ORDER PACHYDERMATA. 349 



The African Elephant is distinguished by a round or 

 cylindrical head, with the face more protruded than in the 



creasing bulk and strength rendered it necessary to enlarge his 

 den, or rather to construct a new one. The bars of the old one 

 were not thicker than a man's arm. With Mr. Harrison, the car- 

 penter, who built his new den, and with whom he had formed a 

 previous intimacy, he was remarkably docile, and accommodated 

 himself to his wishes in every respect. He was occasionally trou- 

 blesome to his builder from love of play, but the prick ofagimblet 

 was an intimation he obeyed, till a desire for fresh frolic prompted 

 him to further interference, and then a renewal of the hint, or some 

 trifling eatable from the carpenter's pocket, abated the interrup- 

 tion. In this way they went on together till the work was com- 

 pleted, and while the elephant retained his senses, he was happy in 

 every opportunity that afforded him the society of his friend 

 Harrison. The den thus erected will be particularized presently: 

 it was that wherein he remained till his death. 



" About six years ago this elephant indicated an excitement 

 which is natural to the species, and which prevails every year for 

 a short season. At the period now spoken of, his keeper* having 

 gone into his den to exhibit him, the animal refused obedience ; 

 on striking him with a slight cane, as usual, the elephant violently 

 threw him down : another keeper seeing the danger, tossed a pitch- 

 fork to his comrade, which the animal threw aside like a straw. A 

 person then ran to alarm Mr. Cross, who hurried down stairs, and 

 catching up a shovel, struck the animal violently on the head, and 

 suddenly seizing the prostrated man, dragged him from the den, 

 and saved his life. 



"This was the first appearance of those annual paroxysms,wherein 

 the elephant, whether wild or confined, becomes infuriated. At 

 such a period it is customary in India to liberate the ehphants and 

 let them run to the forests, whence, on the conclusion of the fit, 

 they usually return to their wonted subjection. Such an experi- 

 ment being impossible with Mr. Cross, he resorted to pharmacy, 

 and, in the course of fifty-two hours, succeeded in deceiving his 

 patient into the taking of twenty-four pounds of salts, twenty-four 

 pounds of treacle, six ounces of calomel, an ounce and a half of 

 tartar emetic, and six drams of powder of gamboge. To this he 

 added a bottle of croton oil, the most potent cathartic perhaps in 

 existence: of this a full dram was administered, which alone is 

 sufficient for at least sixty full doses to the human being; yet 



Vol. III. 2 B 



