n THE ELEPHANT. 



To complete the idea of the nature and in- 

 telligence of this fingular animal, 1 mail here 

 add fome notes communicated to me by the 

 Marquis de Montmirail, prefident of the royal 

 academy of fciences, who has been fo obliging 

 as not only to collect, but to tranilate every- 

 thing regarding quadrupeds from fome Italian 

 and German books with which I am unac- 

 quainted. His zeal for the advancement of 

 knowledge, his exquifite difcernment, and his 

 extenfive knowledge in natural hiftory, entitle 

 him to the highefl marks of diftinction •, and 

 the reader will find how often I mail have oc- 

 cafion to quote him in the fubfequent parts of 

 this work. * The elephant is uied in dragging 

 : artillery over mountains ; and it is on fuch 

 ' occafions that his fagacity is moil confpicuous. 

 ' When the oxen, yoked to a cannon, make an 

 1 effort to pull it up a declivity, the elephant 

 ' pumes the breach with his front, and, at each 

 > effort, he mpports the carriage with his knee, 

 • which he places againft the wheel. He feems 

 ' to understand what is laid to him. When his 

 1 conductor wants him to execute any painful 

 labour, lie explains the nature of the opera- 

 tion, and recites the reafons which ought to. 

 induce him to obey. If the elephant mows a 

 : repugnance to what is exacted of him, the 

 Gprnacki which is the name of- the conductor, 

 v promifes to give him arrack, or fome other 

 \ thing that he likes. But it is extremely dan- 



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6 gexous 



