142 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



and even worshipped at Memphis, the death of one of these 

 bulls being immediately followed by the selection and in- 

 stallation of another in its place, to which the divine spirit 

 was believed to have transferred its abode. 



One of the latest members of this Burmese dynasty of 

 elephants, perhaps the last member, was chosen about 1806, 

 and was still living in 1856, when Col. Henry Yule visited 

 Ava, and was then seen by him in all the glory of its gorgeous 

 trappings, of which we have the following description :* 



"The headstall was of fine red cloth studded with rubies 

 and diamonds; the driving hook was of crystal tipped with 

 gold, with a stem of pearls banded with rubies; the harness 

 was made of bands of gold and crimson set with large bosses 

 of pure gold; a golden plate inscribed with his titles was 

 worn on his forehead, and a gold crescent set with large gems 

 between the eyes. A minister of state waited on him and 

 shoes were removed on going into his royal presence. A 

 territory was assigned for his support." 



The first Burmese war necessitated the withdrawal of the 

 elephant's subsidy, which had to be used for military ex- 

 penses, but the king sought to avert the wrath this might 

 have aroused in the heart of the royal beast by personally 

 laying before it a petition craving pardon for the unavoidable 

 offence, and promising full restitution as soon as possible. 

 For better protection the elephant was removed to Manda- 

 lay, and is said to have died there on the day after the British 

 forces took possession of that city. This must have strength- 

 ened the conviction of the Burmese of the exceptional char- 

 acter of this chosen and consecrated elephant, as it proved 

 that the animal could not survive the downfall of the native 

 rule in Burma. 



The Koran makes mention of the elephant, and, indeed, 



*Mrs. Ernest Hart, "Picturesque Burma, Past and Present," London & Philadelphia, 

 1897, p. 167. 



