ELEPHANT— E M OTIONS, 
391 
a howdah on the elephant’s back, should pass over a bridge in 
the centre of a numerous group of followers, it was thought 
expedient that the unwieldy monster’s tractability should be 
tested. On stepping up to the bridge, which was slight and 
temporary, the sagacious brute drew back his fore-feet and 
refused to budge. It is well known as a fact in natural historv 
that the elephant, aware of his unusual bulk, will never trust 
its weight on any object which is unequal to its support. The 
stage-manager, seeing how resolutely the animal resisted every 
attempt made to compel or induce it to go over the bridge in 
question, proposed that they should stay proceedings till next 
day, when he might be in a better .mood. It was during the 
repetition of the experiment that my father, having heard the 
extraordinary sounds, determined to go upon the stage, and see 
if he could ascertain the cause of them. The first sight that met 
his eyes kindled his indignation. There stood the high animal, 
with downcast eyes and flapping ears, meekly submitting to 
blow after blow from a sharp iron goad, which his keeper was 
driving ferociously into the fleshy part of his neck, at the root 
of the ear. The floor on which he stood was converted into a 
p^ol of blood. One of the proprietors, impatient at what he 
regarded as senseless obstinacy, kept urging the driver to pro- 
ceed to still severer extremities, when Charles Young, who was 
a great lover of animals, expostulated with him, went up to the 
poor patient sufferer, and patted and caressed him ; and when 
the driver was about to wield his instrument again, with even 
still more vigour, he caught him by the wrist as in a vice, and 
stayed his hand from further violence. While an angry alterca- 
tion was going on between Young and the man of colour, who 
was the driver, Captain Hay, of the Ashel , who had brought 
over 4 Chuny ’ in his ship, and had petted him greatly on the 
voyage, came in and begged to know what was the matter. 
Before a word of explanation could be given, the much-wronged 
creature spoke for himself ; for, as soon as he perceived the 
entrance of his patron, he waddled up to him, and, with a 
look of gentle appeal, caught hold of his hand with his pro- 
boscis, plunged it into his bleeding wound, and then thrust it 
before his eyes. The gesture seemed to say, as plainly as if it 
had been enforced by speech, 4 See how these cruel men treat 
Chuny. Can you approve of it 1 ?’ The hearts of the hardest 
present were sensibly touched by what they saw, and among 
them that of the gentleman who had been so energetic in 
promoting its harsh treatment. It was under a far better im- 
pulse that he ran out into the street, purchased a few apples at 
