St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-03-08
White Elephants.

Inc InuO-IHiHeSe ana SlameSe call al
elephants with only few light spot
upon them white elephants. One tina
was a member of the Siamese cour
many years ago was white merely OF
the strength of its white eyes. Its bod,
was black. White elephants are. il
fact, merely albinos; white on account
of the lack of color particles in the up
per tissue of the skin, and. as in hui
man beings, the hair and eyes, not the
skin, show the condition. If white ele.
plants had hair they would be wonder.
full creatures, covered with long white
coat like the yak. They are often mot.
tied, with a reddish eye and scarlet
ring about t. A pure white one was
probably never seen.
Their history dates back to a very
early time in the East. Works by Chi
nese authors long before the time of
Christ refer to them as one of the won
ders of the world, and pictures are to
lie seen in China in old works by Chi
nese artists showing the white elephant
worshiping the sun. The earliest relia-
bic information. however, date, to the
year l5cO, when many of the natives o.
the countries about Siam were engaged
in a long and bloody war over one of
these animals, and before it was ended
fifteen thousand soldiers were slain and
five kings-all over one white ele
plant.
Probably the best authority on the
white elephant in our day was Sir John
EOwring, who was sent to Siam as an
AiHsary from Queen Victoria, and of
whom it is told that on his return h, was
given gold box, with gold key, con-
tanning gilt of the choicest description
from the King of Siam for her Majesty
the Queen. Gpon opening the box in
stead jewels and gems, it was found
TO hold six hairs from the tail of the |
white elephant. esteemed the choicest
gift the King could oier Sir John
says that he has seen a Jew ran som |
offered for few of such hairs. Equally |
a complims Mt is it. to be compared to |
one Of these animals, and when in Lon
don one of the Siamese Ambassadors
thus referred to the Queen: Zone can
not but be struck with the aspect of the
anxhst stuSen Of England or .ail to OBJ
$'se tA.st snc nanss be of pure descent
m nee OF goaiy- ana warike kings
So rvs OF the esrtli, in that her eve,
ccmrlexU1sAno2.above all, her bear
."gs are those OF a majestic and beauti-
.ui Waite elepl nj,
!. Accordin. 20 : il John Rcwr.Rg the /
reassa why the animal is SO reyer. nsed |
is because it Is believed that Budha,
the divine emanat;on from The Deity, 1
must necessarily in his multitudinous /
or tranSmiss;o
through all existences and through mill
ions of acons delight to abide for some
me in that grand incarnatlca of purity
which is REPRESENTED by the white ele-
H While the bouzas teach that
0no spot in the heavens above or
tne earth below or the Yates under the
Earth which is not visited in the
organizations of tae disinity-whose
very stage or step . coward purifica-
hold that his tarrying may !
e longer in the white elephant than in
ny other abode and that i'm the posses o
on of the sacred creature they may c
ossess the presence of Budha him self. II
, is known that the Cingalese have c
zen kept in subsection by the belief :,
lat their rulers have tooth of Eudha u
| the temple OF Randy, and that on p
srlous tracts OF the East impressions of ?
le foot OF Budha are reverenced and i
e the objects of weary piigrimages to I,
8 es which can only be reached with 81
fficulty. but with the white elephant O
me vague notions Of vital Budha are e
'sociated. and there can be no dou Al
at the marvellous gacity of the crea- &c
re has served to strengthen their re- -
glous prejudiees. Siamese are known
whisper their secrets into an ele- ~
nant's ear and TO ask solution of
'elr perplexities by some sign or move
,soI And most assuredly there is more -,
s ss and reason IN the worship of an -.
a gent beast than in that OF stocks =,
Th seones, the work of mems hands, a;
,ar.is .,eei'ng at the present day to- n
.oeae animals is still one of ven -
as. especially among the lower y y
49, ,nough among the higher, the
!" S. Trey are looked upon more in
OF good luck. and the more
\ Dsu King d The more white ele- ci.
-" pc will have.a Their asso ,iation M
oe M set' = seea segywhers. The .
There being no H.
the meeting adjourna