76 THE ELEPHANT. 



double leathern {trap, with which its leg was 

 fixed ; and, as the domeftics had wrapt the 

 buckle round with a imall cord, and tied many- 

 knots on it, the creature deliberately loofed 

 the whole, without breaking either the cord 

 or the ftrap. One night, after difengaging itfelf 

 in this manner from its ftrap, it broke up the 

 door of its lodge with fuch dexterity as not to 

 waken the keeper. From thence it went into 

 feveral courts of the menagery, forcing open 

 doors, and throwing down the walls when the 

 doors were too narrow to let it pais. In this 

 manner it got accefs to the apartments of o- 

 ther animals, and fo terrified them, that they 

 fled into the moit retired corners of the inclo- 

 fure.' 



In fine, that nothing may be omitted which 

 can contribute to throw light upon the na- 

 tural and acquired faculties of an animal fo 

 fuperior to all others, we ihall add fome fads, 

 extracted from the moft refpectable and unfu- 

 ipicious travellers. 



1 Even the wild elephant,' fays'le P. Vincent 

 'Marie, ' has his virtues. He, is generous and 

 ' temperate ; and, when rendered domeftic, he 

 € is efteemed for gentlenefs and fidelity to his 

 ' matter, friendship to his governour, &c. If 

 e deftined to the immediate fervice of Princes, 

 * he recognifes his good fortune, and maintains 

 ; a gravity of demeanour correfponding to the 



' dignity 



