156 THE ELEPHANT. 



female, each about two years and a half old, were in 

 1781) brought into Holland, a present to the Stad- 

 holderfrom the Dutch East India Company. They 

 had been separated, in order to be conveyed from the 

 Hague to Paris ; where, in the Museum of Natural 

 History, a spacious hail was prepared for their re- 

 ception. This was divided into two apartments, 

 which had a communication by means of a large 

 door resembling a portcullis. The inclosure round 

 these apartments consisted of very strong wooden 

 rails. The morning after their arrival, they were 

 conveyed to this habitation. The male was first 

 t>rought. He entered the apartment with suspicion, 

 reconnoitred the place, and then examined each 

 bar separately with his trunk, and tried their solidi- 

 ty b}^ shaking them. He attempted to turn the large 

 screws on the outside which held them together, 

 but was not able. When he arrived at the port- 

 cullis which separated the apartments, he observed 

 that it was fastened only by a perpendicular iron 

 bar. This he raised with his trunk, then pushed up 

 the door, and entered the second apartment where 

 he received his breakfast. — These two animals had 

 been parted, (but with the utmost difficulty.) for the 

 convenience of carriage, and had not seen each other 

 for some months ; and the joy they experienced 

 on meeting again, after so long a separation, is 

 scarcely to be ex])rcssed. They immediately 

 rushed towards each other, and sent forth cries of 

 joy so animated and loud as to shake the whole 

 hall. They breathed also through their trunks with 

 such violence, that the blast resembled an impetu- 



