12 THE ELEPHANT. 



der, and though the weight of their bodies be 

 great, their fteps are fo long, that they eafily 

 overtake the moft agile man. They then tranl- 

 iix him with their tufks, or, laying hold of him 

 with their trunk, throw him againlt a ftone, and 

 put an end to his exiftence by trampling him 

 under their feet. But it is when provoked only 

 that they kill men in this manner, and never 

 injure thofe who do not diflurb them. But, 

 as they are extremely fufpicious and fenfible of 

 injuries, it is proper to avoid them ; and the 

 travellers who frequent the countries inhabited 

 by elephants, kindle fires during the night, and 

 beat drums to prevent their approach. When 

 they have been once attacked by men, or have 

 fallen into a Inare, they are faid never to forget 

 it, but take every opportunity of revenge. As 

 their fenfe of fmelling is, perhaps, more perfect 

 than that of any other animal, the fmell of a 

 man ftrikes them at a great diftance, and they 

 can eafily follow him by the fcent. The ancients 

 relate, that the elephants tear the grafs off 

 the ground upon which the hunters had paf- 

 fed, and that they hand it about to each other 

 for the purpofe of receiving information con- 

 cerning the paffage and march of the enemy. 



Thefe 



or infuk an elephant, fliould be much on their guard ; for 

 thefe animals do not eafily forget injuries, until they accom- 

 plifh their revenge ; Rccueil des voyages de la Cavipagme del Indet 

 de Hollande, torn. i. p. 4 1 3. 



