ANIMALS. 46? 



miiiiy various advantages, both of strength, sagacity, and obedi- 

 ence, should be taken into the service of man. We accordingly 

 iind that the elephant, from time immemorial, has been employed 

 either for the purposes of labour, of war, or of ostentation ; to 

 increase the grandeur of eastern princes, or to extend their domi- 

 nions. We have hitherto been describing this animal in its na- 

 tural state ; we now come to consider it in a diflerent view, as 

 taken from the forest, and reduced to human obedience. We 

 are now to behold this brave harmless creature as learning a les- 

 son from mankind, and instructed by him in all the arts of war, 

 massacre, and devastation. We are now to behold this half-re;i- 

 soning animal led into the field of battle, and wondering at those 

 tumults and that madness which he is compelled to increase. 

 The elephant is a native of Africa and Asia, being found nei- 

 ther in Europe nor America. In Africa he still retains his na- 

 tural liberty. The savage inhabitants of that part of the world, 

 instead of attempting to subdue this powerful creature to their 

 necessities, are happy in being able to protect themselves from 

 his fury. Formerly, indeed, during the splendour of the Car- 

 thaginian empire, elephants were used in their wars ; but this 

 was only a transitory gleam of human power in that part of the 

 globe ; the natives of Africa have long since degenerated, and 

 the elephant is only known among them from his devastations. 

 However, there are no elephants in the northern parts of Africa 

 at present, there being none found on this side of Mount Atlas. 

 It is beyond the riverSenegal that they are to be met with in great 

 numbers, and so down to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as 

 in the heart of the country. In this extensive region they ap- 

 pear to be more numerous than in any other part of the world. 

 They are there less fearful of man : less retired into the heart 

 of the forests, they seem to be sensible of his impotence and ig- 

 norance ; and often come down to ravage his little labours. 

 They treat him with the same haughty disdain which they show 

 to other animals, and consider him as a mischievous little being, 

 that fears to oppose them ojienly. 



But although these animals are most plentiful in Africa, it is 

 only in Asia that the greatest elephants are fotuid, and rendered 

 subservient to human connnand. In Africa, the largest do not 

 exceed ten feet high ; in Asia, they are found from ten to fifteen. 

 Their price increases in propoidon to their size ; and when 



