The ivory king : $b A popular history of the elephant and its alliesHolder, Charles Frederick
History
The ivory king : $b A popular history of the elephant and its allies
Holder, Charles Frederick
Elephants
of the Tartars, which remained firm, making no movement, but suffering
them to approach their intrenchments. They then rushed out with great
spirit and the utmost eagerness to engage; but it was soon found that
the Tartar horses, unused to the sight of such huge animals, with their
castles, were terrified, and, wheeling about, endeavored to fly, nor
could their riders by any exertions restrain them; whilst the king, with
the whole of his forces, was every moment gaining ground. As soon as the
prudent commander perceived this unexpected disorder, without losing his
presence of mind, he instantly adopted the measure of ordering his men
to dismount, and their horses to be taken into the wood, where they were
fastened to the trees. Being dismounted, the men, without loss of time,
advanced on foot towards the line of elephants, and commenced a brisk
discharge of arrows: whilst, on the other side, those who were stationed
in the castles, and the rest of the king’s army, shot volleys in return,
with great activity; but their arrows did not make the same impression
as those of the Tartars, whose bows were drawn with a stronger arm.
So incessant were the discharges of the latter, and all their weapons
(according to the instructions of their commander) being directed against
the elephants, these were soon covered with arrows, and, suddenly giving
way, fell back upon their own people in the rear, who were thereby thrown
into confusion. It soon became impossible for their drivers to manage
them, either by force or address. Smarting under the pain of their
wounds, and terrified by the shouting of the assailants, they were no
longer governable, but, without guidance or control, ran about in all
directions, until at length, impelled by rage and fear, they rushed into
a part of the wood not occupied by the Tartars. The consequence of this
was, that, from the closeness of the brandies of large trees, they broke,
with loud crashes, the battlements, or castles, that were upon their
backs, and involved in the destruction those who sat upon them. Upon
seeing the rout of the elephants, the Tartars acquired fresh courage;
and filing off by detachments, with perfect order and regularity,
they remounted their horses, and joined their several divisions, when
a sanguinary and dreadful combat was renewed. The battle ended in a
complete victory.”
Perhaps the most remarkable displays of elephants were those of Kublai
Khan. In an old cut before me, he is shown as he appeared on his
elephants, after he had conquered his unfortunate relative, Nazam, and
smothered him between two carpets. He is represented in a large wooden
castle, which rests upon four large tuskers, whose bodies, according to
Dow, were protected with coverings of thick leather hardened by fire,
over which were housings of cloth of gold. The castle contained many
crossbow men and archers; and on the top of it was hoisted the imperial
standard, adorned with representations of the sun and moon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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