ediately unlock the padlocks of the chains, cast themselves loose,
and in the politest manner return the keys to the keeper; they then
march off with him to the nearest forest, and on their arrival commence
breaking down the branches of the trees, selecting those which are most
agreeable to their palates, and arranging them in two enormous faggots.
When they have collected as much as they think they require, they make
withies and bind up their two faggots, and then twist another to connect
the two, so as to hang them over their backs down on each side, and
having thus made their provision, they return home; the keeper may or
may not be present during this performance. All depends upon whether
the elephants are well trained, and have been long in servitude. Upon
their return, the elephants pass the chains again round their legs, lock
the padlock, and present the key as before; they then amuse themselves
with their repast, eating all the leaves and tender shoots, and
rejecting the others. Now when an elephant has had enough to eat, he
generally selects a long bough, and pulling off all the lateral
branches, leaves a bush at the end forming a sort of whisk to keep off
the flies and mosquitoes; for although the hide of the elephant is very
thick, still it is broken into crannies and cracks, into which the
vermin insert themselves. Sometimes they have the following ingenious
method of defending themselves against these tormentors--they put the
end of their trunk down in the dust, draw up as large a quantity as they
can, and turning their trunks over their heads, pour it out over their
skin, powdering and filling up the interstices, after which they take
the long branch I have before mentioned, and amuse themselves by
flapping it right and left, and in all directions about their bodies,
wherever the insects may settle.

And now for an instance of self-denial, which I have often witnessed on
the part of my friend the large elephant. I have observed him very
busy, flapping right and flapping left, evidently much annoyed by the
persecution of the mosquitoes; by-the-by, no one can have an idea how
hard the tiger-mosquito can bite. I will, however, give an instance of
it, for the truth of which I cannot positively vouch; but I remember
that once, when it rained torrents, and we were on a boating expedition,
a marine who, to keep his charge dry, had his fore-finger inserted in
the barrel of his musket, pulled it out in a great