The ElepJiant. 145 



strength and quick judgment rendering them most 

 valuable auxiliaries. 



These advantages are, however, not unmixed with 

 drawbacks. The health of the animal, for example, 

 requires constant care and attention ; the skin, thick 

 as it is, is liable to abrasions, resulting in ulcerous 

 sores ; and the eyes are constantly subject to inflamma- 

 tion. 



Taking these disadvantages into consideration, 

 many writers are of opinion that the value of the 

 elephant as a beast of burden is greatly over-esti- 

 mated, and that he is in reality of little more use than 

 a powerful dray horse, which can work for longer 

 hours, and is not so subject to sores and inflammations. 



As far as some of the operations performed by ele- 

 phants are concerned, this theory may be true enough, 

 but when we consider the enormous weights which 

 these animals are accustomed to carry, and the preci- 

 sion with which the largest and heaviest beams are 

 placed by them, it seems hardly possible that their 

 duties could be adequately performed by any other 

 animal, no matter how powerful and intelligent it 

 might be. 



Another of the manifold purposes for which the 

 Asiatic elephant is employed is that of an auxiliary ii 

 the chase of the tiger. 



In order to serve in this capacity, the animals are 

 captured when very young, and are carefully trained t<? 

 perform their future duties. This is no easy task, for 

 in the very nature of the elephant there appears to be 

 an ingrained dread and abhorrence of the tiger, causing 

 it to fly in terror from the mere sight of the skin of the 

 fierce beast. 



The education, therefore, of the hunting elephant is 

 a matter of care, time, and patience, and is conducted 

 as follows. 



