[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 136.1.5 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 136.1.5 Travels in India (Ball) 136.1.5 - **Language:** English ### [136.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.5) From Gorakhpur to the foot of the high mountains there are still eight or nine days’ marching, during which the caravan suffers much, because the whole country is full of forests, where there are numerous wild elephants, and the merchants instead of sleeping at night must remain on the watch, making large fires and firing their muskets to frighten these animals. As the elephant moves without noise, he takes the people by surprise, and is close to the caravan before they are aware of it. It is not that he comes to do injury to man, for he contents himself with carrying off whatever food he can seize, as a sack of rice or flour, or a pot of butter, of which there is always a large supply. One can go from Patna to the foot of these mountains in Indian carriages or pallankeens, but oxen, camels, or the horses of the country are generally used. These horses are by nature so small that when a man is upon them his feet nearly touch the ground, but they are otherwise strong, and all go at an amble, doing up to 20 leagues at a stretch, and eating and drinking but little. There are some of them which cost as much as 200 and when you enter the mountains you can only use that means of carriage, it being necessary to leave behind all the others, which become useless on account of the numerous passes, which are very narrow. - [Previous: 136.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.4) - [Next: 136.1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.6) - [Up: 136.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.5) · Pramāṇa