342 ON THE 



mouth, the larger branches of trees, which afe 

 is his natural food, or the leaves and stems 

 of the plantain ; and when domesticated, to take 

 up and convey in the same manner, grains of corn, 

 blades of grass, hay, and other vegetables with 

 which, when tamed, he is usually fed ; or he can 

 be taught to pick up with it, small pieces 

 of straw, or pins to untie knots, and to unbar and 

 to open gates; and with his proboscis general- 

 ly, to raise up and assist in loading himself with 

 very heavy articles, or to remove them back 

 again to the ground, or to carry upon it, (for the 

 conveniency of his employers) small packages; 

 and with the same instrument he can inflict 

 deadly blows upon his enemies, when placed on 

 the defensive. 



Thus, by a wise dispensation of Providence, 

 a most curious piece of mechanism has been 

 given, which, while all the necessities of the 

 Animal have been most amply provided for in 

 a manner that considering his great bulk and gene- 

 ral make, could not have been effected by any 

 other part of his conformation ; it contributes 

 by the intelligent use which he makes of it, to a 

 variety of human accommodations ; and this, 

 together with the great strength of his body, and 

 his capability of performing long journies 

 under very heavy loads, has rendered the Ele- 

 phant the most valuable of Animals in the coun- 

 tries in which he is to be found. 



