I will give another instance. An Indian officer gave me an account of an
elephant, as follows. A detachment was on the march, and one of the
gun-carriages got a wheel off the track, so that it was also off the
ground, and hanging over a precipice. If the bullocks had moved a step,
carriages, bullocks, and all must have been precipitated. No one knew what
could be done until some one proposed to bring up an elephant, and let him
manage it his own way. The elephant took a moment's survey of the fix, put
his trunk under the axle of the free wheel, and waited. The surrounders,
who saw what he meant, moved the bullocks gently forward, the elephant
followed, supporting the axle, until there was ground under the wheel, when
he let it quietly down. From all I had heard of the elephant, this was not
too much to believe. But when, years afterwards, I reminded my friend of
his story, he assured me that I had misunderstood him, that the elephant
was _directed_ to put his trunk under the wheel, and saw in a moment why.
This is reasonable sagacity, and very likely the correct account; but I am
quite sure that, in the fit of elephant-worship under which the story was
first told, it was told as I have first stated it.] {59}