A FEW ELEPHANT STORIES. 



201 



of these mail-carriers sound too remarkable to believe ; 

 but I remember, when the cholera was prevalent one 

 year, that the rider mounted on one of these government 



HE SET OUT AT A TREMENDOUS PACE. 



despatch animals died e?i route at a miserable little vil- 

 lage a day's journey and more from his destination. The 

 chief of the village, recognizing from the badge on the 

 forehead of the elephant that he was in the government 



