A Sagacious Monster

Arthur Clay sends to the London Spectator the following instance of the agacity of the elephant. It was told me, he says. by Mr. Quay- at the time a noncommissioned ofxcer in the First battalion of the Sixtieth rifles, but now one of her majesty"s yeomen of the guard. In 1S53 his regiment was marching from Peshawur to Kopulvie, and was accompanied by a train of clephants. It was the duty of the mahout in charge of each elephant to prepare twcnty chupatties, or üat calces made of coarse flour, for his charge. Wlien the twenty chupatties were ready they were placed before the elephant. who during the process of countimr never attempted to touch ono of them untü the f uil number was completed. On th : xscosii n related by Mr. Quay one of the elephants liad seized the opportunity of his mahoufs attention distracted for a moment to steal and Bwallow one of the chupatties. When the mahout, having finished the preparation, be,Tan to count them out, he of course discovered the theft and presented his charge with nineteen in place of the usual number. The elephant instantly appreciated the fact of there being one less than he had a right to expect, and refused to touch them, expressing his indignation by loud trumpetings. This brought the conductor of the elephant line (with whom Mr. Quay had been in conversation) on the scène. Having heard the explanation of the mahout, the conductor decided that the mahout was in fault for not keeping a better lookout, and ordered him to provide the twentieth cake ! at his own cost. When this was prepared and added to the pile the elephant at once accepted and ate them.