D R I V I N G ELEPHANTS INTO A K.EDDAH. 31
natives are for llie most part guided in making llieir purchases ; observing, llial
the Honourable Company are perfectly satislied, provided tlie animals employed
in their servicc be strong and licallhy; and that European gentlemen who
purchase elephanls for llieir own use, wheLlior for riding or for the conveyuuee
of baggage, usually buy perfect elephants, as being more sightly, and because
in the event of a wish to <lisposc of tlieni, they meet with a more ready sale.
An elephant sliould have a well-arched back, a broad barrel, the hind
quarters full and s(]uare, the liiiid legs short and firm, the toe nails thick and
black, and, to please a native, there shoulil be five on each fore foot and four
on each hind foot: odd numbers are considered by them as unlucky. I have
known some with fifteen nails, which no native would purchase; and I liave
heard of one wilh twenty, but I do not recollect seeing one witli more than
eighteen. The tail should be long, very tliick at the insertion, and tapering well
to the end, w h e r e it should be well furnished on each side, with a row of single
hairs, or rather bristles for about a foot, forming a fork at the end, and, as
observed in describing the wild-hog in Plate VI. much resembling the featliers,
or wings, on an arrow. This circumstance regarding the tail is considered by
the natives perfectly indispensable ; for a short tail, or a broken one, or a want
of hair at the termination, are formidable objections Avith tliem. No man of
consequence would be seen on an elepiiant whose tail were barren of hair, and
particularly if broken short, as is often the case. Tliis last defect is owing lo a
habit elephanls have, in their wild state, of seizing each otiicr's tails with their
ks, and twisting theiu off, sometimes very close to tlie croup. Even
servants of inferior degrees are averse to riding on elephanls so blemished. The
chest sliould be wide and full, the fore-legs muscular and well turned; the forehead
broad, and ornamented between the eyes by a protuberance gracefully
harmonizing with the surrounding parts ; the top of the head slioidd be thick
set wilh hair, carried rather high, and square ; the trutik tiiick and very elastic;
the teeth of a male should be exactly alike, thick and long ; they should diverge
from each other, so as lo be rather more distant at their tips than at their
insertion, and wilh a graceful curve; the ears should be large, and free from
raggedness at iheir edges ; ihe cheeks full; and, above all things the eyes .clear
from specks and rheum.
Very few elephanls have all these marks of perfection ; which, wlien united
in one of bidk, say nine or ten feet high, render him highly valuable among
the native princes; several of this sort have been sold for eight or ten thousand
rupees (or half crowns). Some elephants have but one tooth, or have one of
t h em broken; perhaps in contests in their wild state. The former defect is
e.Ktremely unsightly, but among the natives is rather held in estimation as a
token of good fortune to the possessor. As lo a broken tooth, the usual practice
is tosaw it .s<iuare and to put on metal rings, which are intended botli as an
ornament, and to secure ihe stump from splitting; which some are apt to do :
the other tootli is geuerally cut to match, rendering the defect less conspicuous.
Many elephants, from their birth, have black specks in their palates, which
tlie natives foolishly impute to a disea.scd habit. They not only consider such
an animal as unhealthy in itself, but as attracting distemper to its owner and
Mohoul. VViiether it be owing lu a charm, or to good luck, Europi-an.s hajjjnly
find themselves exempt from this supposed danger, and ri'h- on cjeijliants
possessing the seak tuuloo (or black palate) without experiencing any insalubrious
effects from their temerity !
From this description it will be r<-adily understood, that although a gentleman
may be able lu suit himself very well with an clc|)hanL, where there may exist
no intention of disposing of it again ; yet, lo traflic iji them a.s an article of merchandize,
especially among the natives, refpiires not only some skill in respfct
lo form, &c. but a com])lete knowledgii of the prejudices enlerlaitied regarding
particular points. In fact, there are a variety of circumstances to be understood
: some elephants surpass in symmetry, others in dignity of carriage, and
some in that peculiar form, whicli, without possessing any particular beauty,
indicates great ability to convey heavy burthens. However we may conceive it
easy lo judge of elephants, experience shews that such as have studied lo profit
in the sale of them, either wholesale or individually, in their outset generally
were losers; but gradually becoming more minutely ac(|uaiiited with tlnfir distinguishing
characteristics, which are very obvious in breeds from various parts,
were enabled by a judicious selection to repair their former losses, and to reap
substantial benefits.
Elephanls are generally black, but few of them are entirely so; many are
sprinkled over the ears, trunk, jowl, shonhlers, chest, and legs, wilh dun
coloure<l spots, which in my opinion arc far from dis[)leasing ; they give a lively
ciiect, much wanted in an animal of so dark a colour, and of such au heavy
conslruclion. The Nabob Vizier had what was called a while elephant; but it
was really a dun. It was an uni(|ue in Bengal; but, I have been informed,
that in Ceylon such are by no means rare.
Though a well arched back is indisputably a mark of strength, and is accordingly
estimated, yet it is well known that those elephants which have more horizontal
spines are nmch easier in their paces ; this, with many, is an object of the
first consideration, especially as the kovidah and furniture conceal the animal's
shape so completely. The gait of an elephant is very peculiar, being similar
to the artificial pace of ambling laught to some horses ; in fact, to the generality
of such as are kept by native gentlemen for their own riding. It is far from
displeasing in a horse, but causes such a motion when mounted on an elephant,
as rarely to be borne for any distance. Indeed I know nothing more uncomfortable,
and tedious, I may even say painful, than a long journey in a hoaduh. It
occasions a lassitude not to be described. We umat suppose that habit reconciles
j)ersons lo il, as we see the natives travel, for perhaps twenty miles or more in
a forenoon, without any apparent Hnea.>.iiiess. The largest elephants are in
general the most uucomfortable in this respect. There is no mode in which the
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