ii THE ELEPHANT 21 



The elephant, being in its wild state a nocturnal animal, must 

 be able to distinguish the various qualities of trees by the senses 

 of smell and touch, as in the darkness of a forest during night it 

 would be impossible to distinguish the leaves. There are few 

 creatures who possess so delicate a sense of smell ; wild elephants 

 will wind an enemy at a distance of a thousand yards, or even 

 more, should the breeze be favourable. The nerves of the trunk 

 are peculiarly sensitive, and although the skin is thick, the 

 smallest substance can be discovered, and picked up by the tiny 

 proboscis at the extremity. 



A wound upon any portion of the trunk must occasion intense 

 pain, and the animal instinctively coils the lower portion beneath 

 its chest when attacked by a tiger. This delicacy of nerve renders 

 the elephant exceedingly timid after being wounded, and it is a 

 common and regrettable occurrence that an elephant which has 

 been an excellent shikar animal before it has been injured, becomes 

 useless to face a tiger after it has been badly clawed. I cannot 

 understand the carelessness of an owner who thus permits a good 

 elephant to work unprotected. In ancient days the elephants 

 were armoured for warlike purposes to protect them from spears 

 and javelins, and nothing can be easier than to arrange an elastic 

 protective hood, which would effectually safeguard the trunk and 

 head from the attack of any animal. 



I had an excellent hood arranged for a large tusker which was 

 lent to me by the Commissariat. The first layer of material was 

 the soft but thick buff leather of sambur deer. This entirely 

 covered the head, and was laced beneath the throat ; at the same 

 time it was secured by a broad leather strap and buckle around 

 the neck. A covering for about three feet from the base of the 

 trunk descended from the face and was also secured by lacing. 

 The lower portion of the trunk was left unprotected, as the animal 

 would immediately guard against danger by curling it up when 

 attacked. Upon this groundwork of buff leather I had plates of 

 thick and hard buffalo hide, tanned, overlapping like slates upon 

 a roof. This armour was proof against either teeth or claws, as 

 neither could hold upon the slippery and yielding hard surface of 

 the leather tiles ; at the same time the elephant could move its 

 trunk with ease. Two circular apertures were cut out for the 

 eyes, about six inches in diameter. 



An elephant, if well trained, would be sufficiently sagacious to ap- 

 preciate this protection should it find itself unharmed after a home 

 charge by a tiger or other dangerous beast ; and such a quality 

 of armour would add immensely to its confidence and steadiness. 



