132 HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT. 



habits of the elephant in his native wilds. We owe the 

 following to Mr. Pringle. 



A few days after the arrival of this gentleman at Enon, 

 a troop came down one dark and rainy night, close to the 

 outskirts of the village ; the missionaries heard them bel- 

 lowing and making an extraordinary noise at the upper 

 end of their orchard, but knowing well how dangerous it 

 is to encounter these powerful animals in the mght, they 

 kept close within their houses till daylight. Next morning, 

 on examining the spot where they had heard the elephants, 

 they discovered the cause of this nocturnal uproar. One 

 of the party had fallen into an unfinished ditch 'or trench, 

 about five or six feet in width, and nearly fourteen in depth, 

 which the industrious missionaries had recently cut through 

 the bank of the river, on purpose to lead out the water to 

 irrigate some part of their garden-ground, and to drive a 

 corn-mill. The disaster was evident, for the marks of his 

 feet were distinctly visible at the bottom, as well as the im- 

 press of his huge body on the sides. How he had got in 

 might be easily conjectured, but how, being once there, he 

 had ever contrived to get out again, was the marvel. By 

 his own unaided efforts, it was obviously impossible. 

 Could his comrades then, have assisted him ? No doubt 

 they had ; though by what means, unless by hauling him 

 out with their trunks, it is impossible to say. On exam- 

 ining the spot, it was evident that such had been the case. 

 Mr. Pringle found the edges of the trench deeply indented 

 with numerous vestiges, as if the other elephants had sta- 

 tioned themselves on either side, some kneeling, others on 

 their feet, and had thus, by united efforts, and probably 

 after many failures, hoisted their unlucky brother out of 

 the pit. 



We owe also to the same accurate observer the follow- 

 ing characteristic and affecting anecdote. 



A band of hunters had surprised a male and female ele~ 



