The Elephant 17 



All those who speak from experience concur in repre- 

 senting a hunted elephant who does not or cannot escape, 

 as superlatively dangerous. This is not only attributable 

 to the fact that he is then extremely fierce and determined, 

 but also to his undoubted ability to use the great powers 

 of attack and defence he possesses. The animal is capable 

 of considerable speed for a short distance, but it is not 

 possible for him to prolong effort to any great extent. 



Selous asserts that no large creature, except a rhinoc- 

 eros, matches the elephant in its activity upon rough 

 ground. "They can wheel like lightning," says Baker; 

 or, as Andersson expresses it, " Spin round on a pivot." 

 Captain J. H. Baldwin ("Large and Small Game of 

 Bengal ") describes their performances upon hillsides as 

 very remarkable. 



Captain James Forsyth informs us of the ease and 

 celerity with which they move over a broken surface. 

 Inglis ("Work and Sport on the Nepaul Frontier") relates 

 the dexterity and quickness of these ponderous beasts in 

 crossing gullies that seem impassable. There is probably 

 no animal safer to ride over a dangerous mountain road. 

 Nervous as he is, his intelligence acts through a brain 

 well enough organized to warn him against the conse- 

 quences of carelessness. A horse will dash himself to 

 death getting out of the way of a swaying shadow or 

 whirling leaf, and on many journeys nobody thinks of 

 mounting one ; but the elephant's prudence, if not his 

 courage, is, as a rule, to be relied upon. 



It has somewhat arbitrarily been decided upon that an 

 elephant can travel at the rate of fifteen miles an hour for 



