THE ELEPHANT. 333 



toes, but do not appear outwardly. The hide is 

 without hair, full of scratches and scars, which 

 it receives in its passage through thick woods 

 and thorny places. At the end of the tail there 

 is a tuft of hair, a foot and a half long. The 

 female is less than the male, and the udder is 

 between the fore-legs. But a more accurate, as 

 well as a more entertaining description of the 

 parts, will naturally occur in the history of their 

 uses. 



Of all quadrupeds the elephant is the strongest, 

 as well as the largest ; and yet, in a state of na- 

 ture, it is neither fierce nor formidable.* Mild, 

 peaceful, and brave, it never abuses its power or 

 its strength, and only uses its force for its own 

 protection, or that of its community. In its na- 

 tive deserts the elephant is seldom seen alone, 

 but appears to be a social friendly creature. The 

 oldest of the company conducts the band j that 

 which is next in seniority brings up the rear. 

 The young, the weak, and the sickly, fall into 

 the centre ; while the females carry their young, 

 and keep them from falling by means of their 

 trunks. They maintain this order only in dan- 

 gerous marches, or when they desire to feed in 

 cultivated grounds ; they move with less precau- 

 tion in the forests and solitudes ; but without 

 ever separating, or removing so far asunder as to 

 be incapable of lending each other any requisite 

 assistance. Nothing can be more formidable 

 than a drove of elephants as they appear at a dis- 



* I have extracted the greatest part of this description from M. Buffbn. 

 Where I add, I mark with commas, " thus." 



