The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-16
INTELLIGENT ANIMALS.
Instances Of Reasoning Power In
Elephants.
Tho Careful Manner In Which They Guard
Children In Their Native Country
n Peculiar Trait of tho Mann
moth Brute.

moth Brute.
Every one knows that the elephant
can be trained TO do all kinds of work, -
says Thomas w. knox in his volume en-
titled "llorsc Stories and Stories of
Other Animals" "Nhile have no hcsi-
tation about relating instances bearing
on this statement, prefer to tell of oc-
currcnccs which indicate no actual rea-
soning power in the animal.
ut is customary in the settlements to
water the cattle from large wooden
buckets filed with water pumped from
well. This is done that they may not
drink the water of the reservoirs, which
is stagnant and unwholesomc. Ortli-
narily the pumping is done at carly
morning by oncEof the elephants, the
work taking nearly m hour. Accus-
toned to the task, he does not wait to
be ordered, and every morning, an hour
before sunrise, he is ut his labor with
the precision of q living alarm-clock.
81 was staying once Mt Trichinopoly.
Mt the house of q friend of mine, n mcr-
chant, who owned grand villa n few
leagues outside the city. The sun was
rising, and my servant had Just awalz-
encd me for my bnth. Passing through
the yard saw large white elephant
working at the pump. lie closed his
eyes sadly, and was apparently trying
to turn his thoughts from his wcarisomc
labor. He salutcd my presence with n
joyful Tapping of his cars, for during
the two days since my arrival had
given him many daintics, but he did not
cease from his work, which had TO be
finished.
IL was strolsinG him with my hand in
passing, when noticed that ono of the
two planlls which supported the bucket
on either side had fallen away. 1t thus
happened that the bucket. being up
held on one side only, spilled it's con-
tents, without 4 possibility of being
filled.
1.-THE elephant did not think that his
work was ended because one side of the
bucket was filed; nor did he attempt
the impossible feat of trying to fill the
other side until both sides were even.
In u few minutes the water commenced
10 run from the lower side of the buck
ct, and the animal began to show signs
of uncasiness; nevertheless, he contin-
ucd to pump. Soon, however, he
dropped the handle, and drew nearer
to observe the cause of the trouble lie
returned to the pump three times, each
time coming back to examine the buck
ct. awaited the end of this strange
scene with unfiagging interest. All at
once waving of the cars seemed to in
dictate that IN idea had occurred to him.
"lIc came over to lift up the plank
that had fallen away, and for moment
] thought that he intended to put it
back in its place under the lower side
of the bucket. But he was not troubled
about the lower side, which was al
ready filled with water; it was the
other side which annoyed him. Lifting
the bucket carefully, he supported it
for moment with one Of his greet feet,
while with his trunk he pulled out the
second plank and placed the bucket On
solid earth, thus making it even on all
sides This done, the labor Of filling it
was easy.
"Thc elephant is much attached to
the women and children in the villages,
and it would be dangerous for stran-
ger to make even an unfricndly gesture
in the presence of this animal.
1T is a remarkable sight to see him
guard his masters children in their
promcnadcs; he watches every thing:
beasts, ncrpents, turf pits and swamps,
in fact, any danger which may be i'm
aGincd is overcome by his presence. His
pace is regulated by that Of the children,
and he attends them, gathering flowers,
fruit from the trees and sugar canes; Mt
n motion from one of them he will break
n tree branch if one desires to make n
whip or cane. at the slightest noise
which he docs not understand, if he secs
a jaclial or hycna in the distant thicsct,
he instantly gathers his brood under his
trunk, commences to roar with rage,
and any thing. lion, tiger or man, which
threatens harm to his charges, is in
danger Of being dashed to the ground.
"ln the lowlands OF the Gauges, q
swar1oy country covered with junglcs
and rice fields, the royal Bengal tiger is
found of great size and fcrocity. The
coTnbatS between this terrible beast and
the elephant, guarding the cattle. serv-
ants or children of his master, arc of
almost daily occurrence. The royal
Ecngal tiger is so fierce that he never
refuses to fight his adversary, although
the end of the combat generally finds
him crushed to death under the feet of
his terrible enemy. In spite OF the fact
that the elephant is all IMPLYING foe in
his battles with the tiger, bear or rhi-
noccros, he never molcsts the smaller,
inoffensivc animals. No matter what
power keeper may have over him, it
is impossible to make him crush an
insect.
There is little insect which children
In France call les betes q bon Dieu'
The same insect is found in India, but
growing to size twice as large as in