he approached the animal, he called her by name, when she immediately recognised his voice; she waved her trunk in the air as a token of salutation, and kneeling down, allowed him to mount her neck.  She afterwards assisted in taking other elephants, and decoyed three young ones, to which she had given birth since her escape.  The keeper returned to his master, and the singular circumstances attending the recovery of the elephant being told, he regained his character; and, as a recompense for his unmerited sufferings, had a pension settled on him for life.”

“That was an instance of rare good fortune, Uncle Thomas.  How very curious that he should fall in with the herd in which his own elephant was!”

“It was very fortunate indeed, Frank.  It was not a little curious too that the elephant should recognise him after so long a period.  But the attachment which they show to their keepers is sometimes very great.  One which in a moment of rage killed its keeper a few years ago, adopted his son as its carnac or driver, and would allow no one else to assume his place.  The wife of the unfortunate man was witness to the dreadful scene, and, in the frenzy of her mental agony, took her two children, and threw them at the feet of the elephant, saying, ’As you have slain my husband, take my life also, as well as that of my children!’ The elephant became calm, seemed to relent, and as if stung with remorse, took up the eldest boy with its trunk, placed him on its neck, adopted him for its carnac, and never afterwards allowed another to occupy that seat.”

“That was at least making all the reparation in its power, Uncle Thomas.”

“There is one or two other stories about the elephant, showing that he knows how to revenge an insult, which I must tell you before you go.

“A merchant at Bencoolen kept a tame elephant, which was so exceedingly gentle in his habits, that he was permitted to go at large.  This huge animal used to walk about the streets in the most quiet and orderly manner, and paid many visits through the city to people who were kind to him.  Two cobblers took an ill will to this inoffensive creature, and several times pricked him on the proboscis with their awls.  The noble animal did not chastise them in the manner he might have done, and seemed to think they were too contemptible to be angry with them.  But he took other means to punish them for their cruelty.  He filled his trunk with water of a dirty quality, and advancing towards them in his ordinary manner, spouted the whole of the puddle over them.  The punishment was highly applauded by those who witnessed it, and the poor cobblers were laughed at for their pains.”

[Illustration:  The elephant and the cobblers—­Page 68.]

“Ha! ha! ha!  He must have been a very knowing animal, Uncle Thomas.  I dare say, the cobblers behaved better in future.”

“I dare say they would, Boys.  Here is another story of the same description, but the trickster did not escape so easily.”