154 THE ELEPHANT. 



a little to one side, and continued as vigilant as before. 

 Soon after vvards, he found himself under the neces- 

 sity of repeating his admonition to the spectators ; 

 but no sooner was this uttered, than the female laid 

 hold of his musketj twirled it round with her trunk, 

 trod it under her feet, and did not restore it till she 

 had twisted it nearly into the form of a screw *. 



M. Navarette says, that at Macasar, an Elephant- 

 driver had a cocoa-nut given him, v/hich out of 

 wantonness he struck twice against his Elephant's 

 forehead to break. The day following the animal 

 saw some cocoa-nuts exposed in the street for sale ; 

 and taking one of thesn up with its trunk, beat it 

 about the driver's head, till the man was complete- 

 ly dead. *' This comes (says our author) of jesting 

 with Elephants '|-." 



An Elephant that was exhibited in France some 

 years ago, seemed to know when it wa^ mocked by 

 any person ; and remembered the affront till an 

 opportunity for revenge occurred, A man deceived 

 it, by pretending to throw som. thing into its 

 mouth : the animal give him such a blow with*its 

 trunk, as knocked him down, and broke two of 

 his ribs. Afier which it trampled on him with its 

 feet, broke one of his legs, and bending down on 

 its knees, endeavoured to push its tusks into his 

 body ; but tliey luckily ran into the ground on each 

 Side of his thigh, without doing him any injury. — 

 This Elephant generally made less use of its strength 

 than its address. With great ease and coolness, it 



Tillcch. t Navcnetfe, i. 26S. 



