OEDEE OF PACHYDEEMATA. 121 



menagerie of Versailles in an extraordinary attitude, which was 

 with its trunk elevated in the air and its mouth wide open. The 

 painter's servant, to make it remain in this attitude, kept throwing 

 fruit into its mouth, but oftener by pretending to do so. The 

 Elephant was indignant at this treatment, and as if it knew that 

 the painter's desire of making a drawing of it was the cause of its 

 being thus annoyed, instead of revenging itself on the servant, it 

 addressed itself to the master, and discharged at him, through his 

 trimk, a quantity of water, with which it spoiled the paper on 

 which the artist was drawing." 



We read in the Decade Philosophique ,'■' that an Elejihant treated 

 in the same way a sentinel who wished to prevent the public from 

 feeding it. Still further, that the female of the same Elephant, 

 being as angry as the male, seized hold of the gun of the rigid 

 overseer, twisted it round and round in its trunk, smashed it under 

 foot, and only gave it back to him when it was thoroughly de- 

 stroyed. 



As the Elephant is conscious of its own strength, it takes 

 every precaution so that its heavy mass may not harm creatures 

 that are weaker than itself. If it passes through a crowd, it opens 

 a passage for itself with its trunk, and gently pressing forward its 

 fore limbs, in such a manner as to hurt no one. Dr. Franklin says 

 that he has witnessed in the Elephant an attachment for children. 



"I have myself," says he, " seen in India the wife of a mahout 

 confide the care of a very young child to one of these gigantic 

 creatures. I was very much amused by observing its sagacity, 

 and the delicate attentions this huge nurse lavished on the 

 little thing entrusted to it. The Elephant undertook its task in 

 earnest. The child, which like many other children, did not at 

 all like to remain long in the same position, and wanted to be 

 noticed, set to work and cried the moment it was left to itself. 

 Sometimes it got in between the animal's legs, or became entangled 

 in the branches of the tree on the leaves of which the Elephant 

 was feedin"'. The animal on these occasions moved the child and 

 disentangled it from the branches with wonderful tenderness, 

 either by raising it with its trunk, or by moving out of its way 

 the obstacles which might interfere with its movements." f 



The Elephant is extremely touchy. Here is a trait related by 

 * Tome x.xii. p. 104. t Not an uncommon sight in India. — Ed. 



