They always kneel to receive their riders; or the
loads they have to carry.
4. The anecdotes illustrating the character of the elephant are numerous.
An elephant which was kept for exhibition at London, was often required,
as is usual in such exhibitions, to pick up with his trunk a piece of
money thrown upon the floor for this purpose. On one occasion a sixpence
was thrown, which happened to roll a little out of his reach, not far from
the wall. Being desired to pick it up, he stretched out his proboscis
several times to reach it; failing in this, he stood motionless a few
seconds, evidently considering how to act.
5. He then stretched his proboscis in a straight line as far as he could,
a little distance above the coin, and blew with great force against the
wall. The angle produced by the opposition of the wall, made the current
of air act under the coin, as he evidently supposed it would, and it was
curious to observe the sixpence traveling toward the animal till it came
within his reach, when he picked it up.
6. A soldier in India, who had frequently carried an elephant some arrack,
being one day intoxicated, and seeing himself pursued by the guard whose
orders were to conduct him to prison, took refuge under the elephant.
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