ELEPHANTS 



the coins of Carthage. The disuse of taming them is only 

 a part of the frightful decadence of North Africa since 

 Carthaginian and Roman times. As for the negroes, the 

 not domesticating them is, I suppose, merely because they 

 — i. e. the negroes, not the poor elephants — are, and have 

 long, if not always, been too great savages. But a 

 systematic attempt to get it done by skilled persons 

 brought from Asia would, I doubt not, be so successful 

 as to confer a great blessing upon the continent. I 

 remember, years ago, seeing a young elephant of this kind, 

 which belonged to a travelling menagerie, led through the 

 streets of Cardiff. It was advertised, and most justly, as 

 a great rarity — I think as a unique specimen. I observed 

 it as it went by with the greatest interest. That it was 

 African and not Asiatic was evident at a glance. It seemed 

 quite as quiet as any other elephant, and I fancy they 

 rode it, made it perform tricks, etc., just as others are 

 trained in such cases. My impression is that it went 

 through the streets by itself, following its keeper, but I 

 am not quite sure. 



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