Page 84 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Around the World in 80 Days

had begun already, by often irritating him, and feeding
him every three months on sugar and butter, to impart to
him a ferocity not in his nature, this method being often
employed by those who train the Indian elephants for

battle. Happily, however, for Mr. Fogg, the animal’s
instruction in this direction had not gone far, and the
elephant still preserved his natural gentleness. Kiouni—this
was the name of the beast—could doubtless travel rapidly
for a long time, and, in default of any other means of
conveyance, Mr. Fogg resolved to hire him. But elephants
are far from cheap in India, where they are becoming
scarce, the males, which alone are suitable for circus
shows, are much sought, especially as but few of them are
domesticated. When therefore Mr. Fogg proposed to the
Indian to hire Kiouni, he refused point-blank. Mr. Fogg
persisted, offering the excessive sum of ten pounds an hour
for the loan of the beast to Allahabad. Refused. Twenty
pounds? Refused also. Forty pounds? Still refused.
Passepartout jumped at each advance; but the Indian
declined to be tempted. Yet the offer was an alluring one,
for, supposing it took the elephant fifteen hours to reach
Allahabad, his owner would receive no less than six
hundred pounds sterling.

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