It does not look like an animal that could think, but few of the animals below man have done so many wise and smart things. Only the dog and the monkey are its equals. I shall speak of its thinking powers further on, but here I wish to deal with the elephant as a worker for man.
The wild elephant loves its freedom and fights hard against those who seek to capture it, but when taken and tamed is often very mild and gentle. In India large parties of men, four hundred or more in number, are sent out to drive the wild elephants into great, strong pens that have been built of heavy timbers. Here tame elephants are used to hold the wild ones while they are being tied fast. By these and other means many of them are made captives and they soon become man's willing friends and helpers.
The elephant is made use of in various ways. In ancient times it was often used in war. Troops of elephants were made to rush on the ranks of enemies and kill them with trunk and hoofs. In this way even the Roman armies were put to flight, they being scared when they first saw these huge, strange animals. But they soon learned how to frighten them with torches and drive them back upon their friends.
The elephant has long been used in India as a working animal, and for this its great strength makes it of much use. It can lift and move heavy loads and a common elephant can carry half a ton for a long distance. But they need much care and cost a good deal to keep, for it takes about 800 pounds of fodder a day to feed a large one.
When at work they show very good sense and know well how to do things. You would think so if you could see them at work in piling or moving timber. I fancy you would laugh to see how nicely and neatly they do it and what good sense they show.
The female elephants have no large tusks, so that they can use only their trunks in moving the logs, but the male animals use their great tusks as well as the trunk. They will push logs weighing a ton and a half with ease. If the log has to go into the river they will push and roll it along to the bank, and as it slides down the muddy bank to the water will give it a slap with the trunk, as if to say, "Good-bye, old fellow; there you go."
