An Account of an ELEPHANT. [From the Oriental Magazine, printed at Calcutta.] IN every refpect the nobleft quadruped in nature is the Elephant, not lefs remarkable for its fize, than its docility and understanding. With a very aukward appearance, he poffeffes all the fenfes in great perfection, and is capable of applying them to more ufeful purposes than any other animal. All hiftorians concur in giving it the cha racter of the most fagacious creature next to man; and naturalifts have given us uncommon inftances of its ingenuity. For the following inftance of its memory and docility, we are indebted to Ralph Leeke, Efq; Collector of Tippera, in the district of Chittagong ; and we hope, our readers will derive much amufement from an account as authentic as it is cu rious. "JUGGUTPEEAREE, a female Elephant, was taken in a Kheddah, with many others, at Tipperah, in the year 1172, B. S. by the prefent Rajah, Kibun Mausick, and given by him, fix months afterwards, to Abdoor Rezah, the Dewan of Shumfhur Gauzee, who had poffeffion of the province by a Sunnud from Jaffer Ally Cawn, A force was, in the year 1174, B. S. fent against Abdoor Rezah by the Rajab, when he turned this Elephant, which he had ufed as a Swarry Elephant for near three years, loofe into the Jungles. In the year 1177, B. S. in the month of Maug, the Rajah took this Elephant again in a Kheddah; and in the month of Byfag, the following year, the broke loofe from her peggetting in a violent storm of wind and rain in the night, and made her fecond escape into the hills. On the 25th of December laft, fhe was drove, with feventy other Elephants, by my people into a Kheddah. On the 26th I went to fee the Elephants that were enfnared, when Juggutpecaree was pointed out to me by the Mahotes who recollected her, and particularly by one who had charge of her for a year or two. The Mahotes frequently called out to her by the name of Fuggulpeearee, to which fhe feemed to pay fome attention by immediately look ing towards them when he heard it, but did not answer to the name in the manner fhe was known to do when the above-mentioned Makote had charge of her. She appeared not like the other VOL. XLIX. Elephants, who were conftantly running about the Kheddah in a rage, but perfectly reconciled to her confinement; nor did the, no doubt from a recollection of what he had twice before fuffered, from that time to the 13th inftant, ever come near the Roomee. I had ordered, if the wanted to go into the Roomee, not to let her, that I might be prefent myself when fhe was taken out of the Kheddah; and for this purpose, I went, on the 13th inftant, when there only remained in the Kheddah, Fuggutpeearee, another large female, and eight young ones belonging to them both. After fending in the Koomkeys, and fecuring the large female, I told the Mahotes to call Fuggutpeearee. She immediately came to the fide of the ditch within the inclofure. I then fent two or three Mahotes in to her with a plantain tree. She came to the Mahotes, and not only took the plantain leaf out of their hands with her trunk, but opened her mouth for them, to put the plantain leaf into it, which they did, ftroking and careffing her, and calling her by her name. The Mahotes wanted, at firft, to tie her legs, by means of the Koomkeys, thinking, as he had been fo long in the Jungles, and had then four young ones about her, that she was not to be trufted; however, I infifted, as I faw the animal so very tame and harmless, that they should not attempt to tie her, and told a Mahote to take one of the Koomkeys up to her, and take her by the ear and tell her to lie down. She did not like the Koomkeys coming near her, and went at a distance feemingly angry; but when the Mahotes called her the came to them immediately, and allowed them to ftroke and carefs her as before, and a few minutes afterwards admitted the Koomkeys to familiarity with her, when a Mahote from one of the Koomikeys fastened a small rope round her body, and immediately from the Komkey jumped upon her back, which, at the initant of the man's jumping upon her, the did not feem to like; however, was almost immediately reconciled to it: another fmall rope was then fattened about her neck, for the Mahote to fix his feet in: he went upon her neck, and drove her about the Kheddah in the fame manner as the other tame Elephants. He then told her to lie down, which the instantly did, nor did the rife till she was told. The Mahota fed her from his feat, and gave her his stick, which he took from him with her trunk, and put it into her her mouth, and held it for him; in short, bad there been more wild Elephants in the Kheddah to tie, fhe would have been ufeful for fecuring them. As foon as the came out of the Kheddah I went up to her, took her by the ear, and told her to lie down ; a command which the inftantly obeyed. She was brought to Cominilla the next day, which is about 12 miles from the Kheddah, and half an hour ago, I had her brought to me and fed her, and without touching her, told her to lie down, which she did immediately; she had four young ones (of her own) with her in the Kheddah, and is now very big with young. I have not exaggerated in the leaft in this account, which three other gentle inen can vouch for, having been witneffes to every material circumftance I have mentioned. Commilla, Jan. 15. 1783. R. L." N. B. Fuggutpecaree, The name of the Elephant, given to her when she was first taken. Kheddah, A strong inclosure about 500 yards in circumference, into which the Elephants are driven; within it is a ditch from 6 to 8 cubits deep, and from 10 to 12 cubits wide. Roomee, A ftrong narrow passage without the Kheddah, into which the Elephants are enticed fingly by food, and there fecured; in this close confinement they exert the utmost of their strength, till they bruife, and almoft exhauft themfelves. Koomkey, A tame female Elephant made ufe of to tie and fecure the wild ones. Mahote, An Elephant-driver, who generally rides upon the neck of the ani mal, and guides him with a pointed iron like a large fith-hook. poor labourer of Merthir Tidvil, was ten years of age in the month of No: vember laft: he firft difcovered an extraordinary talent for enumerations by the power of the mind at fix years of age, when liftening to the ftory of a young man who had been in the army, and who was telling the father of the child that he had been absent four years: the boy in a few minutes said, then you have been absent so many months, weeks, and days, mentioning the fpecific number. The foldier then took a pen, and found the child's calculation was perfectly exact. Mr Miles a schoolmaster in the neighbourhood, who taught him to read, put this question to the boy:-The diftance between Merthir and Cardiff bridges is 25 miles; there is a fall of an inch in every yard; how much is Merthir bridge higher than Cardiff? In less than two hours he gave a very accurate answer. At another time his mafter asked him, How many minutes have elapfed fince the birth of our Saviour, calculating to a given period; which he prefently anfwered, both by the Solar and Julian year. A paragraph appearing in a newspaper, ftating, that the national debt amounted to 272 millions of pounds, which fum, if laid down in guineas in a right line, would extend 4300 miles, allowing every guinea to be an inch; the boy took up the queftion, worked it in his own mind, and gave a folution more accurate than that which was given in the newspaper. That a further proof might be made of the boy's talents, a gentleman prefent put the queftion on the fuppofition that a guinea occupied only three quarters of an inch; to which he gave answer with equal exactnefs. When it is confidered that this boy has never learned the ufe of figures, and cannot write, it will be allowed that he exhibits to the world a wonderful inftance of the powers with which the human mind is fometimes endowed. The truth of this is attefted to us by the Rev. John Davis, curate of Merthir Tidvil; Ifaac Jones, attorney at law; and Thomas Rees, gentleman. Were a boy of thefe fingular talents to receive the advantage of education, the world might fee how far a capacity of this kind could be enlarged by culti Yours, &c. vation. Gent. Mag. A. B. PAR PARLIAMENT, [p. 72.] and the decifion would certainly take place before the 3d of April. It was at laft agreed, that the further confideration of the motion fhould be adjourned to the 3d of April. Sir Gilbert Elliot gave notice, that on the first open day he would make a motion relative to Sir Elijah Impey. Mr Fox rofe to obferve, that, as the 7th article of the Commercial Treaty with France referred to our trade and treaties with Portugal, he did not think the Houfe could duly deliberate on the French treaty, without having fome information relative to our fituation with Portugal. He therefore moved for copies of the inftructions fent to our minifters at the court of Lisbon from the year 1782 to the present time, relative to the commerce between Great Britain and Portugal. On Feb. 7. Mr Sheridan, as in our laft, in a speech which took up five hours and forty minutes in delivering, brought forward the fourth charge against Mr Haftings, refpecting the Princeffes of Oude. Mr Sheridan reprefented the conduct of that gentleman to thefe Princeffes as unparallelled for cruelty and injuftice. For want of room, we fhall only obferve, that Mr Sheridan's fpeech was acknowledged, on all fides of the Houfe, to be the most aftonishing effort of eloquence, argument, and wit united, of which there is any record or tradition; and the effects it produced were proportioned to its merit. The Houfe adopted a new mode, in this inftance, of expreffing their approbation, by loudly and repeatedly clapping with their hands as foon as he fat down.- Mr Fox faid, all Sir Grey Cooper seconded the motion. that he had ever heard-all that he had -But Mr Pitt oppofed it on this ground ever read-when compared with it--that it was impolitic, and might be dwindled into nothing. And Mr Pitt declared, that it had every thing of genius-of eloquence-and of ingenuitythat could agitate and controul the human heart. He therefore recommended an adjournment, as neceflary to recover from the fatigue of attention, and the confternation which fo fuperlative a blaze of oratory had occafioned. The adjournment accordingly took place, and the motion againft Mr Haftings was carried when the Houfe met again. On Feb 9. Mr Adam renewed his motion, that the returning officer for Renfrewshire fhould be ordered to attend at the bar of the House on the third day of April next. Sir Adam Ferguffon faid, as the returning-officer, who is a very respectable character, was now upwards of 70 years of age, it would be cruel to compel him, at fo advanced a period of life, to travel fo many hundred miles. Mr Adam infifted that, as his conduct had been corrupt, his age ought not to screen him from the punishment due to it. Mr Dundas wished that the confider ation of the motion might be poftponed till the petition of Mr Macdowall, complaining of an improper return for Renfrewshire, fhall have been determined. Mr Adam said, he wished fo too; and on that account he fixed upon the 3d of April for the attendance of the return ing-officer; the petition was to be referred to a committee the 2nd of March, productive of very serious confequences, to publish papers relative to a treaty, pending that treaty. After fome little converfation, the question was put on Mr Fox's motion, which was negatived without a division. On Feb. 12. A meffage was brought from the Lords, ftating an amendment their Lordships had made in the lottery bill, Mr Fox afferted, that the amendment alluded to, amounted, in a bill of this nature, to an invasion of the exclusive right of the Commons to originate a money-bill. This produced some conversation, which ended in an agreement that the further difcuffion of the bufinefs fhould be poftponed till to-morrow. Alderman Newnham prefented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce, ftating certain articles on which they were not as yet decided refpecting the treaty with Portugal now pending, and the French treaty about to be immediately agitated; adding, that he intended, as foon as the Houle had formed itfelf into a committee on the order of the day, to move, that the faid petition be taken into confideration. The Houfe having refolved itself into a committee, Mr Beaufoy in the chair; The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, he had no objection to the worthy Alderman's motion, as he was certain that a very little confideration would at once defeat it. He could not help obferving, however, that the petition was, in his opinion, opinion, one of the most extraordinary which had ever appeared before the Houfe; it was introduced at a time too that did not argue much in its favour. The French treaty had been published near four months out of doors, and agitated almost three weeks within; and it was not to be expected that this petition would start up at fuch a time, a produc tion evidently the refult of hafte, which stated nothing either in principle or detail against the treaty in question. Mr Fox faid, he did not wish on this occafion to preis gentlemen beyond their own opinions; he owned that the petition did not state specifically againft either the principle or detail of the French treaty, but he thought it stated fufficient to procure it a hearing. The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that the treaty had long fince obtained the approbation of the commercial part of the kingdom; thofe in that line, who did not praise it, did not cenfure it, as even the petition went to prove. Mr Sheridan begged to call the attention of the House to one material point, in which he believed this important fubject had not as yet been confidered. Should this treaty pass, would it not, he afked, be abfolutely neceflary that a fy. ftem of intercourfe of fome kind fhould be established between this and the fifter kingdom? for it was abfolutely impoffible that the prefent fyftem could continue if the treaty with France took place. He wished therefore to know explicitly from the Rt Hon. gentleman, whether, in cafe the treaty with France was carri. ed into effect, it was his intention to revive the Irish propofitions? Mr Pitt, without taking immediate notice of this question, rofe, and arrefted the attention of the members for near three hours. He began by faying, that the importance of the fubject would be his beft apology for the time he must neceffarily take up; but he affured them, that he would not abuse their indulgence by useless deviations to extraneous matter, or in mere embellishment. Great and various as were the objects of this treaty, the refolutions he meant at this time to propofe would lie in a narrow compafs. They referred only to the commercial establishment, and were founded on the 6th and 11th articles of the treaty. The tenor of the refolutions was precisely this: 1. That the committee fhould agree, that all articles not enumerated and fpe cified in the tariff fhould be importable into this country on terms as favourable as thofe of the most favoured nation, excepting always the power of preferring Portugal under the provisions of the Methuen treaty. 2. That, if any future treaty fhould be made with any other foreign power, in any articles either mentioned or not mentioned in the prefent treaty, France fhall be put on the fame, or on as fa vourable terms as that power. And, 3. That all the articles enumerated and fpecified in the tariff shall be admitted into this country on the duties, and with the ftipulations, ftated in the 6th article. He thus confined himfelf fimply to the commercial part of the treaty, nor was even all which belonged to that part comprehended in the scope of thefe refolutions.-It would be neceffary for the committee to confider the relative state of the two kingdoms. It is a fact generally admitted, that France has the advantage in foil and climate, and confequently in her natural produce; while it is equally true, that Great Britain is decidedly fuperior in her manufactures and artificial productions. The wines, bran⚫ dies, oils, and vinegars (the two former articles particularly) of France are matters of fuch important value as completely to destroy all idea of reciprocity as to natural produce, we perhaps having nothing of that kind to put in competition with them except our beer. But is it not demonftrably clear, that we, in our turn, poffefs fome manufactures exclufively our own, and that in others we have fo eminently the advantage of our neighbour, as to put competition at defiance? Such is the relative condition, and fuch the precife ground, on which it is reasonable to suppose that a valuable correfpondence and connection between the two nations might be established. Having each its own diftinét ftaplehaving each that which the other wanted and not clashing in the great and leading lines of their respective riches-they refemble two opulent traders in different branches-who might enter into a traffic mutually beneficial.-Granting that large quantities of their natural produce would be brought into this country, would any man fay that we fhould not fend more cottons by the direct course now settled, than by the circuitous paffages formerly ufed?-more of our woollens than while reftricted to particular ports and burden ed ed with heavy duties?-Would not more of our earthen ware, and other articles, which, under all the disadvantages they formerly fuffered, ftill, from their intrinfic fuperiority, forced their way regularly into France, now be sent thither? and would not the aggregate of our manufactures be effentially benefited in going to this market loaded only with duties from twelve to ten, and in one inftance only five, per cent.?-If the advantages now enumerated were not fo palpable as to ftrike and fatisfy every mind interested in the bufinefs, would not the Houfe have had petitions very different from that prefented this day? The fact was apparent. The article charged higheft in the tariff, viz. faddlery, gave no fort of alarm. The traders in this article, though charged with a duty of fifteen per cent. were so conscious of their fuperiority, that they chearfully embraced the condition, and conceived that the liberty would be highly advantageous to them. A market of fo many millions of people-a market so near and prompt a market of expeditious and certain return-of neceffary and extenfive confumption, thus added to the manufactures and commerce of Britain, is an object which we ought to look up to with eager and satisfied ambition; and to attain it, we ought not furely to refufe liberal conditions. We ought to view it as a great boon procured on eafy terms. It was a pleafing fpeculation to the mind of an Englishman, that after the empire had been engaged in a conteft the moft arduous and imminent that ever threatened a nation-after struggling for exiftence,-it ftill maintained its rank fo firmly, that France, from a confcioufnefs of our natural strength, opened her arms, and courted a connection with us on eafy, liberal, and advantageous terms. We had agreed, by this treaty, to take from France, on small duties, the luxuries of her foil, which our refinements had already converted into neceffaries. Was it in the power of high duties to prevent the introduction of them at our tables? Was it then a serious evil to admit their wines on easier terms? The admiffion of them would not fupplant the wines of Portugal or Spain, but would destroy a pernicious manufacture in this country. With refpect to brandy, it might be inquired whether the diminution of duty was an eligible measure? The reduction of the duties would certainly have a ma terial effect on the contraband trade in this article. It is an undoubted fact, that the legal importation bore no proportion to the clandeftine; for, while the former amounted to no more than 600,000 gallons, the latter, by the beft-founded calculations, did not amount to lefs than between 3 and 4 millions of gallons. As this article then fo completely poffeffed the taste of the nation, it could not furely be deemed wrong to give to the state a greater advantage from it than heretofore, and, by crushing the illicit, to promote the legal, traffic in it. The oils and vinegars of France were, comparatively, fmall objects; but, like the former, they were luxuries which had taken the thape of neceffaries, and by receiving them on easy terms we could lofe nothing.--The committee thould next inquire, whether, in addition to the above, which were the natural produce of France, that kingdom had any manufactures peculiar to itself, or in which it fo greatly excelled as to give us juft caufe of alarm on account of the treaty, when we viewed it in that afpect? Cambric was the firft which presented itfelf; but in this article, it was notorious that our competition with France had ceased, and there could be no injury in granting an eafy importation to that which we were determined at any rate to have. In every other article there was nothing formidable in the rivalry of France. Glafs would not be imported to any amount. In particular kinds of lace indeed, they had probably the advantage, but none which they would not enjoy independently of the treaty. The clamours about millinery he thought vague and unmeaning. Viewing the relative circumftances of the two countries in this way, our fuperiority in the tariff was manifeft. The excellence of our manufactures was unrivalled, and in the operation must give the balance to England. But it is faid, our manufacturers entertain fears that this fuperiority will not be permanent. They were alarmed at the idea of a competition with Ireland, and must be more to at the idea of one with France. He still continued to think that the opinions of the manufacturers on that point were erroneous. They raifed the clamour in refpect to Ireland chiefly, he imagined, becaufe they perceived no certain and pofitive advantage by the intercourfe, to counterbalance the poffible |