ance of great skill and erudition.' It sometimes happens that the object is too large for the trunk to grasp: in such a case the elephant makes use of another expedient as admirable as any of the former. It applies the extremity of the trunk to the surface of the object, and, sucking up its breath, lifts, and sustains such a weight as the air in that case is capable of keeping suspended. In such manner this instrument is useful in most of the purposes of life; it is an organ of smelling, of touching, and of suction; it not only provides for the animal's necessities and comforts, but it also serves for ornament and defence.

But, though the elephant is thus admirably supplied by its trunk, yet, with respect to the rest of its conformation, it is unwieldy and helpless. The neck is so short that it can scarcely turn the head, and must wheel round in order to discover an enemy from behind. The hunters that attack it upon that quarter, generally thus escape the effects of its indignation, and find time to renew their assaults while the elephant is turning to face them. The legs are, indeed, not so inflexible as the neck, yet they are very stiff, and bend not without difficulty. Those before seem to be longer than the hinder, but, upon being measured, are found to be something shorter. The joints, by which they bend, are nearly in the middle, like the knee of a man; and the great bulk which they are to support makes their flexure ungainly. While the elephant is young, it bends the legs to lie down or to rise; but when it grows old, or sickly, this is not performed without human assistance; and it becomes, consequently, so inconvenient, that the animal chooses to sleep standing. The feet, upon which these massy columns are supported, form a base scarcely broader than the legs they sustain. They are divided into five toes, which are covered beneath the skin, and none of which appear to the eye; protuberances like claws are only observed, which vary in number from three to five. The apparent claws vary; the internal toes are constantly the same. The sole of the foot is furnished with a skin as thick and hard as horn, which completely covers the whole of its under part.

To the rest of the elephant's incumbrances may be added its enormous tusks, which are unserviceable for chewing, and are only weapons of defence. These, as the animal grows old, become so heavy that it is sometimes obliged to make holes in the walls of its stall, to rest them in, and ease itself of the fatigue of their support. It is well known to what an amazing size these tusks grow; they are two in number, proceeding from the upper jaw, and are sometimes found above six feet long. Some have supposed them to be rather the horns than the teeth of the animal; but, besides their greater similitude to bone than to horn, they have been indisputably found to grow from the upper jaw.*

In 1 Kings x. 18, Ivory is designated great tooth, which clearly shows, says Mr. Taylor, that the Hebrews imported it in the whole tusk. Ezekiel has used a phrase which more correctly describes the nature of these weapons of defence; horns of teeth.,

Some have asserted, that these tusks are shed in the same manner as the stag sheds its horns; but it is very probable, from their solid consistence, and from their accidental defects, which often appear to be the effect of a slow decay, that they are as fixed as the teeth of other animals are generally found to be. Certain it is, that the elephant, in a domestic state, never sheds them, but keeps chem till they become inconvenient and cumbrous to the last degree.

This animal is equally singular in other parts of its conformation; the lips and the tongue in other creatures serve to suck up and direct their drink or their food; but in the elephant they are totally inconvenient for such purposes. It not only gathers its food with its trunk, but supplies itself with water by the same means. When it eats hay, it takes up a small wisp of it with the trunk, turns and shapes it with that instrument for some time, and then directs it into the mouth, where it is chewed by the great grinding teeth, that are large in proportion to the bulk of the animal. This pacquet, when chewed, is swallowed, and never ruminated again, as in cows or sheep, the stomach and intestines of this creature more resembling those of a horse. Its manner of drinking is equally extraordinary.

For this purpose, the elephant dips the end of his trunk into the water, and sucks up just as much as fills that great fleshy tube completely. It then lifts up its head with the trunk full, and turn

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ing the point into its mouth, as if it intended to swallow trunk and all, it drives the point below the opening of the windpipe. The trunk being in this position, and still full of water, the elephant then blows strongly into it at the other end, which forces the water it contains into the throat; down which it is heard to pour with a loud gurgling noise, which continues till it is all blown down. From this manner of drinking some have been led into an opinion, that the young elephant sucks with its trunk, and not with its mouth; this, however, is erroneous.

The hide of the elephant is as remarkable as any other part. It is not covered over with hair, as in the generality of quadrupeds, but is nearly bare. Here and there indeed, a few bristles are seen growing in the scars and wrinkles of the body, and very thinly scattered over the rest of the skin; but in general the hide is dry, rough, and wrinkled, and resembles more the bark of an old tree than the skin of an animal. This grows thicker every year; and, by a constant addition of substance, it contracts that disorder well known by the name of elephantiasis, or Arabian leprosy; a disease to which man, as well as the elephant, is often subject. In order to prevent this, the Indians rub the skin with oil, and frequently bathe it, to preserve its pliancy. To the inconveniences of this disorder is added another, arising from the great sensibility of those parts that are not callous. Upon these the flies settle in great abundance, and torment the animal unceasingly; to remedy which the elephant tries all its arts; using not only its tail and trunk, in the natural manner, to keep them off, but even taking the branch of a tree, or a bundle of hay, to strike them off with. When this fails, it often gathers up the dust with its trunk, and covers all the sensible places. In this manner it has been seen to dust itself several times in a day, and particularly upon leaving the bath.

Water is as necessary to this animal as food itself. When in a state of nature the elephant rarely quits the banks of the river, and often stands in water up to the belly. In a state of servitude, the Indians take equal care to provide a proper supply of water; they wash it with great address, and give it all the conveniences for lending assistance to itself.

It is not to be wondered at, that an animal furnished with so many and various advantages, of strength, sagacity, and obedience, should be taken into the service of man. We accordingly find that the elephant, from time immemorial, has been employed either for the purposes of labor, of war, or of ostentation; to increase the grandeur of eastern princes, or to extend their dominions. We have hitherto been describing this animal in its natural state we now come to consider it in a different point of view, as taken from the forest, and reduced to human obedience. We are now to behold this brave, harmless creature learning a lesson from mankind, and instructed by them in all the arts of war, massacre, and devastation. We are now to behold this half-reasoning animal led

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into the field of battle, and wondering at those tumults and that madness which he is compelled to increase.

The elephant is a native of Africa and Asia, being found neither in Europe nor America. The savage inhabitants of Africa, instead of attempting to subdue this powerful creature to their necessities, are happy in being able to protect themselves from his fury. Formerly, indeed, during the splendor of the Carthaginian empire, elephants were used in their wars, but this was only a transitory gleam of human power in that part of the globe; the natives of Africa have long since degenerated, and the elephant is only known among them from his devastations. However, there are no elephants in the northern parts of Africa at present, there being none found on this side of Mount Atlas. It is beyond the river Senegal that they are to be met with in great numbers, and so down to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as in the heart of the country. In this extensive region they appear to be more numerous than in any other part of the world. They are there less fearful of men: less retired into the heart of the forests, they seem to be sensible of his impotence and ignorance; and often come down to ravage his little labors. They treat him with the same haughty disdain which they show to other animals, and consider him as a mischievous little being, that fears to oppose them openly..

But, although these animals are most plentiful in Africa, it is only in Asia that the greatest elephants are found, and rendered subservient to human command. In Africa, the largest do not exceed ten feet high; in Asia, they are found from ten to fifteen. Their price increases in proportion to their size; and when they exceed / a certain bulk, like jewels, their value then rises as the fancy is pleased to estiinate.

As the art of war is but very little improved in Asia, there are few princes of the East who do not procure and maintain as many elephants as they are able, and place great confidence on their assistance in an engagement. For this purpose, they are obliged to take them wild in their native forests and tame them.

The elephant, when once tamed, becomes the most gentle and obedient of all animals. It soon conceives an attachment for the person that attends it, caresses him, obeys him, and seems to anticipate his desires. In a short time it begins to comprehend several of the signs made to it, and even the different sounds of the voice; it perfectly distinguishes the tone of command from that of anger or approbation, and it acts accordingly. It is seldom deceived in its master's voice; it receives his orders with attention, and executes them with prudence; eagerly, yet without precipitation. All its motions are regulated; and its actions seem to partake of its magnitude, being grave, majestic, and secure. It is quickly taught to kneel down, to receive its rider; it caresses those it knows with its trunk; with this salutes such as it is ordered to distinguish, and with this, as with a hand, helps to take up a part of its load. It suffers itself to be arrayed in harness, and seems to take a pleasure in the finery of its trappings. It draws either chariots, cannon, or

shipping, with surprising strength and perseverance; and this with a seeming satisfaction, provided that it be not beaten without a cause, and that its master appear pleased with its exertions.

The elephant's conductor is usually mounted on its neck, and makes use of a rod of iron to guide it, which is sometimes pointed, and at others bent into a hook. With this the animal is spurred forward, when dull or disobedient; but, in general, a word is suffi

cient to put the gentle creature into motion, especially when it is acquainted with its conductor. This acquaintance is often perfectly necessary, for the elephant frequently takes such an affection to its keeper, that it will obey no other; and it has been known to die with grief, when, in some sudden fit of madness, it has killed its driver.