258 DOCILITY OF ANIMALS. 



animal to turn to the other, which command he obeys with 

 the greatest alacrity ; and when both sides have been properly 

 cleaned, he comes out of the river, and stands some time on 

 the bank to dry himself. The elephant, though his mass 

 be enormous, is an excellent swimmer ; and, of course, he is 

 of great use in the passage of rivers. When employed on 

 occasions of this kind, he is often loaded with two pieces of 

 cannon which admit three or four pound balls, beside great 

 quantities of baggage and several men fixed to his ears and 

 tail. When thus heavily loaded, he spontaneously enters the 

 river and swims over, with his trunk elevated in the air for the 

 benefit of respiration. He is fond of wine and ardent spirits. 

 By showing him a vessel loaded with any of these liquors, and 

 promising him it as the reward of his labors, he is induced to 

 exert the greatest efforts, and to perform the most painful 

 tasks. The elephant is employed in dragging artillery over 

 mountains, and, on these occasions, his sagacity and docility 

 are conspicuous. Horses or oxen, when yoked to a cannon, 

 make all their exertions to pull it up a declivity. But the 

 elephant pushes the breech forward with his front, and at each 

 effort, supports the carriage with his knee, which he places 

 against the wheel. He seems to understand what his cornack, 

 or conductor, says to him. When his conductor wants him to 

 perform any painful labor, he explains the nature of the opera- 

 tion, and gives the reasons which should induce him to obey. 

 If the elephant shows a reluctance to the task, the cornack 

 promises to give him wine, arrack, or any other article that he 

 is fond of, and then the animal exerts his utmost efforts. But 

 to break any promise made to him is extremely dangerous. 

 Many cornacks have fallen victims to indiscretions of this kind. 

 " At Dehan," says M. de Bussy, " an elephant, from re- 

 venge, killed his cornack. The man's wife, who beheld the 

 dreadful scene, took her two children, and threw them at the 

 feet of the enraged animal, saying, Since you have slain my 

 husband, take my^ life also, as well as that of my children. 

 The elephant instantly stopped, relented, and, as if stung with 

 remorse, took the eldest boy in its trunk, placed him on its 

 neck, adopted him for its cornack, and would never allow any 

 other person to mount it." 



From the members of the Royal Academy of Sciences we 

 learn some curious facts with regard to the manners of the 

 Versailles elephant. This elephant, they remark, seemed to 

 know when it was mocked, and remembered the affront till il 

 had an opportunity of revenge. A man deceived it, by pre- 



