PACHYDERMATA. 145 



of the Elephant in union with its capacity, renders it a most effi- 

 cient aid, where extraordinary animal force is required, as in 

 dragging ships, heavy stores and ordnance. Its ordinary pace is 

 equal to that of the horse at an easy trot. A consideration of the 

 velocity of its motion, as compared with the mass of its body, may 

 help one to judge of its very great force. Many arduous and 

 difficult military operations in the East have been much indebted 

 to the sagacity, patience and strength of the Elephant. The 

 height varies considerably. The East India Company's standard 

 for serviceable Elephants is "seven feet and upwards, measured 

 at the shoulders, in the same manner as horses are. 3 ' It has 

 been said, they reach the height of seventeen or twenty feet ; but 

 there is reason to believe they seldom exceed ten feet in height. 

 Those from Pegu and Siam are much larger than those of Hin- 

 dostan. 



The Elephant has long been the companion of the Orientalist, 

 in great hunting parties, (see border of the chart.) and from a 

 very early period, has been made to minister to the wanton and 

 cruel pleasures of Eastern princes, by being stimulated to com- 

 bat, not only with other Elephants, but with various wild animals. 

 The ivory of these animals, which is now sought for useful pur- 

 poses, and also for minor ornaments, was in great request with the 

 ancient Greeks and Romans, for various domestic uses, as well 

 as for the Chrys-elephantine Statuary, (Gr. Chrusos, gold ; Ele- 

 pJias, elephant,) of Phidias, such as the Minerva of the Parthenon, 

 and the Olympian Jupiter. 



The exports of the tusks from the East have been, and still 

 continue to be, large. In 1831-2, those to Great Britain alone, 

 amounted to 4,130 cwt. ; a weight of ivory, taking the average 

 of the tusks to be sixty Ibs. weight, involving the destruction of 

 from 4.500 to 5,000 Elephants. It is said 45,000 tusks are now 

 annually consumed in Sheffield, (England,) alone. The West- 

 ern and Eastern coasts of Africa ; the Cape of Good Hope ; Cey- 

 lon ; India ; and the countries to the east of the straits of Malacca, 

 are the marts whence the supplies of ivory are obtained. The 

 chief consumption of this article in England, is in the manufac- 

 ture of handles for knives; but it is extensively used for other 

 purposes. Ivory articles are manufactured to a greater extent at 

 Dieppe, on the French sea-coast, than in any other place in Eu- 

 rope. In preparations of ivory, the Chinese excel. No Europe- 

 an artist has, we believe, succeeded in cutting concentric balls 

 after the manner of the Chinese ; and their boxes and other ivory 

 articles are decidedly superior to any that are to be met with 

 elsewhere. 



