158 THE ELEPHANT. 



their natural state, they delight to live along, the side of 

 rivers, and always disturb the water before they begin 

 to drink ; they divert themselves by filling their trunks 

 to the brim, and then spouting it out like a fountain 

 or stream : the extremes of heat and cold seem equally 

 to affect them : and, to avoid the former, they seek 

 the most impervious shade, or retire to the banks of 

 some well-known river, and for hours together either 

 swim or bathe. 



Though the elephant is the strongest as well as the 

 largest of all quadrupeds, yet in a state of nature it is 

 neither formidable or fierce, but mild and peaceable in 

 its disposition, it neither exerts its force or strength. In 

 its native deserts this animal is seldom seen alone, but 

 appears to be a social, friendly creature. The oldest of 

 the company always conducts the band, w r hilst the 

 next in seniority leads up the rear. This order is merely 

 preserved when they are upon their march, directing 

 their course towards cultivated grounds, where they 

 expect to have their progress impeded by the proprie- 

 tors of those lands they are going to lay in waste. 



Although the eyes of this animal are peculiarly small, 

 yet they are completely expressive of what the creature 

 feels, and when turning them upon an affectionate 

 master, it is astonishing to observe how much tender- 

 ness they reveal. Its sense of smelling is likewise al- 

 lowed to be delicate, and it evinces a great fondness 

 for odoriferous flowers : the hearing is also remark- 

 ably acute; and no animal is so exquisitely affected by 

 the touch. 



We have hitherto been describing this sagacious 

 quadruped in the state which Nature intended it to be 

 placed ; we are now to behold it reduced to human obe- 

 dience, and ained to the arts of war, by the instrutv 



