tj^O iiisTOHV or 



dren in her arms, tlirew them at the elephant's feet, crying^ out, 

 that sinceit had killed her husband it might kill her and her chil- 

 dren also. The elephant, seeing the children at its feet, instant- 

 ly stopped, and moderating its fury, took up the eldest with its 

 trunk, and placing him upon its neck, adopted him for its con- 

 ductor, and obeyed him ever after with great punctuality. 



But it is not for drawing burdens alone, that the elephants are 

 serviceable in war ; they are often brought into the ranks, and 

 compelled to fight in the most dangerous parts of the field of 

 battle. There was a time, indeed, in India when they were 

 much more used in war than at present. A century or two ago, 

 a great part of the dependence of the general was upon the 

 number and the expertness of his elephants ; but of late, since 

 war has been contented to adopt fatal instead of formidable arts, 

 the elephant is little used, except for drawing cannon, or trans- 

 porting provisions. The princes of the country are pleased to 

 keep a few for ornament, or for the purposes of removing their 

 seraglios ; but they are seldom led into a field of battle, where 

 they are unable to withstand the discharge of fire-arms, and ha\e 

 often been found to turn upon their employers. SuU, however, 

 they are used in war, in the more remote parts of the East ; in 

 Siam, in Cochin- China, in Tonquin, and Pegu. In all these 

 places they not only serve to swell the pomp of state, being 

 adorned with all the barbarian splendour that those countries 

 can bestow, but they are actually led into the field of battle, 

 armed before with coats of mail, and loaded on the back each 

 with a square tower, containing from five combatants to seven. 

 Upon its neck sits the conductor, who goads the animal into the 

 thickest ranks, and encourages it to increase the devastation : 

 wherever it goes, nothing can withstand its fury; it levels the 



retained this instinct in full force, liowever she might have been led away 

 from her natural habits by tlie artificial restraints of her discipline ; — and 

 we, therefore, give full belief to the assertion. We are not quite so prepared 

 to believe wliat we have also heard stated with regard to this animal, that, 

 upon being satisfied of the strength of the ?tage, and finding herself in a 

 theatre, she immediately, without any direction from lier keeper, began to 

 rehearse the scenes wliich she had previously performed at Paris. Pliny, 

 liowever, tells us, that an elephant, having been punished for his inaptitude 

 in executing some feat which he was required to lear , was observed at 

 night endeavouring to practise what he had vainly attempted in the day ; — 

 and Plutarch confirms this, by mentioning an elepliant who practised hia 

 theatrical attitudes, alone, l>y moonlight. 



