The phrase ''seeing the elephant'' is an Americanism which refers to gaining experience of the world at a significant cost. It was a popular expression of the mid to late 19th century throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

, the

Texan Santa Fe Expedition The Texan 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 ...

, the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, the 1849

Gold Rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...

, and the

Westward Expansion Trails In the history of the American frontier, overland trails were built by pioneers throughout the 19th century and especially between 1829 and 1870 as an alternative to sea and railroad transport. These immigrants began to settle much of North Ame ...

(

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...

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. After it was established, the first half of the California Trail f ...

Mormon Trail The Mormon Trail is the long route from Illinois to Utah that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled for 3 months. Today, the Mormon Trail is a part of the United States National Trails System, known as the Mormon ...

).Mitford M Mathews, ed., ''A Dictionary of Americanisms: On Historical Principles '' (University of Chicago Press, 1951), 550. During the 20th century the phrase faded from popularity but when historians started taking note of its recurrence 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 pioneers were European American and African American settlers who migrated westward from the Thirteen Colonies and later United States to settle in and develop areas of North America that had previously been inhabited or used by Nati ...

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 frustration epitomizes the elephant as something most wanted to "see" but few would have wanted to "see" again.

Origins

As early as 1590, the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

used the

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, ...

to "see the lions," which is a likely ancestor to seeing the elephant. This referred to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

, thought to have been one of the world's oldest

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for Conservation biology, conservation purposes. The term ''zoological g ...

s. The monarchs kept a

menagerie A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern Zoo, zoological garden. The term was first used in 17th-century France, 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 The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

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. The phrase may have taken on its American form in 1796 with exhibitor Jacob Crowninshield's Asian elephant display in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, at the corner of Beaver and Broadway. A young, 8-foot tall animal was shipped from India to become the first live elephant exhibition in America. It drew visitors from as far as Pennsylvania and Virginia, making "I saw the elephant" into a famous claim of worldly experience. The fixed exhibition had gained such renown that, in 1808,

Hachaliah Bailey Hachaliah Lyman Bailey (pronounced ''heck-a-LIE-uh''; July 31, 1775 – September 2, 1845) was the founder of one of America's earliest circuses. In 1808, he purchased an Indian elephant which he named "Old Bet" and which was one of the first suc ...

purchased "

Old Bet Old Bet (died July 24, 1816) was the first circus elephant and the second elephant brought to the United States. There are reports of an elephant brought to the United States in 1796, but it is not known for certain that this was the elephant that ...

" from Crowninshield for one thousand dollars; and while this was a steep price tag, the hefty returns on his purchase allowed him to later invest in more animals. Old Bet traveled extensively with Bailey charging 25 cents for the curious to "see" the elephant. The phrase was shown to have possibly gained widespread usage by the 1830s from the book ''Georgia Scenes'' published in 1835 by regional author

Augustus Baldwin Longstreet Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (September 22, 1790 – July 9, 1870) was an American lawyer, minister, educator, and humorist, known for his book ''Georgia Scenes''. He was the uncle of the senior Confederate General James Longstreet. He held p ...

. "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". A

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

newspaper article in 1848 mistakenly gives an alternate origin for seeing the elephant. This article, entitled "Seeing the Elephant," says the phrase came from a

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

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?""Seeing the Elephant," ''Daily National Intelligencer'' (Washington, DC) April 06, 1848, Issue 10,956, col D Gerald Conti, in his 1984 article
Seeing the Elephant
, notes that the origin may date back much further. He writes:

It is likely, however, that the expression dates from well before this time. In the 3rd Century B.C., Alexander the Great's Macedonian warriors defeated the elephant-mounted army of King
Porus Porus or Poros ( grc, Πῶρος ; 326–321 BC) was an ancient Indian king whose territory spanned the region between the Jhelum River (Hydaspes) and Chenab River (Acesines), in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. He is only ment ...
in the Indus valley. Surely these men brought memories of the strange beasts back to their hearthsides to thrill and excite their families. Considering the remarkable distance traveled by this army and its exotic exploits, it may be that "seeing the elephant" became synonymous with journeys and experiences in strange and far-off places.

Another colloquial origin story many online sources cite is that of the optimistic farmer:

here is an Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Television * Here TV (formerly "here!"), a TV ...
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."

Military

In some military quarters, having "seen the elephant" has been used as shorthand for having experienced combat.

Elephants on the Overland Trails

The first references of elephants in trail

narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travel literature, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller (ge ...

s and letters are positive allusions. The reference appears primarily in the

, and

. 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 Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

: "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 may refer to: * the plural of diary *''Diaries: 1971-1976'', a 1981 documentary by Ed Pincus *'' Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years'', a 2006 book by Michael Palin *''OFW Diaries ''OFW Diaries'' is a Philippine television documentary ...

, 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."Mattes, 62. 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:

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 The Great Platte River Road was a major overland travel corridor approximately following the course of the Platte River in present-day Nebraska and Wyoming that was shared by several popular emigrant trails during the 19th century, including the Tr ...

historian, found that bad weather was often a catalyst for pioneers to put the elephant in their journals. A

hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...

storm 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 A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

." 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 Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

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

plain In geography, a plain is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and as plateaus or uplands ...

s. 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 (October 22, 1834 – October 11, 1915) was an American women's rights advocate, newspaper editor and writer, whose efforts were instrumental in gaining voting rights for women. Biography Abigail S. Duniway was born Abigai ...

(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 In the Bible, a scapegoat is one of a pair of kid goats that is released into the wilderness, taking with it all sins and impurities, while the other is sacrificed. The concept first appears in the Book of Leviticus, in which a goat is designate ...

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 wagons 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 Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

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 is the study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline, and by extension is any body of historical work on a particular subject. The historiography of a specific topic covers how historians ha ...

. 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 Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

trip to

Courthouse Rock Courthouse and Jail Rocks are two rock formations located near Bridgeport in the Nebraska Panhandle. The Oregon-California Trail, the Mormon Trail, the Pony Express Trail and the Sidney-Deadwood Trail all ran near the rocks. The pair of rock f ...

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 A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive rock (geology), stone or rock, such as some mountains. For instance, Savandurga, Savandurga mountain is a monolith mountain in India. Erosion usually exposes the geological for ...

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 Depth perception is the ability to perceive distance to objects in the world using the visual system and visual perception. It is a major factor in perceiving the world in three dimensions. Depth perception happens primarily due to stereopsis an ...

altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum 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 __NOTOC__ In geomorphology, a butte () is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; buttes are smaller landforms than mesas, plateaus, and tablelands. The word ''butte'' comes from a French word mea ...

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 elephants

The ambiguity of the colloquial phrase "seeing the elephant" is likely what led to it being used as a

euphemism A euphemism () is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes ...

or slang for

western saloons A Western saloon is a kind of bar particular to the Old West. Saloons served customers such as fur trappers, cowboys, soldiers, lumberjacks, businessmen, lawmen, outlaws, miners, and gamblers. A saloon might also be known as a "watering trough ...

and

brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...

s throughout the end of the nineteenth century. A picture of a

red light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are partic ...

in 1890s

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

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 Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, also shows signs of the elephant referring to brothels or the prostitution trade. The

Coney Island Elephant The Elephantine Colossus (also known as the Colossal Elephant or the Elephant Colossus, or by its function as the Elephant Hotel) was a tourist attraction located on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York City. It was built in the shape of an eleph ...

, built in 1884, was used as a brothel after its prime hotel business wore off. In his book about pleasure

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...

s, Jon Sterngrass writes that the popularity of the phrase came from Coney Island which used the elephant as a

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

throughout the

Gilded Age In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Weste ...

. "So famous was this massive monument he Elephant Hotelthat 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!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and cour ...

'' as

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...

Satine's business and living quarters.

Media

Originally put on in New York in 1848, a popular burlesque about the Gold Rush called ''Seeing the Elephant'' made it to San Francisco for a performance in the summer of 1850. This show included a song of the same name that went on to become popular in its own right.

James McMurtry James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962, in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (''Daisy Miller'', ''Lonesome Dove'', and narrator of ''Ghost Town: 24 Hours i ...

's song "See the Elephant" from his 2005 album "Childish Things" uses the phrase as a Virginia teenager's chance to go to Richmond for some adult experience before heading off to military service. The Civil War Museum in

Kenosha Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenosh ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, produced and plays a 360° short film (in the style of a

cyclorama A cyclorama is a panoramic image on the inside of a cylindrical platform, designed to give viewers standing in the middle of the cylinder a 360° view, and also a building designed to show a panoramic image. The intended effect is to make vie ...

) titled "Seeing The Elephant", telling the story of Civil War soldiers, named after the phrase as used by soldiers of the time. The museum director said "These guys were excited and expecting glory, but when they got to battle they found chaos and mayhem, and they weren't too anxious to 'see the elephant' again."

References

External links

''They Saw the Elephant: Women in the California Gold Rush'' by Joann Levy

Seeing the Elephant: the California Gold Rush, Part I
The Museum Gazette, March 1999, National Park Service American English idioms American frontier Metaphors referring to elephants Oregon Trail 1830s neologisms