AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
247 
There is, therefore, no domestic Elephant but has been 
wild before; and the manner of taking, taming, and bring- 
ing them into submission, deserves particular attention. In 
the middle of forests, and in the vicinity of the places which 
they frequent, a large space is chosen, and encircled with 
palisadoes; the strongest trees of the forest serve instead of 
stakes, to which cross pieces of timber are fastened, which 
support the other stakes; a man may easily pass through this 
palisado; there is another great opening, through which the 
Elephant may go in, with a trap hanging over it, or a gate 
which is shut behind him : to bring him to that enclosure, 
he must be enticed by a tame female, ready to take the 
male; and when her leader thinks she is near enough to be 
heard, he obliges her to indicate by her cries the condition 
she is in; the wild male answers immediately, and begins 
his march to join her, she repeats her call now and then, 
and arrives first to the first enclosure, where the male, fol- 
lowing her track, enters through the same gate. As soon 
as he perceives himelf shut up, his ardour vanishes, and 
when he discovers the hunters, he becomes furious; they 
throw at him ropes with a running knot to stop him; they 
fetter his legs and his trunk, they bring two or three tame 
Elephants, led by dexterous men, and try to tie them with 
the wild Elephant, and at last, by dint of dexterity, strength, 
terror, and caresses, they succeed in taming him in a few 
days. 
The Elephant, once tamed, becomes the most tractable 
and the most submissive of all animals; he conceives an 
affection for his leader, he caresses him, and seems to guess 
whatever can please him: in a little time he understands the 
signs, and even the expression of sounds; he distinguishes 
the tone of command, that of anger or good nature, and acts 
accordingly: he never mistakes the words of his master; he 
receives his orders with attention, executes them with pru- 
dence and eagerness, without precipitation; for his motions 
are always measured, and his character seems to participate 
of the gravity of his body; he is easily taught to bend the 
knee to assist those who will ride on his back; he caresses 
his friends with his trunk, and salutes with it the persons 
he is directed to take notice of: he makes use of it to lift 
burdens, and helps to load himself; he has no aversion to 
being clothed, and seems to delight in a golden harness or 
magnificent trappings; he is easily put to the traces of carts, 
and draws ships upon occasion: he draws evenly, without 
stopping, or any marks of dislike, provided he is not insult- 
ed by unseasonable correction, and provided his driver 
seems to be thankful for the spontaneous exertion of his 
strength. His leader is mounted on his neck, and makes 
use of an iron rod crooked at the end, with which he strikes 
him gently on the head to make him turn or increase his 
pace; but often a word is sufficient, especially if he has had 
time to make himself well acquainted with his leader, and 
has a confidence in him ; his attachment is sometimes so 
strong and so lasting, and his affection so great, that com- 
monly he refuses to serve under any other person, and he is 
known to have died of grief for having in anger killed his 
governor. 
The species of the Elephant is numerous, though they 
bring forth but one young once in two or three years; the 
shorter the life of animals is, the more they multiply: in 
the Elephant, the length of his life compensates the small 
number; and if it is true, as has been affirmed, that he lives 
two hundred years, ahd that he begets when he is one hun- 
dred and twenty years old, each couple brings forth forty 
young in that space of time: besides, having nothing to fear 
from other animals, and little even from men, who take 
them with great difficulty, the species has not decreased, 
and is generally dispersed in all the southern parts of Africa 
and Asia. _• 
Frcm time immemorial the Indians made use of Ele- 
phants in war. Amongst those nations unacquainted with 
the European military discipline, they were the best troops 
of their armies; and as long as battles were decided by mere 
weapons, they commonly vanquished : yet we see in his- 
tory, that the Greeks and Romans used themselves soon to 
those monsters of war; they opened their ranks to let them 
go through ; they did not attempt to wound them, but threw 
all their darts against their leaders, who were forced to sur- 
render, and to calm the Elephants when separated from 
their troops; and now that fire is become the element of 
war, and the principal instrument of death, the Elephants, 
who are afraid of the noise and the fire of the artillery, 
would be rather an incumbrance in battle, and more danger- 
ous than useful. 
In those regions, however, where our cannons and mur- 
dering arts are yet scarcely known, they fight still with 
Elephants. At Cochin, and in the other parts of Malabar, 
they do not make use of horses, and all those who do not 
fight on foot are mounted upon Elephants. In Tonquin, 
Siam, and Pegu, the king, and all the grandees, never ride 
but upon Elephants: on festival days they are preceded and 
followed by a great number of these animals richly capari- 
soned, and covered with the richest stuffs. On comparing 
the relations of travellers and historians, it appears that the 
Elephants are more numerous in Africa than in Asia; they 
are there also less mistrustful, not so wild, and, as if they 
knew the unskilfulness and the little power of the men with 
whom they have to deal in this part of the world, come 
every day without fear to their habitations. 
Bufforts Natural History. 
