In his invasions into Hindostan, in the eleventh century, Mamood of Ghizni employed a magnificent army of thirteen hundred elephants. Dow thus describes his battle with the King of Kaslegar:— “Mamood, perceiving the enemy’s progress, leaped from his horse, and, kissing the ground, invoked the aid of the Almighty. He instantly mounted an elephant-of-war, encouraged his troops, and made a violent assault upon Elich. The elephant, seizing the standard-bearer of the enemy, folded round him his trunk, and tossed him aloft into the sky. He then pressed forward like a mountain removed from its place by an earthquake, and trod the enemy like locusts under his feet. When Mamood invested Callinger, the rájah of that city sued for peace, and offered him three thousand elephants and other presents. The Indian prince probably considered that his enemy might be unacquainted with the habits of the animal; and he, therefore, ventured upon an experiment, not very likely to conciliate the rough hero of Turquestan. The king (Mamood) agreed to the terms proposed; and the raja, to try the bravery of the sultan’s troops, intoxicated the elephants with certain drugs, and let them loose, without riders, in the camp. Mamood, seeing the animals advancing, perceived the trick, by the wildness of their motions, and immediately ordered a party of his best horse to seize, kill, and drive them from the camp. Some of the Turks, emulous to display their bravery in the presence of their king and of both armies, mounted the greatest part of the elephants, and drove the rest into an adjacent wood, where they were soon reduced to obedience.” In the Book of Maccabees, there is an interesting passage describing the armor of elephants, and their use in the wars of Asia after the conquest of India:— “To the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries. Moreover, they divided the beasts among the armies, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and beside this, for every beast were ordered five hundred horsemen of the best. These were ready at every occasion: wheresoever the beast was, and whithersoever the beast went, they went also, neither departed they from him. And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one thirty-two strong men, that fought upon him, beside the Indian that ruled him.” These are but a few selections from many, showing the importance of the elephant in comparatively modern times. And when we remember what an imposing appearance twenty elephants, the largest number ever seen in America together, make, we can imagine the scene when over a thousand of these huge beasts were arranged in line, each clad in armor, and bearing armed warriors. CHAPTER XXIII. WAR ELEPHANTS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND HIS SUCCESSORS.