THE ELEPl-iANT IN CAPTIVITY. 
tree lies across the path^ and I have often watched with 
astonishment the wonderftil sagacity and intelligence of the 
animal when such a thing as this occurs. The elephant, the 
instant the beam touches the obstacle, does not put a particle 
of pressure on, but calmly steps back» lifts the end on to the 
fallen tree with his trunk, and then pulls it gently over.^ 
Besides dragging the beams to the stack yard the elephants 
also pile them one over the other with the utmost regularity ; 
no man could do it better. When the logs have been 
brought to the stack where they are to be piled, the drag 
rope has to be untied, and it is necessary that a man should 
accompany the elephant for this purpose, but 1 had a clever 
little elephant who untied the drag rope herself, and thus 
saved the wages of one man the whole time I was in the 
forest. 
An elephant is generally guided and kept in order by a 
Mahout or keeper, armed with an iron hook and spike which 
acts as both rein and spear ; but in the very damp climate of 
the Annaniullies, the slight scratches and punctures made by 
^ The Author evidently does not share the views of Sanderson and 
others as to the inteHigence of this animal. Sanderson in his work 
(Thirteen years amongst the wild beasts of India) says : *' The opinion 
is generally held by those who have the best opportunity of observing 
the elephant^ that the popular estimate of its intelligence is a greatly 
exaggerated one, that instead of being the exceptionally wise aninial it 
is believed to be, its sagacity is of a very mediocre description," San- 
derson thinks a Newfotmdland dog is a much more intelligent creature 
than an elephant. Blandford takes the same \dew; he says, '* 1 quite 
agree with Sanderson in believing that the intelligence of elephants has 
been greatly overrated ; they are singularly docile and obedient ; no 
other animal is known to be capable of domestication when adult to 
nearly the same extent, and docility in animals is generally, I think, 
confounded with intelligence."— En. 
