344 THE ELEPHANT. 



he is compelled to increase. The elephant is a 

 native of Africa and Asia, being found neither in 

 Europe nor America. In Africa he still retains 

 his natural liberty. The savage inhabitants of 

 that part of the world, instead of attempting to 

 subdue this powerful creature to their necessities, 

 are happy in being able to protect themselves 

 from his fury. Formerly, indeed, during the 

 splendour of the Carthaginian empire, elephants 

 were used in their wars ; but this was only a tran- 

 sitory gleam of human power in that part of the 

 globe ; the natives of Africa have long since 

 degenerated, and the elephant is only known 

 among them from his devastations. However, 

 there are no elephants in the northern parts of 

 Africa at present, there being none found on this 

 side of Mount Atlas. It is beyond the river 

 Senegal that they are to be met with in great 

 numbers, and so down to the Cape of Good 

 Hope, as well as in the heart of the country. In 

 this extensive region they appear to be more 

 numerous than in any other part of the world. 

 They are there less fearful of man : less retired 

 into the heart of the forests, they seem to be sen- 

 sible of his impotence and ignorance ; and often 

 come down to ravage his little labours. They 

 treat him with the same haughty disdain which 

 they show to other animals, and consider him as 

 a mischievous little being, that fears to oppose 

 them openly. 



But, although these animals are most plentiful 

 in Africa, it is only in Asia that the greatest ele- 

 phants are found, and rendered subservient to 



