THE ELEPHANT. 3 03 



and ornaments of gold, march before him ; and 

 when he gives audience, these four Elephants are 

 presented to him, who do him reverence by raising 

 their trunks, opening their mouths, making three 

 distinct cries, and then kneeling. This ended, 

 they are led back to their stable^ and there each of 

 them is fed in large golden vessels. They are twice 

 a-day washed with water taken from a silver vessel. 

 During the time of their being dressed in this man- 

 ner, they are under a canopy, supported by eight 

 domestics, in order to defend them, from the heat 

 of the sun. In going to the vessels which contain 

 their food and water, they are preceded by three 

 trum.pets, and march with great mnjesty. 



Such are the accounts, collected through a pretty 

 wide range of authorities, which I have been ena- 

 bled to give, of the disposition and manners of this 

 useful and most intelhoent of all animals. These 

 may, perhaps, in a few instances, have been exag- 

 gerated by the writers, and must consequently be 

 received with some degree of limitation ; yet we 

 have had so many surprising instances of their sa- 

 gacity, given to us on undoubted authority, that 

 however wonderful these may seem, it would not 

 be right to entirely discredit any of them, without 

 direct proof of their untruth. The authorities for 

 the whole are such as have been received by differ- 

 ent respectable and observing men, who, with both 

 the powers and ability' of enquiring into them, seem 

 to hav6; eiitdrtaincd no doubts whatever of their 

 validity. ' ''' 



Onr'*ac^<b:^Yit of this extraordinary animal cannor 



