Seeing the Elephant
Encyclopedia
The phrase "seeing the elephant" is an Americanism (or American phrase) of the mid to late 19th century. Seen throughout the United States
in the Mexican-American War, the Texas Santa Fe Expedition
, the American Civil War
, the 1849 Gold Rush
, and the Westward Expansion Trails
(Oregon Trail
, California Trail
, Mormon Trail
), the mythical elephant was an extremely popular way of expressing an overwhelming emotion. During the 20th century the phrase faded out of popularity but when historian
s started taking note of its reoccurrence in historical newspapers, journals, and literature they often summed the elephant up too quickly and categorized it as a negative experience. Desolation and sadness may have been one trait of seeing the elephant, but it was certainly not the only or even the most prevalent. More often, American pioneer
s of the Overland Trails talk of the excitement and anticipation of heading west to see the elephant. Elephant "sightings" often begin with excitement and high ideals only to be disappointing or disenchanting. The high excitement followed by the low frustrations are what epitomize the elephant as something most wanted to "see" but few would wanted to "see" again.
used the idiom
to “see the lions.” This referred to the Tower of London
which is thought to have been one of the world’s oldest zoo
s. The monarchs kept a menagerie
of animals inside the tower including several types of cats. Travelers and visitors were hopeful for a glimpse of the animals, especially the lion
which was the living emblem of the king. In comparison to the American elephant seen by Easterners or city people in the country, the English lion was seen by country peasants in the city. But, both animals were symbolic of more than just the animal's presence. The elephant and lion were something sightseers wanted to glimpse because of their exotic nature and fear-laced excitement. It is this enthusiasm tinged with slight trepidation that continued to appear in elephant references of the 19th century U.S.
Americans first saw the elephant in the book Georgia Scenes in 1835 by the regionalist author, Augustus Baldwin Longstreet
. “That's sufficient, as Tom Haynes said when he saw the Elephant.” Longstreet’s book about rural Georgia (during a Gold Rush) had little to do with the more western venues for later "elephant sightings" but his reference of the elephant was enigmatic just like the journal entries discussing the animal.
A Washington D.C. newspaper article in 1848 gives an unlikely but intriguing origin for seeing the elephant. This article, entitled “Seeing the Elephant,” says the phrase came from a Philadelphia theatre a few years earlier. A play their theater was putting on was in need of an elephant but the few circulating circus elephants were not available and so they made a makeshift elephant and put a man inside to control the few movements the animal had to make. The audiences loved it and were extremely responsive. Unfortunately, the man they put inside was fond of his spirits, and one night he became so drunk he walked the elephant off the stage and into the music pit. The audience left laughing and joking, “Have you seen the elephant?” There are several newspaper articles entitled “Seeing the Elephant,” but the reason this theater-based comic sighting is so intriguing is the way the article described the drunken man’s reaction to the catastrophe. “And poor Ned, casting one look, a strange blending of drunkenness, grief, and laughter, at the scene, fled hastily out of the theatre.” His sentiments are a fascinating mixture, and possibly analogous to the mixture of emotions pioneers, miner
s, and soldier
s felt when mentioning the elephant in their journals. The feelings were not simply good or bad but both along with the additional drunken or uninhibited state of mind and body. They could have felt this uninhibited sensation due to the relative freedom from societal customs and Eastern modes of conduct.
One of the most common origins many online sources cite is that of the optimistic farmer:
The most likely origin of the mythical elephant is the menagerie or circus
. For most Americans, the only chance to see exotic animals was by these types of exhibitions. Circuses were quickly growing in popularity during the early nineteenth century. Several were performing throughout the Northeast
, specifically Philadelphia and New York
. Oftentimes, the big draw for these shows were exotic animals like an elephant. In the 1820s, Hackaliah Bailey bought an elephant for one thousand dollars, and while this was a steep price tag, the hefty returns on his purchase allowed him to invest in more animals. When the circus was traveling, it often drew large crowds along the roadside. These wayside processions were the beginning of the parade
. For those that could not afford a ticket to the show, this procession was their only chance at glimpsing exotic animals.
The first references of elephants in trail narrative
s and letters are positive allusions. Hopes at the beginning of the trail tended to be high and the elephant excitement directly linked to this level of anticipation. John Clark’s quote from 1852 is a perfect example of the eager emigrant. “All hands early up anxious to see the path that leads to the Elephant.” Not everyone was as eager to head west. If wives began the trail unwillingly and were tense about the trail to come, the elephant often reflected these concerns unconsciously. Amelia Hadley wrote in early June 1851, “Some of our company did not lay by and have gone on they are anxious to see the elephant I suppose.” While her entry is not necessarily pessimistic, it definitely lacks the enthusiasm others had at the same point in their journey. In May 1852, Lucy Rutledge Cooke exuded zest. “Oh the pleasures of going to see the Elephant!!” These types of exuberant elephant entries are more common for the early months of trail life. In reading through dozens of trail diaries
, not a single author was found who wrote of dreading to see the elephant in this beginning stage of the trail.
Even entries from the second or third month on the trail were perhaps anxious but rarely glum. In a letter back to his wife, a doctor wrote: “We are now advanced on our trip about 200 miles and in all this trip I have not seen the ‘Elephant.’ I am told, however, that he is ahead, and if I live, I am determined to see him.” This man actually wanted to see the elephant. As the trip westward progressed pioneers began to write in their journals that they were beginning to see glimpses of the elusive animal. Joseph Wood wrote: “Now methinks I see the elephant with unclouded eyes.”
As travelers became tired and hungry and saw family members and travel companions die of disease
and accidents, reality began to set in. The elephant was not everything they hoped it would be. On June 3, 1852, Polly Coon wrote:
Although the tone is dismal, Coon is still writing of the elephant not as a consequence but as a consolation or benefit of an unfortunate happenstance; in her case it was bad weather. Merrill Mattes, the Great Platte River Road
historian, found that bad weather was often a catalyst for pioneers to put the elephant in their journals. A hailstorm
induced Walter Pigman (1850) to write: “The boys concluded the elephant was somewhere in the neighborhood.” During a storm in 1849, Niles Searls “had a peep at his proboscis
.” Neither of these references paint the pachyderm
in either a good or bad light, but the fact that its usage comes during vicious storms might allude to something more. Storms on the prairie
can be dangerous but also tremendous and breathtaking. They probably wreaked havoc on wagons and stock
, but the pioneers likely could not help but be impressed by the unmatched forces of nature at play on the open plains
. This mixture of fear, misfortune, and overwhelming new experiences is at the center of the elephant emergence.
One bad day was not often treated to elephant status in a pioneer’s journal, but successive unfortunate days or occurrences were not only notable themselves but also noteworthy of an elephant reference. George Bonniwell (1850) described incident after incident, including bad roads, no water or grass, and then wrote, “This is a trying time to the men and horses. I have just been to get grass, and got up to my 'tother end' in mud… First glimpse of the Elephant.” In 1853, Helen Stewart described in her journal a botched river crossing and then not even a day later her mother’s leg was run over by the wagon. “Pa said we were beginning to see the elephant.” Bonniwell and Stewart’s first glimpses of the elephant were common situations. Bad roads, no water or grass, and distressing river crossings were common issues dealt with on the trail. Even emigrants getting run over by their wagons were surprisingly common. First glimpses of the elephant were the most common journal entry. However, sometimes the first peek was not as remarkable as later more epic appearances that finally led pioneers like Abigail Scott Duniway
(1852) to acknowledge its presence, “We had seen the "Elephant" before we got there but it is the cream of the whole route, we slipped through, the Cascade Mountains between two storms.”
As the miles rolled on and the pioneers continued dealing with hardships, their optimistic attitudes plummeted and the elephant was used as a kind of scapegoat
for their troubles. The elephant that had demonstrated their excitement was now portraying their concerns. The mythical animal that had imbedded hopefulness in travelers was starting to present a different side. For many, this side was something they did not wish to view again. Lucius Fairchild, a Wisconsinite on his way to California in 1849 wrote: “that desert is truly the great Elephant of the route and God knows I never want to see it again.” In just a few months and several hundred miles, the elephant had transformed from a pursued celebrity to an infamous icon. It was at these later stages of the trail that pioneers were finally elephant-weary and showed anger or frustration towards the colossus that had at first given them such high hopes.
The elephant was “seen” at river crossings, during bad weather, after wagon
s ran over family members, after deaths, and especially at a pioneer’s first glimpse of one of many roadblocks in the trail ahead. The emigrants discussed the elephant in terms of their excitement for the outcome of their upcoming journey. They had their eyes on the destination and not always the 2,000 miles that lay between them and their dreamland. The elephant is in many ways a pachyderm of psychological proportions. How the pioneers described him was directly related to how they were feeling. The elephant phrase was early on meant as a good thing, but because it was used in conjunction with an experience that did not turn out as most hoped, the term evolved into a slightly more negative connotation after the Overland Trail period was over. This downbeat view of the elephant due to its connections with the trails more grievous moments is likely what has given the 20th century historians the opinion that the elephant was mostly a bad experience. The pessimism of the phrase retained this trait throughout much of its historiography
.
All narratives reveal trials, but not all trials are written in conjunction with the elephant. The mythic animal was more than just a term for an ordeal. It was an expression for a tribulation that was ironic or directly followed excitement of some kind. John Lewis’ journal entry in 1852 may be the clearest use of the elephant and clearly summarizes everything the elephant symbolizes: excitement followed by troubles, which leads to disenchantment. After Lewis’ sightseeing trip to Courthouse Rock he wrote:
Courthouse Rock was a popular visual attraction on the landscape. These large monolith
s were exciting trail markers that unfortunately were not always accessible for up-close perusal. Independence Rock
has etchings all over its expansive base from travelers leaving their name, but Courthouse Rock was not as close to the main vein of the trail and so if pioneers wanted to see it they had to take side trips. Merril Mattes attributes the lack of depth perception
to altitude
; this misled many sightseers to think it was much closer than it was. John Lewis was one of these disillusioned tourists that in many ways can be universally compared to the average pioneer on the trail. He wanted to see the butte
that was a once in a lifetime view of this entity, but the distance to see it and the extra work this entailed was more than he was expecting. Hence while Courthouse Rock was massive and breathtaking, Lewis’ overall experience of going so far out of his way was unexpected and disenchanting.
or slang for western saloons
and brothel
s throughout the end of the nineteenth century. A picture of a red light district
in 1890s Colorado
has the caption: “The Row, Cripple Creek
: a part of town where everybody goes to see the elephant.” This use of the elephant in regards to brothels was not a one-time use of the term. Coney Island
, New York
, also shows signs of the elephant referring to brothels or the prostitution trade. The Coney Island Elephant
, built in 1884, was used as a brothel after its prime hotel business wore off. In his book about pleasure resort
s, Jon Sterngrass writes that the popularity of the phrase came from Coney Island which used the elephant as a mascot
throughout the Gilded Age
. “So famous was this massive monument [the Elephant Hotel] that for a generation, "seeing the elephant" signified a quest for satisfactions in disreputable quarters.” Earthly delights are not the only reason the elephant craze existed considering its many earlier origins. More likely the elephant Americanism gained steam and then was used as a catchy draw for brothels, saloons or businesses. There were several old west saloons that had ‘elephant’ in the title, including the famous White Elephant Saloons.
The brothel elephant can also be “seen” in the movie Moulin Rouge!
as courtesan
Satine’s business and living quarters.
Maybe coincidentally or perhaps a remnant of the 19th century elephant idiom, the 20th century euphemism "seeing pink elephants
" is a term to denote drunk hallucinations. This may link back to the use of the term in Western saloons where patrons would drink alcoholic beverage
s in hopes of seeing the elephant. Also meaningful is the link between the pink elephants as a hallucination and the 19th century elephant as a mythical elephant that never appeared in tangible form but as an imaginary vision.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Mexican-American War, the Texas Santa Fe Expedition
Texas Santa Fe Expedition
The Texas Santa Fe Expedition was a commercial and military expedition to secure the Republic of Texas's claims to parts of Northern New Mexico for Texas in 1841. The expedition was unofficially initiated by the then President of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar, in an attempt to gain control over the...
, the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the 1849 Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, and the Westward Expansion Trails
Westward Expansion Trails
-Trail choices:Oregon Trail – Independence, Missouri to the Oregon TerritoryCalifornia Trail – Fort Hall, Oregon Territory to Sacramento, CaliforniaSanta Fe Trail – Independence to Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory...
(Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, California Trail
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
, Mormon Trail
Mormon Trail
The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
), the mythical elephant was an extremely popular way of expressing an overwhelming emotion. During the 20th century the phrase faded out of popularity but when historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
s started taking note of its reoccurrence in historical newspapers, journals, and literature they often summed the elephant up too quickly and categorized it as a negative experience. Desolation and sadness may have been one trait of seeing the elephant, but it was certainly not the only or even the most prevalent. More often, American pioneer
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
s of the Overland Trails talk of the excitement and anticipation of heading west to see the elephant. Elephant "sightings" often begin with excitement and high ideals only to be disappointing or disenchanting. The high excitement followed by the low frustrations are what epitomize the elephant as something most wanted to "see" but few would wanted to "see" again.
Origins
As early as the 1590s, the EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
used the idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
to “see the lions.” This referred to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
which is thought to have been one of the world’s oldest zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s. The monarchs kept a menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
of animals inside the tower including several types of cats. Travelers and visitors were hopeful for a glimpse of the animals, especially the lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
which was the living emblem of the king. In comparison to the American elephant seen by Easterners or city people in the country, the English lion was seen by country peasants in the city. But, both animals were symbolic of more than just the animal's presence. The elephant and lion were something sightseers wanted to glimpse because of their exotic nature and fear-laced excitement. It is this enthusiasm tinged with slight trepidation that continued to appear in elephant references of the 19th century U.S.
Americans first saw the elephant in the book Georgia Scenes in 1835 by the regionalist author, Augustus Baldwin Longstreet
Augustus Baldwin Longstreet
Augustus Baldwin Longstreet was an American lawyer, minster, educator, and humorist, known for his book Georgia Scenes.-Biography:...
. “That's sufficient, as Tom Haynes said when he saw the Elephant.” Longstreet’s book about rural Georgia (during a Gold Rush) had little to do with the more western venues for later "elephant sightings" but his reference of the elephant was enigmatic just like the journal entries discussing the animal.
A Washington D.C. newspaper article in 1848 gives an unlikely but intriguing origin for seeing the elephant. This article, entitled “Seeing the Elephant,” says the phrase came from a Philadelphia theatre a few years earlier. A play their theater was putting on was in need of an elephant but the few circulating circus elephants were not available and so they made a makeshift elephant and put a man inside to control the few movements the animal had to make. The audiences loved it and were extremely responsive. Unfortunately, the man they put inside was fond of his spirits, and one night he became so drunk he walked the elephant off the stage and into the music pit. The audience left laughing and joking, “Have you seen the elephant?” There are several newspaper articles entitled “Seeing the Elephant,” but the reason this theater-based comic sighting is so intriguing is the way the article described the drunken man’s reaction to the catastrophe. “And poor Ned, casting one look, a strange blending of drunkenness, grief, and laughter, at the scene, fled hastily out of the theatre.” His sentiments are a fascinating mixture, and possibly analogous to the mixture of emotions pioneers, miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s, and soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s felt when mentioning the elephant in their journals. The feelings were not simply good or bad but both along with the additional drunken or uninhibited state of mind and body. They could have felt this uninhibited sensation due to the relative freedom from societal customs and Eastern modes of conduct.
One of the most common origins many online sources cite is that of the optimistic farmer:
[There is an] old tale of the farmer who upon hearing that a circus had come to town excitedly set out in his wagon. Along the way he met up with the circus parade, led by an elephant, which so terrified his horses that they bolted and pitched the wagon over on its side, scattering vegetables and eggs across the roadway. “I don't give a hang,” exulted the jubilant farmer as he picked himself up. “I have seen the elephant”This popular but unlikely origin says a lot about what this term meant to the people of the time. While the jubilancy in the tale may be exaggerated in regards to what the pioneers, miners, and soldiers felt, this term was not meant in a completely regrettable manner. There's a sense of humor and a sense of optimism in the face of adversity. Catastrophe in the form of his wagon overturning occurred but instead of being mad about it he is just excited he got a chance to see the elephant.
The most likely origin of the mythical elephant is the menagerie or circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
. For most Americans, the only chance to see exotic animals was by these types of exhibitions. Circuses were quickly growing in popularity during the early nineteenth century. Several were performing throughout the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, specifically Philadelphia and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Oftentimes, the big draw for these shows were exotic animals like an elephant. In the 1820s, Hackaliah Bailey bought an elephant for one thousand dollars, and while this was a steep price tag, the hefty returns on his purchase allowed him to invest in more animals. When the circus was traveling, it often drew large crowds along the roadside. These wayside processions were the beginning of the parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
. For those that could not afford a ticket to the show, this procession was their only chance at glimpsing exotic animals.
The Elephant on the Overland Trails
- (primarily Oregon TrailOregon TrailThe Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, California TrailCalifornia TrailThe California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
, and the Mormon TrailMormon TrailThe Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
)
The first references of elephants in trail narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
s and letters are positive allusions. Hopes at the beginning of the trail tended to be high and the elephant excitement directly linked to this level of anticipation. John Clark’s quote from 1852 is a perfect example of the eager emigrant. “All hands early up anxious to see the path that leads to the Elephant.” Not everyone was as eager to head west. If wives began the trail unwillingly and were tense about the trail to come, the elephant often reflected these concerns unconsciously. Amelia Hadley wrote in early June 1851, “Some of our company did not lay by and have gone on they are anxious to see the elephant I suppose.” While her entry is not necessarily pessimistic, it definitely lacks the enthusiasm others had at the same point in their journey. In May 1852, Lucy Rutledge Cooke exuded zest. “Oh the pleasures of going to see the Elephant!!” These types of exuberant elephant entries are more common for the early months of trail life. In reading through dozens of trail diaries
Diaries
As a proper noun, Diaries, the plural of diary, can refer to:*Diaries: 1971-1976, an 1981 documentary by Ed Pincus*Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years, a 2006 book by Michael Palin...
, not a single author was found who wrote of dreading to see the elephant in this beginning stage of the trail.
Even entries from the second or third month on the trail were perhaps anxious but rarely glum. In a letter back to his wife, a doctor wrote: “We are now advanced on our trip about 200 miles and in all this trip I have not seen the ‘Elephant.’ I am told, however, that he is ahead, and if I live, I am determined to see him.” This man actually wanted to see the elephant. As the trip westward progressed pioneers began to write in their journals that they were beginning to see glimpses of the elusive animal. Joseph Wood wrote: “Now methinks I see the elephant with unclouded eyes.”
As travelers became tired and hungry and saw family members and travel companions die of disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
and accidents, reality began to set in. The elephant was not everything they hoped it would be. On June 3, 1852, Polly Coon wrote:
Found our mess very much dejected with their nights watching and drenching but consoled themselves that they had seen some of the Elephant. Everything being wet we concluded to tarry 2 days & dry & repair & wash.
Although the tone is dismal, Coon is still writing of the elephant not as a consequence but as a consolation or benefit of an unfortunate happenstance; in her case it was bad weather. Merrill Mattes, the Great Platte River Road
Great Platte River Road
The Great Platte River Road was the convergence point for the Trapper's Trail, the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the California Trail, the Pony Express route, and the military road from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Laramie across Nebraska. The Road, which extended from the Second Fort Kearny to Fort...
historian, found that bad weather was often a catalyst for pioneers to put the elephant in their journals. A hailstorm
Hailstorm
Hailstorm may refer to:* Hail, a type of precipitation* Hailstorm , a fictional character* Hailstorm , 2010* Hailstorm , a 1994 album by Barathrum-See also:* Halestorm, an American rock band...
induced Walter Pigman (1850) to write: “The boys concluded the elephant was somewhere in the neighborhood.” During a storm in 1849, Niles Searls “had a peep at his proboscis
Proboscis
A proboscis is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth found in several varieties of species.-Etymology:...
.” Neither of these references paint the pachyderm
Pachyderm
Pachyderm or pachiderm may refer to one of the pachydermata, an obsolete order of mammals which included:* Elephants* Rhinoceroses* Hippopotami* Mammoths* Mastodons* Wild Boars* Pigs* Warthogs* Tapirs* Aardvarks* Hogs* Moeritheriums...
in either a good or bad light, but the fact that its usage comes during vicious storms might allude to something more. Storms on the prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
can be dangerous but also tremendous and breathtaking. They probably wreaked havoc on wagons and stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
, but the pioneers likely could not help but be impressed by the unmatched forces of nature at play on the open plains
Plains
Plains is the plural of plain, a geographical feature. It is a big flat area of a land. Plains or The Plains may also refer to:-Locations:Canada*Three Mile Plains, Nova Scotia*Five Mile Plains, Nova ScotiaUnited States*Great Plains...
. This mixture of fear, misfortune, and overwhelming new experiences is at the center of the elephant emergence.
One bad day was not often treated to elephant status in a pioneer’s journal, but successive unfortunate days or occurrences were not only notable themselves but also noteworthy of an elephant reference. George Bonniwell (1850) described incident after incident, including bad roads, no water or grass, and then wrote, “This is a trying time to the men and horses. I have just been to get grass, and got up to my 'tother end' in mud… First glimpse of the Elephant.” In 1853, Helen Stewart described in her journal a botched river crossing and then not even a day later her mother’s leg was run over by the wagon. “Pa said we were beginning to see the elephant.” Bonniwell and Stewart’s first glimpses of the elephant were common situations. Bad roads, no water or grass, and distressing river crossings were common issues dealt with on the trail. Even emigrants getting run over by their wagons were surprisingly common. First glimpses of the elephant were the most common journal entry. However, sometimes the first peek was not as remarkable as later more epic appearances that finally led pioneers like Abigail Scott Duniway
Abigail Scott Duniway
Abigail Scott Duniway was an American women's rights advocate, newspaper editor and writer, whose efforts were instrumental in gaining voting rights for women.-Biography:...
(1852) to acknowledge its presence, “We had seen the "Elephant" before we got there but it is the cream of the whole route, we slipped through, the Cascade Mountains between two storms.”
As the miles rolled on and the pioneers continued dealing with hardships, their optimistic attitudes plummeted and the elephant was used as a kind of scapegoat
Scapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
for their troubles. The elephant that had demonstrated their excitement was now portraying their concerns. The mythical animal that had imbedded hopefulness in travelers was starting to present a different side. For many, this side was something they did not wish to view again. Lucius Fairchild, a Wisconsinite on his way to California in 1849 wrote: “that desert is truly the great Elephant of the route and God knows I never want to see it again.” In just a few months and several hundred miles, the elephant had transformed from a pursued celebrity to an infamous icon. It was at these later stages of the trail that pioneers were finally elephant-weary and showed anger or frustration towards the colossus that had at first given them such high hopes.
The elephant was “seen” at river crossings, during bad weather, after wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
s ran over family members, after deaths, and especially at a pioneer’s first glimpse of one of many roadblocks in the trail ahead. The emigrants discussed the elephant in terms of their excitement for the outcome of their upcoming journey. They had their eyes on the destination and not always the 2,000 miles that lay between them and their dreamland. The elephant is in many ways a pachyderm of psychological proportions. How the pioneers described him was directly related to how they were feeling. The elephant phrase was early on meant as a good thing, but because it was used in conjunction with an experience that did not turn out as most hoped, the term evolved into a slightly more negative connotation after the Overland Trail period was over. This downbeat view of the elephant due to its connections with the trails more grievous moments is likely what has given the 20th century historians the opinion that the elephant was mostly a bad experience. The pessimism of the phrase retained this trait throughout much of its historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
.
All narratives reveal trials, but not all trials are written in conjunction with the elephant. The mythic animal was more than just a term for an ordeal. It was an expression for a tribulation that was ironic or directly followed excitement of some kind. John Lewis’ journal entry in 1852 may be the clearest use of the elephant and clearly summarizes everything the elephant symbolizes: excitement followed by troubles, which leads to disenchantment. After Lewis’ sightseeing trip to Courthouse Rock he wrote:
We didn’t suppose it to be more than one or two miles from the road we went on foot but as we found it to be at least four miles our trip was not so easy as we supposed… but like all the rest we must see the Elephant & some of the party did see his back before they got to camp as some of them was out till 9 o'clock.
Courthouse Rock was a popular visual attraction on the landscape. These large monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
s were exciting trail markers that unfortunately were not always accessible for up-close perusal. Independence Rock
Independence Rock
Independence Rock may refer to:*Independence Rock , a well-known landmark on the Oregon Trail*Independence Rock...
has etchings all over its expansive base from travelers leaving their name, but Courthouse Rock was not as close to the main vein of the trail and so if pioneers wanted to see it they had to take side trips. Merril Mattes attributes the lack of depth perception
Depth perception
Depth perception is the visual ability to perceive the world in three dimensions and the distance of an object. Depth sensation is the ability to move accurately, or to respond consistently, based on the distances of objects in an environment....
to altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
; this misled many sightseers to think it was much closer than it was. John Lewis was one of these disillusioned tourists that in many ways can be universally compared to the average pioneer on the trail. He wanted to see the butte
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
that was a once in a lifetime view of this entity, but the distance to see it and the extra work this entailed was more than he was expecting. Hence while Courthouse Rock was massive and breathtaking, Lewis’ overall experience of going so far out of his way was unexpected and disenchanting.
Brothel and Saloon Elephant
The ambiguity of the colloquial phrase “seeing the elephant” is likely what led to it being used as an euphemismEuphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
or slang for western saloons
Western saloons
A Western saloon is a kind of bar particular to the American Old West. Saloons served customers such as fur trappers, cowboys, soldiers, gold prospectors, miners, and gamblers. The first saloon was established at Brown’s Hole, Wyoming, in 1822, to serve fur trappers...
and brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s throughout the end of the nineteenth century. A picture of a red light district
Red Light District
Red Light District may refer to:* Red-light district - a neighborhood where prostitution is common* The Red Light District - the title of the 2004 album by rapper Ludacris* Red Light District Video - a pornography studio based in Los Angeles, California...
in 1890s Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
has the caption: “The Row, Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek may refer to:Places* Cripple Creek, Colorado* Cripple Creek, VirginiaSongs* "Cripple Creek ", traditional folk song* "Up on Cripple Creek" by The Band* "Cripple Creek Ferry" by Neil Young on the album After the Gold Rush...
: a part of town where everybody goes to see the elephant.” This use of the elephant in regards to brothels was not a one-time use of the term. Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, also shows signs of the elephant referring to brothels or the prostitution trade. The Coney Island Elephant
Coney Island Elephant
The Coney Island Elephant was a hotel and brothel built in the shape of an elephant, and located on Coney Island.In 1885, the Elephant Hotel, also known as the Elephantine Colossus, was built by James V. Lafferty and was 122 feet high with seven floors and had 31 rooms.The hotel became associated...
, built in 1884, was used as a brothel after its prime hotel business wore off. In his book about pleasure resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
s, Jon Sterngrass writes that the popularity of the phrase came from Coney Island which used the elephant as a mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
throughout the Gilded Age
Gilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age refers to the era of rapid economic and population growth in the United States during the post–Civil War and post-Reconstruction eras of the late 19th century. The term "Gilded Age" was coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their book The Gilded...
. “So famous was this massive monument [the Elephant Hotel] that for a generation, "seeing the elephant" signified a quest for satisfactions in disreputable quarters.” Earthly delights are not the only reason the elephant craze existed considering its many earlier origins. More likely the elephant Americanism gained steam and then was used as a catchy draw for brothels, saloons or businesses. There were several old west saloons that had ‘elephant’ in the title, including the famous White Elephant Saloons.
The brothel elephant can also be “seen” in the movie Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
as courtesan
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
Satine’s business and living quarters.
Maybe coincidentally or perhaps a remnant of the 19th century elephant idiom, the 20th century euphemism "seeing pink elephants
Seeing pink elephants
"Seeing pink elephants" is a euphemism for drunken hallucination, caused by alcoholic hallucinosis or delirium tremens. The first recorded use of the term is by Jack London in 1913, who describes one kind of alcoholic, in the autobiographical John Barleycorn, as "the man whom we all know, stupid,...
" is a term to denote drunk hallucinations. This may link back to the use of the term in Western saloons where patrons would drink alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s in hopes of seeing the elephant. Also meaningful is the link between the pink elephants as a hallucination and the 19th century elephant as a mythical elephant that never appeared in tangible form but as an imaginary vision.
See also
- Cultural depictions of elephantsCultural depictions of elephants-Religion and philosophy:* The scattered skulls of prehistoric pygmy elephants on Crete, and near Catana, Sicily, featuring a single large nasal cavity at the front, may have formed the basis of belief in existence of cyclops, the one-eyed giants featured in Homer's Odyssey.* A white elephant is...
- Seeing pink elephantsSeeing pink elephants"Seeing pink elephants" is a euphemism for drunken hallucination, caused by alcoholic hallucinosis or delirium tremens. The first recorded use of the term is by Jack London in 1913, who describes one kind of alcoholic, in the autobiographical John Barleycorn, as "the man whom we all know, stupid,...
- List of fictional elephants
- Elephant HotelElephant HotelYou may be looking for the Coney Island elephant hotel, also known as Lucy the Elephant.The Elephant Hotel is a National Historic Landmark located in Somers, New York, a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as Somers Town...
- Covered WagonCovered wagonThe covered wagon, also known as a Prairie schooner, is an icon of the American Old West.Although covered wagons were commonly used for shorter moves within the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century thousands of Americans took them across the Great Plains to Oregon and California...
- Wagon TrainWagon TrainWagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
- Folklore of the United StatesFolklore of the United StatesThe folklore of the United States, or American folklore, is one of the folk traditions which has evolved on the North American continent since Europeans arrived in the 16th century. While it contains much in the way of Native American tradition, it should not be confused with the tribal beliefs of...
- Elephant testElephant testThe term elephant test refers to situations in which an idea or thing "is hard to describe, but instantly recognizable when spotted".- Uses :...
- Western saloon
- PrevedPrevedPreved is a term used in the Padonkaffsky jargon, a meme in the Russian-speaking Internet which developed out of a heavily-circulated picture, and consists of choosing alternative spellings for words for comic effect...
Further reading
- Burns, John F. and Richard J. Orsi. Taming the Elephant. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2003. http://books.google.com/books?id=y-ucusuLPOQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=burns,+orsi&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Hicks, John Edward. Themes From the Old West. Kansas City: Midamerican Press, 1952. http://books.google.com/books?id=0j7AGAAACAAJ&dq=john+edward+hicks&cd=2
- Bartlett, John Russell, ed. Dictionary of Americanisms, 4th edition. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1877. pg 568. http://books.google.com/books?id=SSjVupdDGPYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=dictionary+of+americanisms&hl=en&ei=ph7jS9KmNsOC8gbSsrCoBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=seeing%20the%20elephant&f=false
- Bartlett, John Russell ed. Dictionary of Americanism: A Glossary of Words and Phrases. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1889. pg 200-201. http://books.google.com/books?id=kI0VAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+russell+bartlett&cd=9#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Reid, John Phillip. Law for the Elephant: Property and Social Behavior on the Overland Trial. San Marino, CA: Huntington Library, 1980.