OEDEE OF PACHYDEEMATA. 
121 
menagerie of Versailles in an extraordinary attitude, which was 
with its trunk elevated in the air and its mouth wide open. The 
painter’s servant, to make it remain in this attitude, kept throwing 
fruit into its mouth, hut oftener by pretending to do so. The 
Elephant was indignant at this treatment, and as if it knew that 
the painter’s desire of making a drawing of it was the cause of its 
being thus annoyed, instead of revenging itself on the servant, it 
addressed itself to the master, and discharged at him, through his 
trunk, a quantity of water, with which it spoiled the paper on 
which the artist was drawing.” 
We read in the Decade Philosopkique ,* that an Elephant treated 
in the same way a sentinel who wished to prevent the public from 
feeding it. Still further, that the female of the same Elephant, 
being as angry as the male, seized hold of the gun of the rigid 
overseer, twisted it round and round in its trunk, smashed it under 
foot, and only gave it back to him when it was thoroughly de- 
stroyed. 
As the Elephant is conscious of its own strength, it takes 
every precaution so that its heavy mass may not harm creatures 
that are weaker than itself. If it passes through a crowd, it opens 
a passage for itself with its trunk, and gently pressing forward its 
fore limbs, in such a manner as to hurt no one. Dr. Franklin says 
that he has witnessed in the Elephant an attachment for children. 
“ I have myself,” says he, “ seen in India the wife of a mahout 
confide the care of a very young child to one of these gigantic 
creatures. I was very much amused by observing its sagacity, 
and the delicate attentions this huge nurse lavished on the 
little thing entrusted to it. The Elephant undertook its task in 
earnest. The child, which like many other children, did not at 
all like to remain long in the same position, and wanted to be 
noticed, set to work and cried the moment it was left to itself. 
> Sometimes it got in between the animal’s legs, or became entangled 
in the branches of the tree on the leaves of which the Elephant 
1 was feeding. The animal on these occasions moved the child and 
disentangled it from the branches with wonderful tenderness, 
either by raising it with its trunk, or by moving out of its way 
the obstacles which might interfere with its movements.” f 
The Elephant is extremely touchy. Here is a trait related by 
* Tome xxii. p. 164. + Not an uncommon sight in India. — Ed. 
