82 



The Life of an Elephant 



carrying them where required with the aid of 

 his trunk ; those too heavy to carry he would 

 roll along the ground or, raising first one end, 

 and then the other, bring them ultimately to 

 the desired position. The elephant presented 

 a sorry sight when his 

 day's work was done ; he 

 was then covered with 

 black river-mud, and felt 

 weary and indifferent to 

 his surroundings, being 

 sore from the chafing of 

 his rough harness, and 

 irritated by the scolding 

 and ill-temper of his 

 driver. During the night he stood under a 

 shed, chained to a post, and ate what was put 

 before him and what remained over from his 

 rations after the rapacity of his driver had 

 been satisfied. There is no need to dwell 

 on this monotonous and weary time, for this 

 elephant came through it with his life, though 

 many of his companions had succumbed, from 

 sunstroke, from internal strains, from sudden 



