Chap. VII.] 



THE ELEPHANT. 



225 



believe lie was), that the operation was for his good, 

 and the pain unavoidable " l 



Obedience to the orders of his keepers is not, however, 

 to be assumed as the result of a uniform perception of 

 the object to be attained by compliance; and we cannot 

 but remember the touching incident which took place 

 during the slaughter of the elephant at Exeter Change 

 in 1846, when, after receiving ineffectually upwards of 

 120 balls in various parts of his body, he turned his face 

 to his assailants on hearing the voice of his keeper, and 

 knelt down at the accustomed word of command, so as to 

 bring his forehead within view of the rifles. 2 



The working elephant is always a delicate animal, 

 and requires watchfulness and care. As a beast of 

 burden he is unsatisfactory; for although in point of 

 mere strength there is scarcely any weight which could 

 be conveniently placed on him that he could not carry, 

 it is difficult to pack his load without causing abrasions 

 that afterwards ulcerate. His skin is easily chafed by 

 harness, especially in wet weather. During either long 

 droughts or too much moisture, his feet become liable to 

 sores, that render him non-effective for months. Many 

 attempts have been made to provide him with some pro- 

 tection for the sole of the foot, but from his extreme 

 weight and peculiar mode of planting the foot, they 

 have all been unsuccessful. His eyes are also liable to 

 frequent inflammations, and the skill of the native ele- 

 phant-doctors, which has been renowned since the time 

 of ^Elian, is nowhere more strikingly displayed than in 

 the successful treatment of such attacks. 3 In Ceylon, 



1 The Angler in the Lake Bis- in Hone's Every -Bay Book, March, 

 triet, p. 23. 1830, p. 337, 



2 A shocking account of the s JElian, lib. xiii. c. 7. 

 death of this poor animal is given 



Q 



