284 WILD ANIMALS. 



and the total outlay be far more than the cost of catching and 

 training a mature wild animal. 



Referring again to Von Orlich's travels, he informs his readers 

 that neither in the mythology nor in the sculptured representations 

 at Allora is the first taming of the elephant recorded, for like all 

 the commencements of Indian civilization it was assumed to be 

 already existing. However, the method adopted in training it 

 appears to have been different in different places, and to have 

 been changed during certain periods, as also the stratagems 

 adopted for its capture, for in the time of Jumaway, the king of 

 the Avances (who reigned from 1330 to 1306, B.C.), he, on being 

 driven into Hindostan, is said to have taught the people the best 

 method of catching the elephant. It appears, therefore, that even 

 at that date elephants were not reared in a domestic state, although 

 the " one-handed " animals, as they are called in the Sanscrit, were 

 employed in far greater numbers than they are now, both for 

 general work and in war, and it is recorded that they rendered 

 thorough obedience. 



The words of command that elephants are taught to obey, being 

 translated, are " go, go along;" " go carefully;" "avoid, or pass 

 clear ;" " sit down ;" " sit quite down ;" " get up ;" " don't squirt 

 water ;" " break down " (anything) ; " stop ;" " come ;" "remove 

 with the tusk;" "lift up the fore-leg ;" "pick up;" "swim;" 

 stride over;" "look carefully," &c. 



Von Orlich, referring to the elephant's sagacity, says : " So full 

 of reasons are his actions that he serves the Indians as the symbol 

 of the highest knowledge, Ganesa, the god of art and science, 

 being represented with an elephant-head : more especially is this 

 animal honoured by the Hindoos, who make it the companion of 

 the gods, the warder of the porch of the temple, the caryatide 

 and ornament of their architecture. They believe that the souls 

 of princes and Brahmins do penance in the bodies of elephants, 

 and the Hindoo of low caste may hold one of them to be higher 

 than himself" 



From elephants being such universal favourites with people gene- 

 rally, any anecdote redounding to their credit, even if it portrays 

 them as exhibiting superhuman intelligence, is accepted readily 



