THE ELEPHANT. 63 



after bathing *. The ufe of water is as necef- 

 iary to thefe animals as air. When free, they 

 never quit the banks of rivers, and often go into 

 the water till it reaches their belly, and in this 

 fituation they daily fpend feveral hours. In In- 

 dia, where the elephants are treated in the man- 

 ner that beft correfponds with their nature and 

 temperament, they are carefully bathed, and al- 

 lowed time and every poffible conveniency for 

 bathing themfelves f. Their ikin is cleaned by 



rubbing 



* I was informed that the elephant at Verfailies always 

 rolled in the duft after bathing, which he did as often as he 

 was allowed ; and it was obferved that he threw dull upon all 

 the places which had been miffed when he rolled himfelf, and 

 that he drove off" the flies with handfuls of ftraw, or by throw- 

 ing duft with his trunk on the places where he felt himfelf 

 (lung, there being nothing which the flies avoid fo much as 

 falling duft ; Mem. pour fervir a l y KJh des animaux, part. 3./-. 



117, 



f About eight" or nine o'clock before noon, we went to the 

 river to fee the elephants belonging to the King and the 

 nobles bathed. The animal goes into the water till it reaches 

 his belly, and, lying down on one fide, fills his trunk feveral 

 times, and throws the water upon the parts which are unco- 

 vered. The mailer then rubs off, with a kind of pumice 

 ftone, all the dirt that bus been cclle&ed on the creature's ikin. 

 Some authors tell us, that, when the elephant lies down, he 

 is unable to raiie himfelf. But this affertion is not founded 

 in truth ; for the matter, after rubbing on one fide, defires the 

 animal to turn to the other, which he does very quickly ; and, 

 after both fides are well curried, he comes out of the river, 

 and ftands fome time on the bank tiil he dries. The mailer 

 then brings a pot of red or yellow paint, and draws lines on 

 the elephant's face, round the eyes, and upon the breaft and 

 • rump. He is next rubbed over with oil to ftrengthen his 

 nerves ; Voyage de Tavernier, torn. 3. /. 264. 



