Chap. YI.] CONDUCT IX CArTIYITY. 383 



their keepers to clear away growing timber, the removal 

 of even a small tree, or a healthy young coco-nut palm, 

 is a matter both of time and exertion to the tame ones. 

 For this reason the services of an elephant are of much 

 less value in clearing a forest than in dragging and pihng 

 felled timber. But in the latter occupation in particular, 

 he manifests an intelligence and dexterity which is sur- 

 prising to a stranger, because the sameness of the opera- 

 tion enables the animal to go on for hours disposing of log 

 after log, almost without a hint or a direction from liis 

 attendant. In this manner, two elephants employed in 

 piling ebony and satinwood in the yards attached to the 

 commissariat stores at Colombo, were so accustomed to 

 the work, that they were enabled to accomphsh it with 

 equal precision and with greater rapidity than if it had 

 been done by dock-labourers. Wlien the pile attained a 

 certain height, and they were no longer able by their 

 conjoint efforts to raise one of the heavy logs of ebony to 

 the summit, they had been taught to lean two pieces 

 against the heap, up the inchned plane of which they 

 gently rolled the remaining logs, and placed them trimly 

 on the top. 



It has been asserted that in these occupations " ele- 

 phants are to a surprising extent the creatm^es of habit," ^ 

 that their movements are altogether mechanical, and that 

 " they are annoyed by any deviation from theii' accus- 

 tomed practice, and resent any constrained departure 

 from the regularity of their course." So far as my own 

 observation goes, this is incorrect ; and I am assm-ed by 

 the officers in charge of them, that in regard to changing 

 tlieir treatment, their hours, or their occupation, an ele- 

 phant evinces no more consideration than a horse, but 

 exhibits the same pHancy and facihty. 



At one point, however, the utihty of the elephant stops 

 short. Such is the intelligence and earnestness he dis- 



^ Menageries, cjjr., " Tlio Elephant," vol. ii. ji. 2."3. 

 c c 3 



