KLOOMKIES LEAVING THE MALE FASTENED TO A TREE. 41
stumble ..pon them, ami by tbeir moa.iii,gs (julckly convey intelligence of the
snecess of bis device to the peasant; who however is in ..o haste, bill fnnsbes
l,i, nap, not distn.'bing his repose with any doubts as to finding llic elephant
safe whenever the pit may be visited.
A very strong ohjection e.^ists against elephants taken in pits; they arc
generally lamed, notwilhstanding the soft substances, such as grass and leaves,
laid at the bottom to break the fall. Exclusive of being maimed in the limbs,
internal bruises often take place, extremely injurious to Ihe constitution of the
animal, as is often experienced after seve.-e labour. This cannot be supposed to
apply to all, there being many that receive no damage; but so well is it understood
that tbe majority are the worse for the fall, as to occasion all pitted
elephants to be purchased with diffidence, and under some depreciation.
The mode of gelling elephants out of pits is somewhat curious, but extremely
siiuple. The animal is for tbe most part retained until sufficiently Iractablc to
be conducted forth, when large bundles of jungle-grass lied up into sheaves
being tin-own to him, ho is gradually brought to the surface, at least to such
an elevation as may enable him to step out. The sagacity of elephants on such
occasions, or when bogged i.i swamps, is truly admirable ! The eyhudncal
form of an elephant's leg, which is nearly of a thickness from its base to the
elbow, causes the animal to sink very ticep in heavy ground, especially in the
muddy beds of small rivers. When thus situated, the elephant will endeavour
to lay on his side, so as to avoid sinking deeper. He will avail himsell ol every
means to obtain relief. The usual mode of extricating is much ihe same as
when pitted, that is by supplying him liberally with straw, boughs, grass, &c.;
these being thrown to 'the distressed animal, bo pushes them down with Ins trunk
till they arc lodged under his fore feet in sufficient (pmnlity to resist his pre.s8urc,
and p.-cvent farther danger in that part. Having formed an adeipialc basis for
exertion, the elephant next proceeds to thrust other bundles under Ins belly,
and as far back under his Hanks as he can reach : when such a basis is formed
as may be, in his mind, pi-oper lo proceed upon, he thi-ows his whole weight
forward and gets his hind feet gradually upon the straw, &e. Being once confirmed
on a solid footing, the elephant will, of himself if not aided, which
however is never the case, place the b..ndles thrown to him in such manner
befoi-e him, not forgetting to press iheiii well with his trunk, as may enable
him to reach the main land. The instinct of the animal, and probably the
experience of his past danger, actuate him .lot lo bear any weight, dehu.tely,
until by trial, both wilh his trunk and ihe foot to be placed, he may be completely
satisfied as to safely. Indeed the caiilion with which this, and every
part of an elephant's eonducl, is marked, evinccs how forcibly nature has impressed
him wilh a sense of his great weight. The anxiety of tbe animal,
while bemircd, forms a curious contrast wilh the ]>lcasure he so strongly evinces
on ariivi.ig at termJima.
Nor indeed is an elephant deficieul in expressing his affection for an attentive
and considerate ii/oliotti ! Many, although not in their dispositions ferocious,
cannot easily be brought to obey a stranger, however skilled in the government
of elephants. This is common lo oilier animals : many horses, lliougli by no
means vicious, will not allow any 1ml iheir masters lo moiliil tllem ; nay, some
will not be saddled by any other person. As lo ihc horses in India, tliey go to
the extreme ; some will not tolerate any but tbeir respective grooms (or .i^ces)
lo feed or clean ihem ; even their master dare not approach Imt in presence
of the groom ; who thus considers himself of such monieiil, as to assume much
importance, and consequently to be insolent in proportion lo the necessity which
binds his master to keep him as long as he keeps the steed !
Elephants after being .some lime in training, accjuirc a perfect intelligence
regarding particular words of command in general use. They will answer to
their respeclive nan.es ; and ntlerilig a slirill short note, somewhat reseiiihliiig
the sound produced by blowing forcibly into a shell, re.sort to their mo/iou/s,
when called. Tbeir memory is remarkable, for they quickly recognize mukouts
who have been di.scharged, when meeting again after a long sejiaralion. A
remarkable instance took place many years back at Chittagong. An elephant,
which had been some years laken, got loose during a stormy night, and rambled
into his nalive jungles ; about four years afterwards, when a large drove had
been brought into the kcdilali, the keeper of the lost sheep, witb others, had
ascended the barricade of timber, by which it was suri-oun<led, lo inspect the
..e.v guests : among them he fancied one to be so reseniblant to his former
charge, as lo lead him to suspect she was retaken. Tliougli riiliculed by his
comrades, he called lo the elephant in (juesliou by the name it had borne;
when to the wonder of all present, tbe animal cainc towards him, and the man
overjoyed at the event, foi-gelling the danger, got over the harrier, and ihe
elephant readily lying down to he mounted when ordered, the moiwut bestrode
its neck as nsm.l, and exullingly led it forlh to its pickets. This, which is
well known in Bengal to be matter of fact, may be found in many publications
of about thirty years back, aulhenlicated wilh the signatures of some gentlemen
who were witnesses of the oceuiTcnce.
A removal from their native soil and climate is highly dangerous to elephants,
subjecting tbem to a variety of acute diseases; i\\<i ophthalmia in particular. The
dropsy seems to be a prevalent complaint, from which very few escape that
travel to the more elevated colliilrics, and ordinarily destroys a large portion,
perhaps not less than a foiirlh, or a third. Sometimes not more lhan one
escapes of a hundred. It is dillieull lo attribute any reasonable cause to this
malady. Elephants are natives of a cool soil, indeed we might say of a wet one,
and in their wild slate feed on very watery aliments; they also take great
delight in ranging among swamps. In those parts of the country where they
ai-e more subject to the dropsy, the soil is dry, the air remarkably pure, and
iheir provender more substantial, and far less succulent. It might, perhaps, be
just to consider irritation as the original cause of the malady. By the hot
winds, which arc very oppressive, the sandy, gritty soil, and other similar