396 



THE ELEPHAXT. 



[Part YIII. 



is capable of di-awing in proportion to his muscular 

 strength, to be placed upon waggons of corresponding 

 dimension, the injuiy to the roads woidd be such that the 

 wear and tear of the highways and bridges woidd prove 

 too costl)^ to be borne. On the other hand, by restrict- 

 ing 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 

 feedino' and attendance. 



Add to this, that from accidents and other causes, 

 from ulcerated abrasions of the skin, and illness of many 

 Idnds, the elephant is so often invahded, that the actual 

 cost of liis labom-, when at Avork, is very considerably 

 enhanced. 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 his attendants and the cost of his 

 food and medicines, varies from three shillings to four 

 shillings and sixpence per diem, according to his size 

 and class. ^ Taking the average at three shilhngs and 



^ An ordinaiy-sized elephant en- 

 grosses tlie iindi\'i(iecl attention of 

 three men. One, as his mahout or 

 superintendent, and tT\-o as leaf-cut- 

 ters, who biing him branches and 

 gi'ass for his daily supplies. One of 

 larger growth woidd probably require 

 a third leaf-cutter. The daih* con- 

 sumption is two cwt. of gTeen food, 

 with about half a bushel of gi-ain. 

 When in the vicinity of towns and 

 ■villages, the attendants have no dif- 

 ficulty in procuring an abundant 

 supply of tlie brandies of the trees to 

 which they are partial ; and in jour- 

 neys through the forest and miopened 

 countiy, the leaf-cutters are sulli- 

 ciently expert in the knowledge of 

 those particular plants with which 

 the elephant is satisfied. Those that 

 woiUd be likely to disagi'ee with 

 him he uneiTingly rejects. His fa- 



vourites are the palms, especially the 

 cluster of rich, imopened leaves, 

 known as the " cabbage,'' of the coco- 

 nut, and areca ; the yoimg trunks of 

 the palmp-a and jaggery (Cari/ota 

 weiis) are torn open in search of 

 the farinaceous matter contained in 

 the spongy pith. Next to these 

 come the varieties of fig-trees, par- 

 ticularly the sacred Bo (F. religiosa) 

 which is found near every temple, and 

 the na f/a/ui (Jlessua ferrca), with 

 thick dark leaves and a scarlet fiower. 

 The loaves of the .Tak-tree and bread 

 fruit (Artocarpus infef/rifolia and A. 

 iiicim), the wood apple {^Hf/lc Jlar- 

 mclos), Palu (Mi»iiisoj).'i indica), and a 

 number of others well knoT\Ta to their 

 attendants, are all consumed in turn. 

 The stems of the plantain, the stalks 

 of the sugar-cane, and the featheiy 

 tops of the bambooS; are irresistible 



