THE ELEPHANT. 131 



Fording rivers Kept for ostentation. 



soldiers taking hold, either swim, or are drawn 

 through the water. Another use still made of 

 this animal in war, is to force open the gates of 

 a city or garrison which is closely besieged. This 

 he does by setting his hinder parts against them, 

 and moving backwards and forwards till he has 

 burst the bars, and forced an entrance : to pre- 

 vent which, many of the Oriental garrisons have 

 large spikes stuck in their gates, projecting to a 

 considerable distance. 



In many parts of India, these animals are kept 

 more for grandeur and ostentation than for use. 

 And their keeping is attended with a prodigious 

 expence; as they devour vast quantities of pro- 

 vision, and must sometimes be regaled with a 

 plentiful repast of cinnamon, of which they are 

 exceedingly fond. It is no uncommon thing for 

 a nabob, if he wish to ruin a private gentleman, 

 to make him a present of an elephant; which he 

 is afterwards under the necessity of maintaining 

 at a greater expense than he can afford: for, 

 should he attempt to part with it he would un- 

 avoidably fall under the displeasure of the gran- 

 dee; besides forfeiting all the honour which is 

 conferred by so magnificent a present. 



In some of the Oriental countries elephants 

 perform the parts of public executioners ; break- 

 ing every limb of a criminal with their trunks, 

 trampling him to death, or impaling him on their 

 tusks, according to their directions. 



History affords many surprising instances of 

 K 2 



