The Standard of Thursday contains an amusing account of how
Stoke,' the elephant sent by the Queen to the Sultan of Morocco, was presented to that Potentate. The Sultan was in camp, and the elephant was, therefore, marched into the interior to be presented. Only two previous in- stances are recorded of elephants being brought into Morocco. One is asserted to have been sent there from Timbuctoo, and the other was presented by the English to the reigning Sultan of a hundred and fifty years ago. The actual cere- mony of presentation in the case of Stoke ' must have been exceedingly quaint and picturesque. The elephant, arrayed in a large red cloak, with his howdah on, with his mahout on his neck, and with two attendant coolies, was marched into a large open space surrounded by troops, at one end of which sat his Sheriffian majesty on a camp-bedstead, folded up so as to form an arm-chair. The Sultan was immensely pleased with his new possession. "For a whole hour he kept the elephant before him, minutely inspecting the howdah and trappings, and causing him to be fed, watered, and washed in his presence. He directed the howdah to be removed and subsequently replaced, and displayed the keenest interest in all matters concerning the management and habits of elephants, asking many questions, and conversing freely with his Ministers on the one subject which engrossed his attention." The Standard correspondent notes that, owing to the efforts of Kaid Maclean, an English officer in the Sultan's service, a portion of the Sheriffian Army is now well drilled and armed with Martinis and Winchesters—a great change from fifteen years ago, when the troops were undrilled, and had no better weapons than the long Arab rifle.
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