378 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



knowledge of meum and tuum, and such a knowledge, how- 

 ever limited in its beginning, might, from the constant in- 

 tercourse of these creatures with man, be in some degree 

 improved, (of which instinct is altogether incapable,) and 

 more largely applied., This notion however presupposes a 

 limited degree of reason in the animal. 



It may easily be imagined that great inconvenience was 

 immediately experienced, and serious apprehensions quickly 

 followed, that the water in the well on which the existence 

 of so many seemed in a great measure to depend, would be 

 spoiled, or at least injured by the unwieldy brute which was 

 precipitated into it ; and as the surface of the water was 

 nearly twenty feet below the common level, there did not 

 appear to be any means that could be adopted to get the 

 animal out by main force, at least without injuring him: 

 there were many feet of water below the elephant, who 

 floated with ease on its surface, and experiencing consider- 

 able pleasure from his cool retreat, evinced but little incli- 

 nation even to exert what means he might possess in him- 

 self of escape. 



A vast number of fascines had been employed by the 

 army in conducting the siege, and at length it occurred to 

 the elephant-keeper that a sufficient number of these (which 

 may be compared to bundles of wood) might be lowered 

 into the well to make a pile, which might be raised to the 

 top, if the animal could be instructed as to the necessary 

 means of laying them in regular succession under his feet. 

 Permission having been obtained from the engineer offi- 

 cers to use the fascines, which were at the time put away in 

 several piles of very considerable height, the keeper had to 

 teach this elephant the lesson, which by means of that ex- 

 traordinary ascendency these men attain over the elephants, 

 joined with the intellectual resources of the animal itself, 

 he was soon enabled to do, and the elephant began quickly 

 to place each fascine as it was lowered to him, successively 



