Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-10-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Elephant i'm India.

The Elephant in India.
= Translated from Won Orlich's REESE Ostin-
tiien, Travels in india an expensive volume,
published at Leipsc under the patronage of the
king Of Prussia.
in the neighborhood of Su,nalks, a
town not far from Celhi, living amongst
ancient and beautiful ,anarind trees,
fig trees aud acacias, is the encamp-
ment of our one hundred and twenty
elephants. To this place frequently
and gladly go for the purpose Of watch
ing this sagacious beast. BY reason
of the persecution it has endured from
man, either merely for the pleasures Of
the chase, or that when tanned it might
increase The splendor of state, or serve
as beast OF burden, and render assis-
lance in battle, the elephant has near
]y> disappeared from the interior of In
Ola, and is found only in the elevated
portion Of the Himalayon chain; name
~, in the forests Of Dshemna, Nepaul,
some parts OF Ghauts Iarai, the king.
dom ofAva and Ceylon. On the up
Der Indus near Attock, where Alexan-
der the Great had his first elephant
hunt, in the Punjab, and on the banks
Of the Jumna, not IA: from Kaply, where
the Emperor Baber was actually accus-
toned to enjoy the chase, and capture
many of these animals, there is not
now trace Of this noble beast to be
found. Although this hand endowed
animal was used in the earliest time as
an lnstrum ent Of war, and it was
known how to render it an obedient
servant, it has never yet been possible
I, dome sticate it SO as to render itpro-
ductiye after being tanned. lndividu-
al instances have certainly occurred
where tame elephants have produced
Young, and myself saw ten months
old animal belonging to rajab, which
had been born under these cIrcumstan.
ces. Whether they are afraid that a
degenerated species would be the con-
sequence, or whether the need Of a
complete domestication has never been
experienced, and they are content with
retaining each individual, am not
able to say.
l experienced a singular feeling of
novelty and excitement the first time
Of riding upon this creature. There is
fist placed upon IFS back a cushion
thickly sruffed with hair, for this is the
tenderest part of the elephant, and the
greatest care ofthe attendant is to guard
against all injury at this place, the
more especially as wounds are difficult
10 heal. Over this cushion there is
thrown a long hanging cloth, red
and embroidered with gold,upon which
the houdah rests, fastened with cords
and girths. The houdah is made to
contain two persons and .heir servant.
The mahoud sits upon the neck behind
the creatures ear, guiding it with an
iron fork, one prong ofwhich is curved
out, whilst a man runs alongside with
large staff, and hastens Its advance
~ blows Of cries. A bladder hang at
one side completes the appointments.
when II is desired to mount the ele-
chant. the mahoud cries belt, belt, that
80 lie down, whereupon the animal
kneels down, The ladder is assembled,
and the rider takes his seat. The gait
50 he animal ofcours regulates the mo-
tion IL its rider;sometimes it is pleasant,
sometimes fatiguing. It's pace when
urged onward, is 50 quick that a horse
man must trot to keep by its side; but
81 soons slackens his speed, and it is
mt without difficulty that he accom-
blisbes twenty four miles a day. 10
cool himself, Of to remove dust, he
nav and then sprinkles himself with
/ vster drawn np into his trunk. An
olainsry elephant costs 1000 rupees
f 1901 and Els keep forty rupees q
month
= its rid state the elephant a'iaMs