The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals: A Book of Personal Observations

4. Forward, march. 5. File left, march. 6. Right about face, march. 7. Left about face, march. 8. Right by twos, march. 9. Double quick, march. 10. Single file, march. 11. File right. 12. Halt. 13. Ground arms. (All lie down, and lie motionless.) 14. Attention (All arise.) 15. Shoulder arms. (All stand up on their hind-legs.) In all, fifteen commands were obeyed by the whole company of elephants. It being impossible, or at least impracticable, to supply so large a number of animals with furniture and stage properties for a further universal performance, certain individuals were supplied with the proper articles when necessary for a continuation of the performance, as follows: 16. Ringing bells. 17. Climbing up a step-ladder. 18. Going lame in a fore leg. 19. Going lame in a hind leg. 20. Stepping up on a tub turned bottom up. 21. Standing on a tub on right legs only. 22. The same, on opposite legs. 23. The same, on the fore legs only. 24. The same, on the hind legs only. 25. Using a fan. 26. Turning a hand-organ. 27. Using a handkerchief to wipe the eyes. 28. Sitting in a chair. 29. Kneeling, with the fore legs. 30. Kneeling with the hind legs. 31. Walking astride a man lying lengthwise. 32. Stepping over a man lying down. 33. Forming a pyramid of elephants, by using tubs of various sizes. While it is true that not all of the acts in the latter part of this performance were performed by each one of the elephants who went through the military drill, there is no reason to doubt the entire ability of each individual to be trained to obey the whole thirty-three commands, and to remember them all accurately and without confusion. The most astonishing feature of the performance, aside from the perfect obedience of the huge beasts, was their easy confidence and accuracy of memory.