728 
ELEPHAISITS. 
his drunken fit, shuddered with horror to find himself stretched under 
the belly of this huge animal. The elephant perceived the man’s 
embarrassment, and caressed him with his trunk, to inspire him with 
courage, and make him understand that he might now depart in safety. 
A painter was desirous of drawing the elephant which was kept in 
the menagerie at Versailles in an uncommon attitude, which was that 
of holding his trunk raised up in the air with his mouth open. The 
painter’s boy, in order to keep the animal in this posture, threw fruit 
into his mouth ; but as he had frequently deceived him, and made an 
offer only of throwing him the fruit, he grew angry ; and, as if he 
had known that the painter’s intention of drawing him was the cause 
of the affront, instead of revenging himself on the lad, he turned his 
resentment on the master, and taking up a quantity of water into his 
trunk, threw it on the paper on which the painter was drawing, and 
spoiled it. 
At the Cape of Good Hope, it is customary to hunt and kill 
these animals for the sake of their teeth. When a chase com- 
mences, three horsemen, well mounted, and armed with lances, attack 
the elephant alternately, each relieving the others as they see their 
companion pressed, till the beast is subdued. Three Dutchmen, 
brothers, who had made large fortunes by this business, determined 
to retire to Europe, and enjoy the fruits of their labours, but resolved, 
before they went, to have a last chase by way of amusement. They 
met with their game, and began the attack in the usual manner ; but 
unfortunately one of their horses fell, and flung his rider : the enraged 
animal instantly seized the unhappy man with his trunk, flung him 
up to a vast height in the air, and received him on one of his tusks ; 
then turning towards the two other brothers, as if with an aspect of 
revenge and insult, held out to them the impaled wretch writhing on 
the bloody tooth. 
From the earliest account in history, the eastern nations have 
employed elephants in war. Alexander the Great was the first Euro- 
pean who ever mounted an elephant. He carried a number of them 
into Greece, which Pyrrhus some years after directed against the 
Romans at the battle of Tarentum. Both the Greeks and Romans 
soon learnt to get the better of those monstrous animals ; they opened 
their ranks, and allowed them to pass through ; neither did they 
attempt to hurt them, but threw darts, &c, at their guides. Now 
that fire-arms are the principal instruments of war, elephants, w'hich 
are terrified at the noise and flame, instead of being useful, would 
only embarrass and confuse an army : however, in Cochin and other 
parts of Malabar, and in Tonquin, Siam, and Pegu, wdiere fire-arms 
are little understood, they are still used in battle. The guide sits 
astride upon the neck, and the combatants sit or stand upon the other 
parts of the body. 
They are also extremely serviceable in fording rivers, and carrying 
over baggage on their backs. After the keepers have loaded them 
with several hundred weight, they fasten ropes to them ; of which the 
soldiers taking hold, either swim or are drawn across t^e river. In 
time of action, they now and then fix a heavy iron chain to the end 
of their trunks, which they whirl round with such agility, as to malie 
