3tKv 



pliants in fair condition. This fact, taken with their timidity at 

 tho sound of fire arms, suffices to show that the elephant thus uti- 

 lized is out of place in any draught Battery requiring mobility and 

 to be brought to the front. It must be always kept in mind by 

 Commanding Officers of Artillery that they can use such Elephant 

 Batteries only over a limited range of country. In Southern Af- 

 ghanistan guns were carried on the backs of elephants in the 

 march from Candahar to Cabul, to which it was objected that 

 enterprising riflemen in this rough country would find an easy 

 mark in the body of the huge quadruped. In the Elephant Moun- 

 tain Batteries, such as the one at Tounghoo in Burma, the animals 

 in being broken-in to stand fire are hobbled by both fore-legs on 

 coming into action, and any elephant which shows a tendency to 

 bolt has in addition the long chain with drag ropes attached to 

 one of the hind legs. These can be manned should the elephant 

 run and will have a, powerful influence in stopping him (vide Moun- 

 tain Ai'tillery Manual, 1882). Elephants, also, during the ^Jghan 

 Campaign were attached to the ordinary Field Batteries and, when 

 properly used and cared for, were found generally useful. Slymm's 

 experience of timber dragging work in Burma is that Elephants 

 are as much unfit for this as they are suited for carrying pur- 

 poses. Tlie dragging throws the animals into an unnatural posi- 

 tion as can be observed at a single glance. ''The whole of the 

 pressure from the breast bands lies upon the upper part of the chest, 

 which forms the most delicate part of the animal's construction. 

 The cavity is very narrow in proportion to animals of a smaller 

 size. They never suffer more than when used for the dragging 

 of timber on hilly "localities. If not conducted with great care, 

 and if they are used longer than 5 or 6 hours daily, they will 

 soon show weariness" and " pushing timber down stream is the 

 easiest work for which elephants can be used, as their natural 

 construction is well adapted for it. They have strong legs and 

 powerful muscles on the neck and trunk. They can work on thia 

 during the rainy season from morning to night without showing 

 any signs of weariness. But with this work, the soles of the feet 

 become very tender and apt to burst when used afterwards for 

 travelling over hard and dry soil." Properly selected, in accord- 

 ance with tho duties required from them, elephants are most valu- 

 able on the march as beasts of burthen— when thua used they 



