Worn and torn, dry and cracked, resistant to wind and rain… the skin of the elephant is a thing of dry beauty and ancient wisdom… During the gold rush, the phrase “Seeing the elephant” became synonymous with the high cost of each prospector’s dreams and hopes — not only the prospect of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice in California but also the possibilities of encountering misfortune on the journey. Like the circus elephant, gold was an exotic sight, and seeking it was an unequalled experience, the adventure of a lifetime.