ELEPHANTS 293 



hundred of its own species, and yet so gentle that even 

 when " in its most furious excitement," if an infant 

 happened to be in its way, it would stop, raise the infant 

 gently in its trunk, and place it carefully on one side in 

 a place of safety. 



This elephant, the Emperor further states, always 

 went attended by a band of music, and preceded 

 by forty horsemen. In another passage the Emperor 

 mentions its allowance of food. It may perhaps interest 

 the reader to hear it. It was as follows : — 



With regard to the beef and mutton, I conclude there 

 must be some mistake. 



Hawkins, who was also accredited to the Emperor's 

 court at an earlier period, describes the Emperor's 

 favourite elephant, which I presume must be the same. 

 He speaks of its enormous size and extreme gentle- 

 ness. Of its gentleness he mentions an instance. He 

 saw it lift up in succession several young children, 

 raise them with its trunk aloft in the air, and then 

 place them with the utmost care again on the 

 ground. Among the children thus lifted was the 

 Emperor's youngest son, a boy of not more than seven 

 years old. 



A very full account of the imperial elephants is 

 given in the Ayeen Akbari. Among other matters, 

 it is mentioned that a certain number of elephants 



