4^8 HISTORY OP 



they exceed a certain bulk, like jesvels, their value then rises as 

 the fancy is pleased to estimate. 



The largest are entirely kept for the service of princes ; and 

 are maintained with the utmost magnificence, and at the greatest 

 expense. The usual colour of the elephant, is a dusky black, 

 but some are said to be white ; and the price of one of these is 

 inestimable. Such a one is peculiarly appropriated for the 

 monarch's own riding ; he is kept in a palace, attended by the 

 nobles, and almost adored by the people.' Some have said that 

 these white elephants are larger than the rest;- others assert 

 that they are less ; and still others entirely doubt their existence. 

 As the art of war is but very little improved in Asia, there 

 are few princes of the East who do not procure and maintain as 

 many elephants as they are able, and place great confidence on 

 their assistance in an engagement. For this purpose they are 

 obliged to take them wild in their native forests, and tame them , 

 for the elephant never breeds in a state of servitude. It is one 

 of the most striking peculiarities in this extraordinary creature, 

 that his generative powers totally fail when he comes under the 

 dominion of man ; as if he seemed unwilling to propagate a race 

 of slaves to increase the pride of his conqueror. There is, per- 

 haps, no other quadruped that will not breed in its own native 

 climate, if indulged with a moderate share of freedom; and we 

 know that many of them will copulate in every climate. The 

 elephant alone has never been seen to breed ; and though he has 

 been reduced under the obedience of man for ages, the duration 

 of pregnancy in the female^ still remains a secret. Aristotle, 

 indeed, asserts, that she goes two years with young; that she 

 continues to suckle her young for three years, and that she brings 

 forth but one at a time : but he does not inform us of the man- 

 ner in which it was possible for him to have his information. 

 From authorities equally doubtful, we learn, that the little one 

 is about as large as a wild boar the instant it is brought forth ; 

 that its tusks do not yet appear ; but that all the rest of its teetli 

 are apparent; that at the age of six months, it is as large as an 



1 P. Vincent Marie. 2 P. Tachard. 



3 Multis porsuasimi est elepliantem non brutorura sed hominum more 

 coire. Quod retro mingit nou diibitatiu-. Sed ipse vidi marem hujusre .spe- 

 cie!, in iiustri regis stabulis, super faemellara itidem inclusam quadiupodum 

 more silientem, penepaululuiu incurvato sed sufficienter recto. 



