THE ELEPHANT. 33 



Pegu, where the King and great Lords always 

 ride upon elephants. At feftivals, they are pre- 

 ceded and followed by a numerous train of thefe 

 animals, pompoufly adorned with pieces of fhi- 

 ning metal, and covered with rich Huffs. Their 

 tufks are ornamented with rings of gold and 

 lilver * ; their ears and cheeks are painted; 

 they are crowned with garlands ; and a num- 

 ber of little bells are fixed to ditferent parts of 

 their body. They feem to delight in rich at- 

 tire ; for they are chearful and careffing in pro- 

 portion to the number of their ornaments. But 

 it is only in the fouthern parts of India where 

 the elephants have acquired this degree of po- 

 lim. In Africa, it is with difficulty that they 

 can be tamed f. The Afiatics, who have been 

 Vol. VI. C very 



* We have feen elephants whofe teeth were extremely large 

 and beautiful. In fome, they are more than four feet long, 

 and garniihed with rings of gold, filver, and copper ; Premier 

 voyage du P. Tachard, p. 273. — The grandeur of the princes 

 conlifts in the number of elephants they are able to keep, 

 Which is the chief fource of their expence. The Great Mogul 

 has feveial thoufands of them. The King of Madura, the 

 Lords of Narzinga and of Bifnagar, and the Kings of Naires 

 and of Manful-, have feveral hundreds, which they diftinguifh 

 into three clafTes. The largeft are deitined for the fervice of 

 the Prince. Their harnefs is extremely rich. They are co- 

 vered with cloth embroidered with gold, and iludded with 

 pearls. Their teeth are adorned with fine gold and filver, 

 and fometimes with diamonds. Thofe of a middle fize are 

 employed in war ; and the leaf! ?re ufed for common la- 

 bour ; Voyage du P- Vincent Marie de Ste Catherine de Sienne, 

 chap. 1 1. 



f The inhabitants of Congo have not the art of taming 

 elephants, which are very, mifchievous, take crocodiles with 

 their trunks, and throw them to a great diftance ; // Genii 

 vag. dd Cpnte Aurelio, torn. 2. p. 473. 



