. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. WAR ELEPHANTS. 275. four iron spikes, witli ratasses and iron knobs. There are otlier chains with iron spikes and knobs, Ining luuler the throat and over the breasts, and others fastened to the trunk ; tliese are for ornament and to frighten Horees. Pakher is a kind of steel arrnoiu- that covers the body of the Elephant; there are other pieces of it for the liead and ; History informs us that when Timour, or Tamerlane, attacked the dominions of the Sultan Mahmoud ( 1399), the Elephants, of which the lattei" had'a co
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. WAR ELEPHANTS. 275. four iron spikes, witli ratasses and iron knobs. There are otlier chains with iron spikes and knobs, Ining luuler the throat and over the breasts, and others fastened to the trunk ; tliese are for ornament and to frighten Horees. Pakher is a kind of steel arrnoiu- that covers the body of the Elephant; there are other pieces of it for the liead and ; History informs us that when Timour, or Tamerlane, attacked the dominions of the Sultan Mahmoud ( 1399), the Elephants, of which the lattei" had'a considei-able number, caused gi-eat terror and alarm ; and that the preparations made by Timour to overcome the Elephants were of the most extraordinary Jiatux-e, for not only did he surround his camp with a deep ditch and bucklei-s, but also had Buffiiloes tied together round the i-ainj)ai-ts, with huge brambles on their heads, which were to be set on lire at the approach of tlie Elejihants. The forces of the Sultan, besides the Elephants, consisted of a large number of horse and foot soldiers armed with swords and poisoned daggers. Attendant upon the Elephants were men armed with tire, melted pitch, and other honielief in the invincibility of the Elephants was then for ever gone; and it is even said of Timour's gi-andson, then quite a boy, that he himself wounded an Elephant, and di-ove it in as a capti\-e to his grandfather's camp. We are told that in ancient times the number of Elephants annually lirought from Africa to Eome, to be trained for the cruel and disgusting practice of fighting in the theatre, was very great. It is said of Pomi)ey that, at the dedication of his theatre, no less than five hundred Lions, eighteen Elephants, and a number of armed men, were all at one time in the circus. In the second considate of Pompey (54 '.) Elephants were opposed, in the circus, to Getulian archers; and, according to Pliny, this exhibition was characterised by some uncommon cir
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