ELEPHANTS 
the coins of Carthage. The disuse of taming them is only 
a part of the frightful decadence of North Africa since 
Carthaginian and Roman times. As for the negroes, the 
not domesticating them is, I suppose, merely because they 
— i. e. the negroes, not the poor elephants — are, and have 
long, if not always, been too great savages. But a 
systematic attempt to get it done by skilled persons 
brought from Asia would, I doubt not, be so successful 
as to confer a great blessing upon the continent. I 
remember, years ago, seeing a young elephant of this kind, 
which belonged to a travelling menagerie, led through the 
streets of Cardiff It was advertised, and most justly, as 
a great rarity — I think as a unique specimen. I observed 
it as it went by with the greatest interest. That it was 
African and not Asiatic was evident at a glance. It seemed 
quite as quiet as any other elephant, and I fancy they 
rode it, made it perform tricks, etc., just as others are 
trained in such cases. My impression is that it went 
through the streets by itself, following its keeper, but I 
am not quite sure. 
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