ELEPHANTS. 233 



himself upon any surface which is not perfectly firm 

 and steady. Therefore the well-authenticated story is 

 the more extraordinary of a rope-dancing or rather 

 walking elephant, who not only walked forwards but 

 backwards upon a suspended rope. 



A female elephant, seven years old, on being brought 

 to the Adelphi, first ascertained the safety of the stage, 

 arid then began to rehearse the parts she used to play 

 in Paris. Having succeeded so well in this place, she 

 took a higher walk of performances attheCoburg theatre, 

 where she rehearsed for three weeks, then distinguished 

 the actors, learnt to place the crown on the head of the 

 lawful king, and feasted at his banquet with perfect 

 propriety. All this was taught her by kindness. 



A poor little calf elephant hovered about the body of 

 its mother after she had been killed, making the most 

 mournful noises. The herd had deserted them, and they 

 had passed the night in the forest. The poor thing, 

 when the hunters came up, entwined its little proboscis 

 about their legs, showed its delight at their approach 

 by many ungainly antics ; then went to the body of 

 its mother, scaring away the vultures; ran round it 

 with every mark of grief, and tried to raise it with its 

 trunk. Of course the confidence of the baby elephant 

 was not abused, though its wishes for aid towards its 

 mother could not be gratified. 



The elephants of Ceylon have always been reckoned 

 the best ; and instances of their memory are quite ex- 

 traordinary. A favourite mode of execution among 

 the Candians, when they were masters of the island, was 

 to make the elephants trample upon the criminals, so as 

 to crush their limbs first, and, by avoiding the vital parts, 

 prolong their agony. When Mr. Sirr was there he saw 



