154 THE STORY OF THE ELEPHANT, 



Jumbo, over eleven feet in height at the withers and weighing over six and 

 one-half tons, was raised in captivity at London and was in this country for 

 several seasons. He was the chief attraction at a circus while on this side 

 of the Atlantic. He was without doubt the largest specimen ever in this 

 country, but I have seen a number larger and heavier both in Africa and in 

 Ceylon and Bengal. The height of the African elephant, which is considered 

 larger than the Asiatic, is probably never over fifteen feet, and*his weight 

 is certainly not more than eight or nine tons. His length of body is in some 

 instances over thirty feet. 



The dimensions of the tusks vary greatly, and the maximum length is 

 only approximately known. Several specimens measuring over twenty feet 

 were brought me by natives, who declared they had seen much longer ones. 

 One of these tusks weighed between two hundred and three hundred pounds. 



The tusks of the elephant furnish exceedingly fine ivory, which is used 

 for various purposes, such as knife-handles, combs, billiard-balls, etc. There 

 is a great art in making a billiard-ball. Some parts of the tusk are always 

 heavier than others, so that if the heavy part should fall on one side of the 

 ball, it would not run true. The object of the maker is either to get the 

 heavier portion in the center, or toi make the ball from a piece of ivory of 

 equal weight. In either case, the ball is made a little larger than the proper 

 size; it is then hung up in a dry room for several months, and finally turned 

 down to the requisite dimensions. 



It is of course impossible to obtain any accurate data as to the age which 

 the elephant may attain in its wild state, and can only, therefore, suggest an 

 approximation to what this may be from captive specimens. Although full 

 grown at the age of twenty-five, an elephant, as determined by the condition 

 of its teeth, is not then mature. A female captured in Coorg in 1805, when 

 about three years of age, did not appear to be particularly old-looking in 

 1898, although she had then passed her prime. Other individuals have been 

 known to live in captivity for over a century; and since it is obvious that the 

 artificial mode of life which prevails in this state cannot be one tending to 

 promote longevity, it is probable that the estimate of a century and a half as 

 the duration of life in the wild state is not excessive. 



In India, each elephant has his own individual master or keeper, and a 

 great attachment often springs up between the beast and his human friend. 

 In many cases when the keeper falls ill or is killed, the elephant must be 

 killed, for he will not obey any one else. Some of the tamed animals refuse 

 to take instructions from any one but their master, and the intelligence 



