Page:Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian.djvu/112

 93 swallow butter, for this draws out iron. Their sores are fomented with swine's flesh. Fragm. XXXVII. Arr. Ind. ch. 13-14. (Pragm. XXXII. comes before this.) (See the translation of Arrian's Inddka.) [Fragm. XXXVII. B.] .^lian, Hist Anim, XII. 44. Of Elephants. (Cf. Pragm. XXXVI. 9-10 and XXXVII. 9-10 init c. XIV.). In India an elephant if canght when full-grown is diffi- cult to tame, and longing for freedom thirsts for blood. Should it be bound in chains, this exasperates it still more, and it will not submit to a master. The Indians, however, coax it with food, and seek to pacify it with various things for which it has a liking, their aim being to fill its stomach and to soothe its temper. But it is still angry with them, and takes no notice of them. To what device do they then resort P They sing to it their native melodies, and soothe it with the music of an instrument in common use which has four strings and is called a sicindapsos. The creature now pricks up its cars, yields to the soothing strain, and its anger subsides. Then, though there is an occasional out- burst of its suppressed passion, it gradually turns its eye to its food. It is then freed from its bonds, but docs not seek to escape, being enthralled with the music. It even takes food eagerly, and, like a luxurious guest riveted to the festive board, has no wish to go, from its love of the music. Fragm. XXXVIH. ^lian. Hist Anim, XIII. 7« " Of the diseases of Elephants, (Cf. Pragm. XXXVI. 15 and XXXVII. 15.) The Indians cure the wounds of the elephants which they catch, in the manner following : — They treat them in the way in which, as good old