148 The Life of an Elephant 



the jungles, it was impossible but that mis- 

 haps should occur to the elephant, Maula Bux. 

 When he crossed over wide stretches of burnt 

 grasslands, the stout, charred spikes protrud- 

 ing six inches or more from the surface were 

 especially dangerous to the soft, broad soles of 

 his feet. At times one would penetrate deeply 

 and break off in the wound, when the elephant 

 would halt and endeavour to withdraw it with 

 his trunk, or to get rid of it by violent rubbing 

 on the ground. Frequently these attempts at 

 relief were futile, and the mahout would descend 

 and remove the splinter with his knife, cleansing 

 and anointing the wound on arrival in camp. 

 Or again, the ill-fitting harness would fret the 

 withers or back of the animal, more especially if 

 the skin were allowed to become dusty or dirty ; 

 and the greatest care had then to be taken that 

 deep-seated ulcers were not formed. Or, as the 

 elephant became older, there would be trouble 

 with his teeth, the new growth perhaps not 

 being strong enough to push aside the old. 

 For, in consequence of the unnatural life in 

 confinement, slight injuries might produce vastly 



