 other quadrupeds, he generaUy prefers to sink till no 

 part of his huge body is visible except the tip of his 

 trunk, tlu'ough which he breathes, movuig beneath tlie 

 surface, and only now and then raising his head to look 

 that he is keeping the proper direction.^ Li the dry 

 season the scanty streams which, diuing the rains, are 

 sufficient to convert the rivers of the low country into 

 torrents, frequently entirely disappear, lea\dng merely 

 broad expanses of dry sand, which they have swept down 

 with them from the hills. In this the elephants contri\e 



' Letter from ^lajor Skixxer. 



^ This pecviliarity was known in 

 the middle ages, and PniLE, wi-iting- 

 in the foui'teenth centiuy, says, that 

 such is his preference for muddy 

 water that the elephant stirs it before 

 he drinks. 

 '''Ylwp Si Trivti avyxvQiv Trplv liv rrivoi 



To yap ^ifii'tt' <Jiicplt.iojt; haTTTUti, — 

 Phile de Elejih., 1. 144. 



^ A tame elepliant, when taken by 

 his keepers to be bathed, and to have 

 his skin washed and rubbed, lies 

 down on his side, pressing his head 

 to tlie bottom under water, with only 

 the top of his trunk protruded, to 

 breathe. 



