The Daily Dispatch: June 6, 1861., [Electronic resource]

An elephant Race in Cochin, China.

‘ The next was an elephant race, which amused me much. They were certainly much swifter than the horses, though they only walked; but what tremendous steps they took! They shook the ground for one hundred yards round, as with the shock of an earthquake, every time their enormous feet came in contact with it; and with their trunks pointing straight out, like the bowsprit of a ship, their ears and tails distended, there was something grand, but still very clumsy, about their gait. They had handsome cars, with four men in each, on their backs, and two men on each side to lead them. There was a great dispute which should come in first; and the space being rather narrow for seven of these enormous animals to run abreast, those who got in front were determined to keep there, and they appeared to know what game they were at, for they did not exactly race, but heavily and clumsily, yet quickly, dodged each other across the course; and, after a most amusing race, or shuffle, the large white one came in first, amid peals of laughter and applause.

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