New-York tribune., 1881-09-25
MS MAJESrY, rHE WHIrE ELEPHANT

From The 81. Janlcgs Gr:ci'e
White crows, rais. nice and haIcs are common
anu easily distinguished; but it Is different with a
Wnitc elephant. lie Is not 10 be cons tlrred n
snow white: very TAR from it, All the white clc-
plants now existing IN Siam and Iurmah are OF IA
,ght muusc-colur. somewhat of the same TINT as
the pale iIeckes to be found Oh the trunk ol
over, the spots ON the trunk being white The
depth ot the color, however, varies greatly and
there are often b!emlshes IN the shape of aI ker
patches which Wohd seem 10 rum an otherwise
iehglbio cdudidat"s claim. IL has been. therefore,
Potht" "nich Wlil delnohstrate the right of the
animal to III, tide. The Burmese skilled men ii X
npon two OF these tests n superior 10 all others
One Is that the elephant shall have five toes
instead OF tour. This Is n good way of making
certain but occasionally there are Individually
biach elephants which have the sacred number of
toes. These arp white elephants debased by SIM
aborng under the evil Kharna of prcyo ex sIencr
aud ineligible ioI the hOnurs accorded TO the real
animal The other test is considered perfectly
decisive, matter what the precise TINT of the skin
may be. 1t is ths il yon pour water upon a
|" white' elephant be turns red while black elc-
phant only becomes blacher than ever THIS is the
final test always resorted to in Mandaay.
The Importance attached tO the possession of a
wbite elephant II traceaole to the Buddhist SYSTEM
The last avatar of GaHtama Buddha before he came
down upon earth To teach the law and give the
millions peace was in the g1iisr of Il white ce.
phant. The possession of an unidentified white ee-
phaut stands as sign and symL oil of universal
sovereignty aud every Burmese King longs for
the capurc of such treasure during his reign a
the unseen powers. When the animal might have
been secured, but goes instead to those whom be
regards as hs enemies the sign Is of course all the
other way.
The present Lord White Elephant in Mantlalay
would rot he recognized as such bN any except
those who are learned IN the science and VerSed IN
the literature OF the subject, which is voluminous
and not n little pnHzlmg to an outsider. To most
proplc he wouid seem IN impOstor for uis color is a
mixture OF light brown and dngy. smokc-smirched
cream-color. The ego, when You know IL. is per-
haps the BEST rough test. The iris oupht To- be
yellow, with reddish outer auulus The elcct OF
this Is sinister; hu the red ring represents the
circle of the nine precious gems Otherwise too,
ft,,aa
very big, but, notw lthstandlng the taken of
him, he Is remarkably lean and hollow sized. His
tus<s however, are maGnIhccnt-whitc, smooth, and
cuVng forward IN 'front.' of his trunk so that they
almost meet. He Is very bad tempered, and his
blishment of tHrtY men To wait on him. among
whom is Minister of State no manages his affairs
and looks after the rcvonnr OF the province that Is
assigned to him 10 " eat While within the inner
s,ocladc he has "palace" to himself. On one
occasion he killed man who had ventured too
near; aud there was good deal of trouble and
noise before the body could 5e got away from him.
The king-Iheebau's father-hcard the noise and
inquired what was the matter. When he was told
he expressed great concern. and not little alarm
for the future state of the Lord White Elephant
with the stain OF murder on him hotting out hosts
previous good deeds But the elephants Minister
camed his mlnd and restored hlm to eqnanimlty by
saving Pray do not be disturbed Payah; 1T was
not "a man, only foreigner"
Probably because he is so vicious, the Lord White
Elephant has never been ridden. No one but the
Mndohn Min. was tat and feeble aud Thcebau's
nerves are not strong enough. The Sinpyoo Dau is
may mount him. His royal trapplngs are kept in
the palace, and very magn icen Bands of rich
red cloth from the head-stall to the back and
thence To the TAIL hanging III curves over the body
They are richly studded with rubies and emeTalds.
On the forehead Is Il plate of gold recording his
Malestys titles, such as Is worn by every man OF
rank in the country, up to the Arbtcr of Existence
himself Bosses of pure gold and clusters of pre-
stones the head STALL and golden tassels
hang about the head. When he goes forth TO take (
the air he is shaded by golden and white umbrellas
lie and the King share all the white umbrellas in
the country between them. The king of men has 4
nne the king of elephants has two, but he has also
four golden ones. Not even the her-appaient.
when there is one has n right to use the whipe
umbrella. He has only eight golden ones; but the [
use of even an ordinary whte-covered umbrella
would be regarded q declaration of rebellion on
his part. and would lead to his Immediate execu.
ton. No wonder then, that the attendants and
visitors take Oft their shoes when they enter tho
Snpyoo Daus palace and that the people bow
down low and do humble obeisance when he passes
through the streets. Tho Lord White Elephants
suite account for his irritable temper by the bad
treatment which he met with III his early days.
The royal Golfers low and the English were (
camoring for the last instalments of the Yandaboo
Indemnity money. So the rents of the elephant I
appropriated to pay of the troublesome for
eigners. Every care was taken to soften tho IN
dignity The King himself wrote "a long address on
a palmeaf requesting the Lord White Elephant
not to take it amiss that his devoted
to the payment of the barbarlans. In any case he
would not suffer, for the whole should be refunded
in two months time. The circumstance nc weyer
seems to have prayed on is mind, for the body
guard that his Majesty the elephant) has never
been the same since.