CHAP. IV.

The cheerful activity of Alan Thomson, bearing his little favorite Ellen in his arms, one of her fat little arms encircling his neck; the mild and venerable demeanour of Mr. Elmer; and the engaging innocence of the children, each holding a hand of their indulgent grandpapa, seemed irresistibly to actuate the several individuals who formed the crowd surrounding the caravans composing the menagerie; for they readily gave way, that the little group might easily pass to the entrance, while the woman who took the admittance-money, exclaimed “God bless the sweet dears,” and in a tone of respect said to Mr. Elmer as he passed, “take care, Sir, I am afraid you will find the steps very slippery:” thanking her for the caution, he passed into the enclosure.

The first object that met the astonished view of the children, was the elephant. Its height was nearly eleven feet, appearing to their unpractised eyes, a moving mountain. Ellen, with a sensation of fearful surprise, clung to the arm of Alan, who feeling the pressure kissed her, and told her not to be afraid, for that great animal was as gentle as her own little pet lamb, and loved children dearly; “I have seen one,” he added, “that used to rock a little baby like your brother Charles to sleep in its cradle.” Ellen, thus encouraged, ventured to look at it again, and her fear began to subside; yet when she saw the animal, by the command of the keeper, lift a pail full of water from the ground with its proboscis, and pour it into its mouth as into a vessel, she was too much astonished to speak. “I see by its spotted skin this is a Ceylonese,” said Mr. Elmer to the keeper; “they are not so handsome as the white elephants, but they are larger and stronger, and with qualities I believe equally wonderful, and useful to man.” “Yes, your honour, this noble animal is from Ceylon [Note 1.]; it was given to a British officer by the king of Candy, and truly he was a royal present, for his mildness, sagacity, and docility are most wonderful. Poor fellow,” he added, caressing the elephant, “he not only obeys, but he anticipates all I would have him do, he understands all my signs, he never mistakes my voice, knows perfectly well when I am angry or pleased, listens to what I tell him with attention, and never fails to execute my commands.” “I readily believe it,” replied Mr. Elmer, “for such are the general characteristics of this valuable quadruped.” “Will not the young gentleman like to see how we ride and manage them,” inquired the man, evidently pleased with his affable and intelligent visitor. “Certainly, and the young ladies too,” said Mr. Elmer good temperedly, as he turned to three or four neatly dressed girls just entering the area.

The keeper then made a sign to the elephant (which might in a moment have annihilated the whole party by the exercise of the power with which Providence had invested him, had it not also with restraining wisdom, rendered it subservient to the will of man), when it folded its flexible proboscis gently but firmly round the body of the keeper, and lifted him upon his back; here he sat a few moments, and then removed to the animal’s neck with a little pointed iron rod, intended by pricking the ears of the elephant to guide and urge him on; but this was very seldom necessary, even generally speaking, as these sagacious animals are so docile and so much attached to their keepers that words and caresses are quite sufficient, seldom or ever being refractory unless insulted with improper or cruel chastisement; bending their knees for the accommodation of those who mount them, and moving steadily on with a gravity suitable to their immense bulk. “I should be rather afraid, grandpapa,” said Harry, “to ride upon an elephant, because he could so easily take me off with his trunk.” “Why indeed, my boy, were it not for the confidence which the docility and strong affection of these immense and powerful animals produce in those accustomed to attend and use them, the fear might be very just; but the admirable qualities they possess, effectually dissipate all apprehension in the breasts of those who have the care of them, so strong is the attachment they have for their cornacs or keepers, that there are instances in which they are stated to have died of sorrow, when, irritated by ill treatment, or other causes, they have in a paroxysm of rage killed their guide. These instances of ungovernable fury are very rare, nor do I remember to have myself felt any apprehensions, although I have taken many long journeys on noble elephants: one particularly I remember, whose sagacity, docility, and affection could not be exceeded; if I wished to stop to enjoy and sketch a beautiful prospect, he would remain immoveable until I wished to go forward. If I desired the ripe and delicious mangoes, growing out of the reach of myself or my attendants, he would select the most fruitful branch, and breaking it off with his trunk, offer it to the driver for the refreshment of myself and companions in the houdah, accepting any part we might give to himself with a respectful salam or salute, viz. by raising his trunk three times above his head in the mode of oriental obeisance, expressing at the same time his thankfulness by a murmuring noise. When a bough obstructed the houdah, he twisted his trunk around it, breaking it off with ease, even if of considerable magnitude, and not unfrequently gathering a leafy branch either to keep off the flies, or as a fan to agitate the air around him, by waving it with his trunk. When we had pitched our tents on any spot, he generally paid us a visit at the tent door during breakfast to procure sugar-candy, or fruit, and seemed delighted and cheered by the encomiums and caresses he deservedly met with; indeed no spaniel could be more innocently playful, or fonder of those who noticed him than this truly valuable and wonderful animal, who on particular occasions appeared even conscious of his exaltation above the brute creation.”

This anecdote seemed highly to interest all the visitants present, for they approached during the relation, nearer and nearer to the nice old gentleman who had travelled on the back of an elephant, seeming to regard him with nearly as much admiration and astonishment as they did the animal itself.

A decent man in the group, who appeared particularly struck with the account of Mr. Elmer, was not a little alarmed, however, when the elephant, reaching over the heads of several persons, put his proboscis to the pocket of the man, who afraid to move, looked with a terrified aspect to the keeper, but seemed unable to speak. “You probably, Sir, have fruit in your pocket,” observed the keeper, “which his quick and accurate sense of smell has discovered: do not be alarmed.” A word to the elephant caused him to remove his intrusive proboscis, and the man produced three or four apples, which he now (not however entirely divested of alarm) presented to the unceremonious animal, who took them mildly from his hand, making a low sort of murmur, as of satisfaction.

“They must eat a great deal, grandpapa;” said Joanna softly, as she watched the elephant eating the apples, “what do they eat?” “Their food is entirely vegetable, my dear; the young shoots of trees, different sorts of grain, and fruits of various kinds abounding in the East, from whence they come. Sometimes they do a great deal of mischief by breaking into the plantations, not only ravaging every thing they find, but by trampling the ground with their large and heavy feet: they generally also herd together in large numbers, marching in troops, the oldest leading the way, and the mothers taking the young ones firmly embraced in their trunks.” “But what do the poor elephants do, grandpapa, who are caught and shut up like this; they cannot have nice tender branches of trees to eat?” “When tamed and used for labour, my dear, they require a great deal of care, and a large quantity of food, and that of the best quality, with much rice, both raw and prepared. I once had one who to keep himself in full vigour, required daily a hundred pounds weight of this food, besides fresh herbage to cool him, for they are very subject to be overheated, and must, in those hot countries, be conducted to the water several times in the day for the purpose of bathing. It is curious to observe how they refresh themselves: sucking up the water in the trunk, they carry it to the mouth, drink a part of it, then elevating the trunk, allow the remainder to run over every part of their body.” “What is the quantity and quality of the food this elephant consumes?” inquired Mr. Elmer of the keeper. “He is usually, Sir, fed with hay and straw, but he generally seems to prefer the latter; the quantity he takes I cannot exactly ascertain, as he scatters much that is given him for food, and also eats a great deal of the straw with which he is littered. He eats with great avidity bread, boiled potatoes, and other vegetables; I allow him nine pails of water, given at three different times in the day. He is extremely fond of beer and all kinds of spirituous liquors.” “Yes,” replied Mr. Elmer, “I have seen them take arrack in the East Indies, and it is customary if they shew any repugnance to what may be exacted of them, for the cornac or conductor to promise them arrack or other spirit. It is very dangerous, however, to neglect any promise made to them; many have fallen victims to this indiscretion: for although nothing can provoke an elephant to hurt those who never injured him, yet he remembers, and never fails to revenge an offence, if he has power.” “He will not only do this, Sir,” said the keeper, “but he will obey the command of his cornac desirous of terrifying any one; when told to do so, he will run at the person with great apparent fury, and you may well believe effectually terrifies the object of his attack; but when he gives himself up for lost, the elephant stops short and does him no injury. Should the master chuse to affront any one, he tells his elephant, who quickly collects mud and water in his trunk, and squirts it upon the person pointed out to him.” The keeper now ordered the huge animal to lie down: it instantly obeyed, and the spectators were then invited to view the texture of his skin, to examine its ears, its trunk, and its tusks. They remarked the smallness of its eyes, the large and pendulous ears, the great head, the ponderous body, the arched back, the short and thick legs, and the extreme awkwardness of its appearance altogether; and were thence led to acknowledge, that it is very wrong to judge of the value of any thing by mere externals; but they were never weary in admiring the wise, the wonderful, the admirable structure of the proboscis, and agreed it was justly considered as one of the miracles of nature. They were directed by Mr. Elmer, to observe, that this wonderful organ is composed of an infinite number of flexible rings, and consists of a double tube with a somewhat flattened circular tip, furnished with a projecting point, which may not inaptly be called a finger, possessed of extreme sensibility, and with which it can take up the smallest object. The trunk, formed with this astonishing pliability, turns with ease in every direction, performing the office of a hand and arm: and such is its strength, that it is capable of breaking off long and large branches from the trees, and to lift immense weights.

“How thick and coarse the skin looks, grandpapa,” said Harry; “it looks as if nothing could penetrate it.” “Some parts of it are however, my dear, extremely sensible, and in those parts the poor animal feels the stinging of the flies so painfully that he not only employs the usual instinctive motions to free himself from their attacks, but it would seem the resources of that intelligence with which Providence has endowed him. He strikes them with his tail, his ears and his trunk: he also contracts his skin, and crushes his tormentors between the wrinkles. He drives them off with the branch of a tree, or bundles of long straw; and when all these ingenious artifices fail, he collects a great quantity of dust in his trunk, and covers all the most tender parts of his skin with it. He will thus dust himself several times in a day, and always sagaciously chuses the most effectual period; that is, after bathing.”

“Grandpapa,” whispered Joanna, “you said you travelled many journies on an elephant; you did not ride on the neck as the man did, surely?” “No, my dear, the driver, or cornac as he is styled, rides on the neck, the traveller beneath a sort of awning or tent placed on the back of the animal. The great princes of India allow five men and a boy to each elephant; the chief of these rides upon the neck to guide him, another sits upon the rump when engaged in war, the rest supply him with food and water, and perform the necessary services.

“Elephants indeed, either in peace or war, are more obedient to command than many rational beings. It is stated also, that upon an emergency they can travel two hundred miles in forty-eight hours, and will hold out for a month at the rate of forty or fifty miles a day, with cheerfulness and alacrity; but, my dear children, we must conclude our anecdotes of the elephant, at home I believe, we have made this fine animal a very long visit, and must therefore defer till another day the view of the others worthy attention.” Mr. Elmer having given the keeper a handsome gratuity for his patience and civility, the children thanking him also, they retired to make way for a number of persons, urged by the same laudable curiosity to see the stupendous animal.