64 ELEPHANTS. 



jungles. Their natural history is so general- 

 ly known, that it would be presumption 

 in me to enter into a detail of it. Two extra- 

 ordinary instances of their wonderful sagaci- 

 ty (or reasoning faculty,) came within my 

 knowledge, which strongly corroborate the 

 statements given of their general character. 



An elephant belonging to Mr. Boddam of 

 the Bengal civil service at Gyah, used every 

 day to pass over a small bridge leading from 

 his master's house, into the town of Gyah ; he, 

 one day refused to go over it, and it was with 

 great difficulty, by goring him most cruelly 

 with the Hunkuss, [Iron instrument] that the 

 Mahout [driver] could get him to venture on 

 the bridge, the strength of which he first tried 

 with his trunk, shewing clearly that he sus- 

 pected that it w r as not sufficiently strong; 

 at last he went on, and before he could get 

 over, the bridge gave way, and they were 

 precipitated into the ditch, which killed the 

 driver, aud considerably injured the elephant. 

 It is reasonable to suppose that the elephant 



