TAME ELEPHANTS.

E gave our readers, last month, some account of a wild elephant which, after being for some time the terror of a whole neighbourhood in India, was at last caught in a most singular manner, while he was endeavouring to take the life of a gentleman who was passing through one of the haunts of this rabid and terrible monster. We now purpose giving an anecdote or two, showing the wonderful sagacity of some in a tame state when under the control of man, to whom they often become most useful and faithful servants.

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Wild elephants are frequently hunted and taken by means of tame ones, which are taught to decoy them into a maze, or within reach of those who go prepared to so entangle and bind them with strong ropes as to render escape almost an impossibility, notwithstanding the wonderful strength these huge creatures invariably possess. Those which are thus taken generally become in a short time docile, attached, and even serviceable to their keepers, as the following circumstance, related by an eye-witness, will go to prove. This person says :— Some years ago, a most terrific hurricane visited the southern provinces of our Indian empire. Sweeping over the plains on the eastern side of the ghauts, it carried devastation on every side. Thousands of trees fell beneath its fury, being twisted off or torn up by the roots. These were chiefly palmyras-the tall, straight palin which studs so thickly the southern portion of the great peninsula. Besides palmyras, many a majestic banyan was laid low, and other trees of less pretensions, but of greater value, shared the same fate. Amongst the latter was a large mango tree, in the mission compound at Palamcottah. This tree was blown over, but its roots being broken on one side only, it was thought that, if it could be set upright it might again live and grow. Accordingly, men were obtained to undertake this task, and all the top branches were cut off. Then

forty or fifty coolies were employed two whole days in endeavouring to set it up; but it defied their unskilful though strenuous efforts. At the end of the second day there the tree lay, refusing to be moved by them. Finding the result so unfavourable, the object was about to be abandoned, when a friend suggested the desirableness of sending for 'the great Tinnevelly elephant,' as it was called, which was kept at the large Tinnevelly pagoda. The idea seemed to be a good one, and so the great elephant was sent for. Well do I remember his coming into the compound, and the astonishing scene which followed.

"His keeper, riding on his neck, brought him up to the house, and inquired for what he was wanted. Being told what it was wished the elephant should do, he marched him off to the place where the tree was lying. On arriving there, still sitting on his neck, the driver pointed to the fallen tree, and leaning forward as if to speak into his ear, told him in Tamil (the native language of the country) what he was to do. To this the elephant replied by elevating his trunk and uttering a short trumpet-like note; then, going to the upper part of the tree, he coiled his trunk round one of the limbs and raised it so as to get his tusks beneath the principal branch, when, by a mighty effort, he elevated the tree so that it rested on his tusks and forehead together. Next, putting out his whole strength, he pushed it up as far as he could reach, and held it so for an instant; but finding it would not stay there, he withdrew his head and threw it down in apparent disgust. It was at once perceived that props were needed to support it when raised, and men were sent off to procure them. Whilst waiting their return, the elephant walked to the green trees which bounded the compound on two sides, and broke off a large branch, as I supposed, to eat the leaves; but no such thing. The flies were very numerous and very troublesome, and so, taking the branch in his trunk, he whisked it about, first on one side and then on the other, to keep off the troublesome insects.

"The props having arrived, he returned to his work, and raised the tree as before. This time the supports were placed under it, consequently it stayed in its place, and he seemed satisfied. Having rested a minute, he returned to the charge, and pushed the tree up further, when again the props were placed under it. Thus in

three or four pushes he set it upright, and was then apparently so well pleased with his exploit, that it was necessary to restrain him, or he would have pushed it over on the other side.

66 Having thus performed his task, he was again taken round to the front of the house, where a cocoa nut was brought for him; and he keenly eyed the man while he was chopping off the husk. The fruit was then thrown to him, but before touching it, he made his salaam for it. This he did by putting the point of his trunk to his forehead and bowing his head at the same time. Then taking up the nut, he dashed it against his forehead and broke the shell. The kernel was speedily extracted by that very useful instrument, his trunk, and was quickly being ground between his enormous teeth, with evident satisfaction to his huge highness. He was told to dance, which he immediately did, and went through the performance with a very good grace, to the great amusement of all present, his enormous feet making deep indentations in the ground beneath. For this exhibition of his dexterity and skill, he was presented with a quarter of a rupee (a coin about the size of a sixpence), which was thrown on the ground for him. He at once made his salaam for the donation; and then, picking it up, handed it to his keeper, and having, at the bidding of the latter, made a parting salaam to each of the company present, he departed to his home.

At the time I witnessed the above, I was new to India and all things there. Being strange to me, the scene made a deep impression on my mind; but during the whole of my subsequent residence, I certainly never saw anything more surprising than the sagacity of that noble animal.

In putting up the tree, he seemed to

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understand what was to be done just as well as any - human being present; and the exhibition of animal

power, when he strained every muscle, was a splendid sight. Indeed, I know not which was the more aston

TIGER HUNTING.

ishing, the sagacity he exhibited, or the muscular power he displayed. Both were far beyond my previously conceived notions, and led me still further to admire the wonderful works of the Creator."

We said last month that tame elephants are often used for the purpose of hunting tigers, &c. For this pursuit they are well adapted, since the hunters can ride in a kind of cage upon their backs, whereby they are in a great measure secure from the attacks of the wild animals they hunt, while the elephants are well able to defend themselves. Our illustration this month will give you some idea of what a tiger hunt with elephants is.

We will now give you the account of an act by the favourite elephant of an Indian nabob, as related in "Records of Animal Sagacity," and we must certainly admit that this noble creature, by exhibiting conduct which ought to have shamed his master, very justly merited the title of "A Humane Elephant." But how sad to see a man, in feeling and conduct, sunk below a beast! How different are the fruits and effects of the love of Christ !

"The favourite elephant of the grand vizier under Rajah Dowlah was a noble creature. The great nabob was about to hunt in the neighbourhood of Lucknow. The preparations being complete, and a train of Indian nobility assembled, the procession of Nimrods began to move off for the field. After passing through a ravine, the gorgeous sportsmen entered a meadow, which was covered with sick people, who were lying exposed to get the benefit of the pure and fresh air, and they were so distributed as to obstruct the course of the beasts of burden. Rajah Dowlah was intent on feasting his cruel eyes with the sight that the mangling of the bodies of the miserable creatures would produce, by compelling the huge elephants to trample them under foot. The grand vizier rode upon his own beast, and the nabob ordered the driver to goad him on, and he went at a quick pace; but when he arrived at the spot of the indisposed people, though in a trot, the sagacious animal