xii Introduction 



either in self-defence or flight. In these 

 circumstances, when an elephant has been so 

 torn and mangled by a tiger that recovery is 

 not completed till after three or four months 

 of careful attention, and at the time has shown 

 no fear, and later on has shown no disinclina- 

 tion to carry its rider into similar danger, it 

 may be inferred that this forest tribe does 

 not fail in courage such as would be considered 



o 



specially worthy of praise in the dog and quite 

 extraordinary in the horse. Cases are known 

 where a dog has attacked a tiger, and a horse 

 has been used even to drive him off his kill, 

 but it is probable that careful search would 

 have to be made in the annals of sport before 

 many authentic cases could be produced to 

 show that either of these animals, after being 

 wounded well nigh to death, has cheerfully 

 taken a similar risk after recovery. 



As to sagacity, the elephant need fear no 

 rival in horse or dog. Here he has the 

 advantage of possessing a hand, which they 

 have not. With it he can pick up by suction 

 the smallest object, or carry a log weighing 



