BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 7 



been employed in Luxuries. You may know young Ele- 

 phants by the Whiteness of their Teeth, and these Beasts 

 have a special care over them. They spare the Point of one 

 of them, lest it should be blunt when they come to Fight ; 

 and the other they use ordinarily, either to dig up Roots or 

 to throw down Banks. When they are compassed round 

 with Hunters, they set in the foremost rank those which 

 have the least Teeth, that their price may not be thought 

 worth the hazard of Battle. But afterwards, when they are 

 weary, they break them by driving them into the Trees, and 

 so ransom themselves by the prey. 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Clemency of Elephants ; their Knowledge of their own 

 Dangers ; also the Fierceness of the Tiyer. 



IT is a wonder in most Animals that they know why they 

 are Hunted ; and through the whole they understand what 

 to guard against. If an Elephant chance to meet a Man 

 wandering simply out of his way in the Wilderness, it is said 

 that he will mildly and peaceably set him in the right way 

 again. But if he perceive a Man's footstep before he dis- 

 covers the Man, he will tremble for fear of being entrapped ; 

 he will stay from the Scent, look about him every way, and 

 puff for very anger. Neither will he tread upon the Track, but 

 dig it out and give it to the next (Elephant), and he again to 

 him that followeth, in the way of a Message, to the furthest 

 rank behind. Then the whole Herd wheels round and re- 

 turns backward, putting themselves in Battle Array : so long 

 continueth that strong Smell of Men's Feet through them 

 all, notwithstanding for the most part they have not naked 

 Feet, So the Tigress also, though fierce to other wild 

 Beasts, and disregarding the footsteps of the Elephant 

 itself, if she happen to catch sight of a Man is said im- 

 mediately to convey away her Whelps. How cometh 

 she to this knowledge of a Man ? Where did she ever see 

 him before whom she thus feareth ? For surely such Forests 



