With this he can smell, pick up very small articles, untie knots, lift heavy bodies, convey food and water into his mouth, throw water over his body, take up dust, and cast it over his skin, to prevent the musquitoes from annoying him, and can perform other dexterous feats.

Elephants are fond of the banks of rivers, which are Ishaded with trees. They can swim, but carefully avoid muddy places, as there is danger of their great weight causing them to stick fast in the mud. When swimming, their bodies, except their trunks, are under water; but by keeping their trunks up they can freely respire. They subsist on vegetables, of which a full grown elephant will eat more than a hundred weight every day. In a wild state, elephants feed on grass, shrubs, leaves, and young branches of trees; but, when they can, they will feast on rice, sugar canes, vines, and other delicacies. Many elephants live to a great age. In a state of confinement they have been known to live a hundred and thirty years, and in a state of freedom they are supposed to live two hundred years.

Elephants are frequently hunted and killed, chiefly for their ivory tusks; the Hottentots, however, eat the flesh; the trunk and feet are regarded as the most delicious parts. Elephant hunting is a dangerous exercise. Sometimes pits are dug and covered with branches of trees; and elephants are thus ensnared and killed. In Asia, where elephants are of great value, a great number of persons are employed to hunt them into strong enclosures, where, by great dexterity, strong ropes are fastened round their legs, and by the aid of tame elephants, and the force of hunger, the wild elephants are captured, and made to become obedient to their keepers.

The elephant, when tamed is very docile, and becomes strongly attached to the person who kindly feeds and takes care of him. In a short time he knows his master's voice, and can understand sounds and signs, can distinguish the language of command, displeasure, or satisfaction. In many parts of Africa and Asia, especially in the East Indies, elephants are employed as beasts of burden; they will

assist with their trunks in lifting things on to their backs; will draw in harness, and work cheerfully, unless aggravated by cruel treatment. They are also used for riding, as horses are in this country, but many persons can ride on one elephant. Persons of wealth and distinction have their riding elephants richly attired, and ride in a handsome covered couch, in which several persons may sit; and the driver sits on the neck of the animal, and drives and guides him with a hook and goad. Our engraving represents an Elephant dressed with rich trappings, and an Howdah on his back, as used in India. Our engraving is copied from a stuffed elephant, with the howdah upon its back-which latter was sent as a present from India to Queen Victoria -as exhibited this year in the Crystal Palace in London. Of the sagacity of elephants, some very remarkable feats are reported; we shall quote some of them.

In the East Indies, elephants were formerly employed to force ships off the slips, on which they had been built, when they were to be launched. An elephant on one occasion tried to force a ship off, but could not move it; the master, with a sarcastic tone, said "Take away this lazy beast and bring another." The elephant, as if provoked, made another effort so violently as to fracture his skull.

An elephant passing through a street in Delhi, put the end of his trunk into a shop where some tailors were at work; one of them, with a needle, pricked the end of the trunk. The elephant passed on until he came to some dirty water, he then filled his trunk, returned to the shop, spurted the water upon the tailors, and spoiled their work.

In Adsmeer, an elephant, in passing through the vegetable market, always received a mouthful of greens from a woman who attended the market. One day, he, in a fit of rage, broke away from his keeper, and running through the market put everybody in fear and in flight. The woman who used to feed the elephant, in her fright, ran away and left her child; when the elephant came to the woman's stall, he gently, with his trunk, took up her child, and placed it safely on a stall.

Elephants may be accustomed to drink ardent spirits,

and become fond of them. A soldier at Pondicherry, who used to give spirits to an elephant, one day was in a state of intoxication, and a guard was sent to take him into custody. He fled to the elephant, and laid himself down between the elephant's legs; and in vain did the soldiers try to get their comrade from under the elephant; for the latter would not allow them to come near. The drunken soldier fell asleep, and when he awoke, shuddered to find himself where he was. The elephant caressed him with his trunk, and allowed him to depart in safety.

A painter being desirous of taking a sketch of an elephant, which was kept in the managerie at Versailles, and wishing the elephant to hold his trunk raised up, and his mouth open, a boy was employed to throw fruit into the elephant's mouth. The boy frequently deceived the elephant, by only pretending to throw; the animal became angry, and taking up a quantity of water in his trunk, threw it upon the drawing which the painter was making, and thus spoiled the sketch.

When an elephant is sufficiently tamed, his keeper gets upon his back, by getting off the back of an elephant who has been accustomed to carry a driver; by degrees the rider advances from the middle of the elephant's back on to his neck, where the driver takes his seat, holding in his hand an iron hook, with which he lays hold of the ears of the elephant, and by pressing it into the skin makes the elephant move as he is directed.

BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS MASON.

THOMAS MASON was born at Sandbach, in the county of Chester, in the year 1828. His parents, not being able to pay for his education at a day-school, sent him at an early age to the Sunday-school. The first school that he attended was the National, or Church Sunday-school. At what time he began to attend that school has not been exactly ascertained. The Wesleyan Methodist Association commenced

Silk Mill in Chapel Street,
Thomas Mason attended and

a Sunday-school in the old Sandbach, in the year 1836. was admitted as a scholar. He was, as is customary in the school on the admission of a new scholar, examined by the Manager, and was then placed in one of the lower classes. From the school register-book it is evident that he made steady progress in learning, as he advanced from one class to another, until at length he gained a place in the first or highest class. His conduct in the school was uniformly good, as his teachers cheerfully testify. His attendance at school was regular, and his behaviour, both towards his teachers and fellow scholars, was truly exemplary. He was particularly remarkable for the attention which he paid to the instructions communicated in the school. Another pleasing trait in his character was the respect and love he had for his teachers. By their labours, it appears, that the good seed of the kingdom of God was sown in his heart; and by-and-by it sprung up and produced fruit. the Bible, which was to him the Word of Life.

He loved

In the year 1842, serious impressions were evidently made upon his mind, and religious truth had laid hold upon his understanding. He was convinced that he was a sinner against God, and saw the necessity for a change of heart, and he became a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Association; he breathed the Publican's prayer "God be merciful to me a sinner," and was encouraged and determined to obtain reconciliation with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; he was directed to behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. In the same year Mr. Cartledge, (a Primitive Methodist Local preacher,) preached in the Chapel at Sandbach. The Word came with power to the heart of our deceased brother; he was enabled to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with his heart unto righteousness, and rejoiced in a sin-pardoning God. From this time he pursued a steady course; he gave all diligence make his calling and election sure, and pressed towards the mark for the prize of the high calling, which is of God in Christ Jesus. He loved the means of grace, and valued the advantages of Christian fellowship; he was a regular

attendant at the class-meeting, from the time that he com. || menced his Christian course until he was prevented by illness; and as often as circumstances permitted he attended the prayer-meetings and other services of the sanctuary. He was particularly attached to several members of the Society, and delighted to hold Christian communion with them, and with them to make supplication to the throne of the heavenly grace. "It is good and pleasant," he often exclaimed, "for brethren to dwell together in unity;" he was very fond of reading, especially of reading the Holy Scriptures, and would frequently, after the other members of the family had retired to rest, remain to read and meditate on God's Word; he was also particularly observant of the duty of private prayer. Seeking thus counsel from above, and committing himself to the guidance of the allwise God, it is no wonder that he was enabled to order his walk and conversation aright.

His Christian career was marked, eminently, by consistency of conduct; one of his neighbours who had lived near him and known him, from his conversion to his death, and who would, consequently, be well able to speak to his character and deportment, bears this testimony, "I never saw anything nor heard anything inconsistent with the character of a Christian-indeed, he was the wonder and admiration of the whole neighbourhood."

To this testimony it may be added, that his piety was manifest to all who knew him-in a meek and quiet spirit he walked before the Lord in all well-pleasing-striving to do his will, and to show forth his praise, who had called him out of darkness into his marvellous light.

To the great grief of his friends, he was attacked with consumption, that dread ravager of our race, and it soon became evident that disease was slowly yet surely doing its work. For a considerable length of time before his dissolution, he was quite conscious of his approaching death; he felt his health was gradually failing, and that his days were numbered, long before he was prevented from following his employment-yet in patience he possessed his soul. During the whole of his affliction he was resigned and