no means of estimating the wonderful powers of reasoning that
captive elephants might develop if they could only enjoy the
freedom accorded to all dogs except the blood-hound, bull-dog and
a few others.

In the jungles of India the writer frequently has seen wild
elephants reconnoitre dangerous ground by means of a scout or spy;
communicate intelligence by signs; retreat in orderly silence from
a lurking danger, and systematically march, in single file, like
the jungle tribes of men.

Once having approached to within fifty yards of the stragglers of
a herd of about thirty wild elephants, which was scattered over
about four acres of very open forest and quietly feeding, two
individuals of the herd on the side nearest us suddenly suspected
danger. One of them elevated his trunk, with the tip bent forward,
and smelled the air from various points of the compass. A moment
later an old elephant left the herd and started straight for our
ambush, scenting the air with upraised trunk as he slowly and
noiselessly advanced. We instantly retreated, unobserved and
unheard. The elephant advanced until he reached the identical spot
where we had a moment before been concealed. He paused, and stood
motionless as a statue for about two minutes, then wheeled about
and quickly but noiselessly rejoined the herd. In less than half
a minute the whole herd was in motion, heading directly away from
us, and moving very rapidly, but _without the slightest
noise_. The huge animals simply vanished like shadows into the
leafy depths of the forest. Before proceeding a quarter of a mile,
the entire herd formed in single file and continued strictly in
that order for several miles. Like the human dwellers in the