1 90 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



them to partake. As they require a great quantity 

 of forage,, they frequently change their pasture, and 

 do considerable damage whenever they happen to 

 stray into cultivated ground. From the weight of 

 their bodies and the size of their feet, they destroy 

 much more than they use for food. The Indians 

 and negroes use every artifice to prevent the ap- 

 proach of these unwelcome visitants, by making 

 loud noises, and kindling fires round their habita- 

 tions ; but in spite of all their precautions, the 

 Elephants often break through their fences, destroy 

 their whole harvest, and overturn their huts. It is 

 not easy to separate them : they generally act in 

 concert, whether they attack, march, or fly. 



The ordinary walk of the Elephant is not quicker 

 than that of a Horse ; but when pushed, he assumes 

 a kind of ambling pace, which in fleetness is equal 

 to a gallop. He goes forward with ease and 

 celerity; but it is with great difficulty that he turns 

 himself round, and that not without taking a pretty 

 large circuit. It is generally in narrow and hollow 

 places that the negroes attack him, and cut off his 

 tail, which they value above every other part of his 

 body. He swims well, and is of much use in carry- 

 ing great quantities of baggage over large rivers. 

 When swimming, he raises his long trunk above 

 the surface of the water for the sake of respiration, 

 every other part of his body being below: in this 

 manner several of these animals swim together, and 

 steer their course without danger of running foul of 

 each other. 



The Elephant, when tamed, is gentle, obedient, 

 and docile : patient of labour, he submits to the 

 most toilsome drudgery ; and is so attentive to the 

 commands of his governor, that a word or a look is 



