The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-11-29
MOULMElN ELEPHANTS.
IL Their Wonderful Intelligence
Duo TO Instinct or Roason2

Some time ago there was a discussion
IN the learned journals regarding "ln-
tcllcct in Brutc5,n and thought then,
as think now, that much of the con.
troycrsy depended ON The definition We
assign 10 the word "intcllcct' Some
say that II is merely an cyaltaton Of the
natural instinct of the brute; others that
IL is an exhibition OF true reason. Bnt
then, what il instinct? Some nrguers
mystify their hearers, aud exhibit their
own ignorance Of the subject by roply-
ing Instinct Is only that in animals
which we call reason In man. Well.
this Is not the place 10 argue the subject;
but | shall exhibit certain facts, observed
by myself, in the behavior Of the ele-
plants employed In the Moulmein tim
bcr-yards. and leave my readers TO
judge whether they were due to instinct
or reason.
Anchored abreast Of Aga Synd Abdul
llosen's timbcr-ynrl, aud within bare
swinging distance Of the shore, had
ample opportunities OF miuutcly obscry-
ing aud recording the marvellous illus
tratlons Of the elephants intelligence.
These animals are largely employed In
the iimbcr-yards, and their functions
consist In helping 10 embark and dsem-
bark the huge teak.logs. or move them
about the yard; in fact, without them work
would he ut . stand-still. What struck
me at once was the wonderful combina-
tion of enormous power with the gem
tlesl. most loving docility. Here were
huge logs being moved about as II they
were matches, and yet with the utmost
regard TO any one In the way, A case
IN point We were landing one day Mt
the Aga's wharf, and found that the
obblng tide had left n thick layer OF
treacherous slime on the wooden slope.
rendering il impossible for n lady to
land. Seeing this, the manager called
out 10 mahout or driver and In a
moment his elephant pushed n log down
the slope, just stopping short Of the
boat, and allordlng the lady dry sur
face TO step out upon. There must have
been intellect In this act; for the great
the wharf mar in,o coIIIsion with tho
boot I'm, evnc,Iv M ,ho ,igh, mot and
mia thc rigbi nlscc
All elephant-work Is performed either
By the trunk or right foot in pushing; by
inc logs. or Inv ibe slrengtb M ibo whole
bodv e. drncging Dragcing clenban,s
arc furnished viii n Iio6t woodon nack.
saddle an which ibc mabou, sits slde.
ways and m which thc ,rac,ion.chain
Il s,iacbed Tbis IL V.sbaned The loo
bcing greatly nrolonocd and ending ,n
n hook Lei ~ watch Inc handline ol
ri. loo twcn,v loo, Iong bv sisisen
inches snuaro yhic6 bas ~ bs dr,ggeJ
across tbe vard Tho chain i nassed
ronnd h by an assistant and then lirmly
booled. and now ,bo eIenhant bas n
do ,be rest IIis first action il 10 90,
bis hind Ices well within the v ~ ibe
chain and iben bo starts ,he loo holm,
lessly following Arrived M NJ Jestlna.
tion The elenbant di.eneumber. himself
NJ the lao by unhookin0 ibe chain will
the iinerr ~ bis irunL and then nnllino
h from nnder lbe log or pu.bfn0 tbe
| latter 10 one lido Now. marL whai
was Involyed IN ihis annarently .lmnl,
onera,ion ,he solc Guidance II whIch
was eiiher ,hc voire ~ Nc mahoni !
M, from III s,ick mr. n ian Trnm nj,
| Lcels T;r-t ,here was ,he ge,,in, In
side m. " Whv did the ol5 follow de
tbats Ue has learned from exnerieue,
that n he did no, trartlon would he in
terfered with and bis legs rubbed b,
Inc chain Was not his action. there
fore dictated by reasonp Secondly
,he,s was ,be unbookino of the chain
wht,b in.,iuc, could never have prompt
ed Imitation was M work. the ele
miami bad aeon that The unhookin0 q
ibe chain liberated thc loo and ha,
ienrned 10 follow The example-show
Inc CLEARLY The domination o2 reason.
IIere ar. somc lac. hcIng adjusted q,
tho wharf.slope So,r the ease witt
which Inc elebhsnt nu.hes each In,o /,
n,sse with apparently. tho slIvhias
,no.smen, ~ tr,,nL or loot Marl mi
one % which bv a greater than neressar
exercise Of force. bas become tilted nj
agalnst H. f.tlow The elephant ha
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