162 THE ETJ3PHAXT. 



Y. 



ONCE appeased, they become very submissive, and 

 are used as beasts of burden ; they are capari- 

 soned for hunting and for war ; they are made to 

 carry heavy loads, and are obedient to the voice and 

 gesture. 



"The Siamese," says Forbin, "obtain consider- 

 able services from these animals. They use them 

 almost as domestics, and especially for taking care 

 of the children : they take them up with their trunks 

 and put them to bed and rock them to sleep ; and 

 when mamma wants them, she has only to order the 

 elephant to go and bring them to her." 



Numerous instances which testify to their intelli- 

 gence and docility are well known. 



Can one believe this, which a Siamese king reported 

 of one on which he was mounted? " This elephant 

 had not long since a groom who half famished him 

 by depriving him a portion of the food allotted to him. 

 The animal had no other means of complaining but 

 by his cries, and made such a horrible noise that he 

 could be heard all through the palace. Not being 

 able to divine the cause of his crying so loudly, but 

 suspecting the real fact, I gave him another groom, 



