THE ELEPHANT. 39 



of the earth is variegated with mountains, which 

 are more elevated in proportion as they advance 

 toward the centre of the ifland, and where the 

 heat, though great, is not fo exceffive as in Se- 

 negal, Guiney, and the other weftern parts of 

 Africa. The ancients, who knew nothing of 

 this quarter of the world, except the territo- 

 ries fituated between Mount Atlas and the Me- 

 diterranean, had remarked, that the Lybian ele- 

 phants were much fmaller than thofe of India *. 

 There are now no elephants in that part of Afri- 

 ca ; which proves what was alledged under the 

 article Lion f, that men are at prefent more nu- 

 merous there than they were in the days of the 

 Carthaginians. The elephants have retired in 

 proportion to the disturbance they have met with 

 from the human fpecies. But, in travelling 

 through the climates of Africa, they have not 

 changed their nature; for the elephants of Se- 

 negal, Guiney, &c. are dill much fmaller than 

 thofe of India. 



The Strength of thefe animals is proportioned 

 to their magnitude. The Indian elephants carry 



with 



cue'il des voyages, torn. i. p. 413. ; torn. 2. p. 256. ; to??;. 4. p. 363. 

 — In Ceylon the elephants are numerous, and more generous 

 and noble than any others. . . . All other elephants revere 

 thofe of Ceylon, &c. ; Voyage d 'Orient du P. Philippe, p. 130. et 



3 6 7- 



* Indicum (elephantum) Afri pavent, nee contueri audent; 



nam et major Indicis magnitudo eft ; Plin. hifl. nat. lib* %. 



cap. 9. 



f See ahove, vol. 5. p. 66. 



