THE ELEPHANT. 15^ 



escaped the snare, always pursued the traitor with 

 the utmost vehemence ; and if they could overtake 

 him, which sometimes happened, they beat him to 

 death *. 



Tavernier relates, that ane of the kings of India 

 was in a hunting-party, with his son, upon an Ele- 

 phant, when the animal, being seized with one of 

 his perodical fits of madness, became at once un- 

 governable and furious. The Cornac told the king, 

 that, to allay the fury of the animal, who would 

 otherwise doubtless bruise them all to death among 

 the trees, one of the three must sacrifice his life ; 

 and that lie would willingly yield his own for the pre- 

 servation of the other two. In return, he only intreat- 

 ed that the king would provide for his family after 

 his death. This being promised, he threw himself 

 headlong under the animal's feet ; who seized him 

 with his trunk, and afterwards, by trampling, crush- 

 ed him to pieces. The Elephant soon seemed to 

 repent of having thus, without provocation, mur- 

 dered his keeper; and without any farther difficulty^ 

 became perfectly quiet. The king, says our au- 

 thor, provided liberally for the wife and children of 

 the poor fellow, who had thus generously sacri- 

 ficed his life for the safety of him and his son -f-. 

 Elephants, when hunted, endeavour to avoid 

 muddy rivers with the greatest care, probably that 

 they may not stick fast in the ooze ; while, on the 



* Dai-win's Zoonomia- t Tavcraier's Travels ia India, 



