446 THEPHILOSOPHY 



elephants, pompoufly adorned with pieces of flaining metal, and 

 clothed with rich garments. Their tulks are ornamented with rings 

 of gold and filver ; their ears and cheeks are painted with various 

 colours ; they are crowned with garlands ; and a number of fmall 

 bells are fixed to different parts of their bodies. They delight in 

 gaudy attire j for they are chearful and careffing in proportion to 

 the number and fplendour of their ornaments. The Afiatics, who 

 were very anciently civilized, perceiving the fagacity and docility of 

 the elephant, educated him in a fyflematic manner, and modified his 

 difpofitions according to their own manners, and the ufeful labours 

 in which his flrength and dexterity could be employed. 



A domeftic elephant performs more labour than could be accom- 

 plillied by fix horfes ; but he requires much care and a great deal of 

 food. He is fubjedl to be over-heated, and muft be led to the 

 water twice or thrice a-day. Ke eafily learns to bathe himfelf. With 

 his trunk he fucks up large quantities of water, carries it to his 

 mouth, drinks part of it, and, by elevating his trunk, makes the 

 remainder run over every part of his body. To give fome idea of 

 the labour he performs, and the docility of his difpofitions, it is 

 worthy of remark, that, in India, all the bales, facks, and tuns, 

 tranfported from one place to another, are carried by elephants. 

 They carry burdens on their bodies, their necks, their tufks, and 

 even in their mouths, by giving them the end of a rope, which they 

 hold faft with their teeth. Uniting fagacity with ftrength, they 

 never break or injure any thing committed to their charge. From 

 the margins of the rivers, they put weighty bundles into boats with- 

 out wetting them, lay them down gently, and arrange them where 

 they ought to be placed. When the goods are difpofed as their 

 mailers direft, they examine with their trunks whether the articles 

 are properly ftowed j and, if a caflc or tun rolls, they go fpontane- 

 ouily in quefl; of ftones to prop and render it firm. 



In 



