320 



THE ELEPHANT. 



[Part VI IT. 



A fact illustrative at once of the caution and the spirit 

 of curiosity -with Avhich an elephant regards an unac- 

 customed object has been frequently told to me by 

 the officers engaged in opening roads through the forest. 

 On such occasions the wooden " tracing pegs " which 

 they are obliged to diive into the ground to mark the 

 levels taken during the day, will often be withdrawn by 

 the elephants during the night, to such an extent as fre- 

 quently to render it necessary to go over the work a 

 second time, in order to replace them.^ 



As regards the general sagacity of the elephant, al- 

 though it has not been over-rated in the instance of those 

 whose powers have been largely developed in capti^dty, 

 an undue estimate has been formed in relation to them 

 whilst still untamed. The difference of instincts and 

 habits renders it difficult to institute a just comparison 

 between them and other animals. Cuvier^ is disposed to 

 ascribe the exalted idea that prevails of their intellect 

 to the feats which an elephant performs with that unique 

 instrument, its trunk, combined with an imposing ex- 

 pression of countenance : but he records his own con\T.c- 

 tion that in sagacity it in no way excels the dog, and 

 some other species of Carnivora. K there be a supe- 

 riority, I am disposed to award it to the dog, not from 

 any excess of natural capacity, but from the higher de- 

 gree of development consequent on his more intimate 

 domestication and association with man. 



One remarkable fact was called to my attention by a 



' The Colombo Observer for 

 March I808, contains an offer of a 

 reward of t«'enty-five giiineas for 

 the destrnction of an ek'phant which 

 infested the Rajawelli coti'ee planta- 

 tion, in the vicinity of Kandy. His 

 object seemed to be less the search 

 for food, than the satisfying of his 

 curiosity and the gratification of liis 

 passion for mischief. Mr. Tttler, 

 the proprietor, states that he fre- 

 quented the jungle near the estate, 



whence it was his custom to sally 

 forth at night for flie pleasure of 

 pulling down buildings and trees, 

 " and he seemed to have taken a spite 

 at the pipes of the water-works, the 

 pillars of which he several times 

 broke do^^^l — his latest fancy was to 

 wrench oll'tlie cocks." The elephant 

 has since been shot. 



2 CiTviER, Ref/ne Animal. " Les 

 Mammiferes," p. 280. 



