Appendix 287 



earth and fresh sand to sprinkle over its back and ears, 

 scorched by the sun. When fatigued by a long march in 

 the sun it obtains water with its trunk from its own stomach, 1 

 with which to refresh its head and shoulders. Should an 

 enemy's spear stick into its flesh, the elephant seizes it with 

 its trunk, drags it out, and throws it aside. A powerful 

 arm, a sensitive hand, and a delicate nose at one and the 

 same time, such is the marvellous organ with which 

 nature has endowed this animal. 



On the other hand, sight and hearing are imperfect 

 senses. Its eye seems to be unable to discern the objects 

 it sees. It may see a man distinctly, but, if unassisted by 

 its sense of smell, it cannot distinguish him from an animal." 

 Very often, when the wind was in my favour, elephants 

 have fixedly looked at me, flapping their immense ears as 

 they did so, but without showing any signs of disquiet 

 as I advanced towards them. Their trunks waved about in 

 all directions, trying to scent me out ; but, the wind bringing 

 them no alarming message, they stood perfectly still. How- 

 ever, those animals which have already been wounded by 

 a man sometimes flee simply upon seeing one a short 

 distance away. 



The hearing of the elephant is hardly better than that 

 of man. I cannot compare it to anything poorer, 3 for 

 what animal, even domestic, has not better hearing and 

 smell than we have ? I cannot speak about our ancestors 

 in the caverns ; but if their senses were as imperfect as 

 ours, their lives must have been at the mercy of animals. 



Having described their physical appearance, let me 

 now say a few words about their habits. The large quantity 



1 Like the camel's, the elephant's stomach has a chamber which can 

 be cut off from the proper digestive cavity. It is capable of holding 

 ten gallons. 



2 Most wild animals are the same. 



3 The human voice is particularly disagreeable to them. Some- 

 times when they are wounded a cry or a call is enough to infuriate, 

 and to make them decide to charge. 



