Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-02-29

of the island. In the dry season he en-
camped by small tank, the only pond
within many miles, to which of necessity
very large herd of elephants that had been
in the neighbOrhOod all day must resort at
night Major Skinner, causing his fires to
be put out and complete silence preserved,
mounted an enormous tree that overhung
the tank, to watch the movements of the
elephants. After long waiting, one unusu-
ally large elephant came from the dense
cover into the moonlight open ground
Stopping at times to listen and advancing
slowly, he came to the water, had his feet
in it, but did not drink Not the voice of
a single elephant was to be heard in the
forest, although they had been roaring and
breaking the jungle through all day. The
huge vidette slowly returned to the first
position he had taken after emerging from
the forest. There he was joined by five
others, whom he again cautiously advanced
till near the tank, where he set them as
patrols Then he returned and re-entered
the forest, to come out again as leader of
the main body of eighty or hundred ami
mails. He led them slowly forward until
near the tank, left them while he advanced
to make one more reconnaissance, returned,
and seemed to give the word that set the
whole mass loose to revelry. "Then, ="
writes Major Skinner, "when the poor ami
mails had gained possession of the tank (the
leader being tie last to enter), they seemed
to abandon themselves to enjoyment. Such
a mass of animal life l had never before
seen huddled together in so narrow a space.
1t seemed to me as though they would have
nearly drunk the tank dry. 1 watched
them with great interest until they had
satisfied themselves as well in bathing as
in drinking. when tried how small noise
would apprise them of the proximity of un-
welcome neighbors. l had but to break a
little twig, and the solid mass instantly
took to fight like herd of frightened deer,
each of the smaller calves being apparently
shouldered and carried along between two
of the elder ones"
The wild elephant needs water greatly,
and is so little troubled by the troubling of
his pool, that a writer of the fourteenth
century declared his preference to be for
muddy water, and said that he stirred clear
water with his foot before he drank De-
ing large and buoyant he swims naturally
with great part of his body above water,
but he prefers total immersion, with his
trunk running up like the air-pipe of di-
ver. In the dry season he scoops little
wells for himself, leaving one side perpcn-
dicular against which water may stand, and
the other side slOping in order that he
may reach it without breaking down the
sand.
Sir Emerson multiplies arguments from
evidence in favor Of the fact which Profess
sor Owen has suspected. but no naturalist
has asserted, that the peculiar form of the
long narrow stomach of the elephant divid-
ell into cells by many folds at one end, is
designed to enable it, though not rumina-
ting animal. to retain water unconsumed.
as is done by the camel and the llama. 1t
appears to be certain that this is the case.
1t has always been known that the elephant
could retain water and discharge it at will
from his trunk. but it was supposed that
he must needs have kept it in this trunk.
The truth seems to be that he has in his
stomach a small cistern. An old Oriental
writer has perhaps told simple truth when
he thus describes what may still frequent
ly be seen. ''An elephant frequently
with his trunk takes water out of his
stomach and sprinkles himself with it, and
it is not in the least offensive" The COM
mon habit of the elephant is to throw sand
over his skin, and then moisten it with wat .
er thrown from his probOseis, after thrust
ing his proboscis down into his mouth.
The last fact that we may repeat concern
ing the ways of the elephant at home, is,
that he is fdgety creature Ashe stands,
he either moves his head in q mOnOtOnous
way from right to left, or flaps his ears, or
swinging his feet backwards, and forwards,
or rises and sinks by alternately straight
ening and bending his knees, or sways him.
self from side to side. When this was seen
in elephants brought to menageries, the
habit was supposed to have been acquired
on board ship. But it is their way at home.
Even when standing stuPifed after excite
ment in the corral to which they have just
been driven, they will fall into these move
ments, and, when fatigued by service of
man, they seem to find more comfort in
their fdgety motions than even in the leafy
branch held by the trunk with which they
fan themselves gravely and gracefully.
For all other matters concerning the el-
cphant. we heartily commend the reader to
the writer who has eyed the creature 50 at
tentively, and understands him so WE'LL.
But We cannot close the book without a
perpose of returning to it for some other
delightful information on some other top
les. as to which it is equally original. and
equally sound.
1t is said that the Fren h fashions cor
rupt Republican pens, and that after short
sojourn in the 'gay capital of the France,
American writers become Parasites True