THE ELEPHANT. 



dreadfully among the inhabitants. The principal road to the palace-gate was 

 covered with the tick and dying, extended upon the ground, at the very 

 moment when the nabob abfolutely muft pals. It appeared inevitable that the 

 Elephant, on which he rode, mull tread upon and crufh many of thefe poor 

 wretches, in his paffage, unlefs they ilopt fome time to clear the way ; but 

 they were in halte, and belides, fuch tendernefs was unbecoming the dignity 

 of a prince of his importance. The Elephant, however, without appearing 

 to flacken his pace, or without receiving any command to that purpofe, 

 aflifted them with his trunk, removed fome, fet others on their feet, and 

 Hepped over the reft with fo much addrefs and affiduity, that not one perfon 

 was hurt. An Afiatic prince and his Haves were deaf to the cries of nature, 

 while the heart of his bealt relented ; he, more worthy to elevate his face 

 towards the heavens, felt and obeyed the general impulfe." 



The Indians ufe the Elephant on many occafions ; as, for instance, when 

 an army is to crofs a river, the cornac pcrfuades him, with many promifes, to 

 carry unufual burdens, which the animal readily confents to, and thus laden, 

 will crofs rivers fo deep, that only the extremity of his trunk is to be feen 

 above water. They are likewife ufed for conveying cannon to the tops of 

 high mountains, for launching mips, &c. It is related that one being directed 

 to force a large velfel into the water, the talk proved beyond his ftrength ; 

 whereupon his mafter, with a farcafKc tone, ordered the keeper to take away 

 this lazy beafl, and bring another ; the poor animal, as if Hung by emulation, 

 inltantly repeated his efforts, fractured his fkull, and died on the fpot (a). 



Elephants not only obey their cornacs, while they are prefent, but fome 

 will even, in their abfence, perform arduous talks, which have been previoully 

 explained to them. " I have feen," fays Mr. D'Obfonville, " two occupied 

 in beating down a wall which their cornacs had defired them to do, and 

 encouraged them by a promife of fruits and brandy. They combined their 

 efforts, and doubling up their trunks, which were guarded from injury by 

 leather, thruft againft the flrongeft. part of the wall, and, by reiterated mocks, 

 continued their attacks, Hill obferving and following the effects of the 



(a) Ludolph. Com. in Hift, iEth. 147. 



