Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-05-15
How they get Elephants.

Barnum, as the newspaper world knows, is about
to establish kind of perapatic or locomotive muse
UNI, including a menagerie of wild animals, and an
immense collection of wax figures. Butwhat would
menagerie be without half dozen elephants,
considering what most people 60 TO see In caravan,
is the elephant? He, therefore, sent Mr.. S. B. June,
of Weschester county, in New York, to Asia, In or
der to look up good assortment of these desirable
animals The following letter gives the result of the
enterprise
CoLUMBo, Ceylon, Dec 80, 1850.
The annoyances and delays which have encoun-
tered in carrying out the project have been numerous
and formidable but believe now all is in success
full train of operation. On arriving at Port de Gale,
| left Captain Pratt and hurried TO Columbo, when
advertised for elephants in the papers published in
able idea of 'the benefits of Advertising" at least in
this benighted country. Government, private, indi-
viduals, and every who had elephants for sale,
Immediately increased their demands to such an ex-
ravagant pitch that determined 10 have nothing 10
do with any of Them but to start for the interior and
hunt for them in their wild state feeling that any diff
culties that should meet could not be greater than
those encountered in my Giraffe expedition.
With George Nutter, / Immediately started for
Randy, where we engaged party of natives to as
sist us and took up line of march for that part OF
the Island where the animals found in the great
est numbers. An incessant rain accompanied us,
and did not add to the agreeability of situation
The details of journey would not be very inter
esting to you. We at length found traces of drove
and at set about constructing bitches and fences
for pen which being finished and baited, we turned
dusky fellow aborers loose, and they, with the
internal din they managed to produce by the aid Of
strong lungs and variety of noisy Instruments in
few hours frightened the whole herd into the en-
closure
The most of the animals secured to trees
without difficulty, but one fine Bull much larger than
either Columbus or Bolivar, gave an Infinite amount
of trouble Indeed, if it had not been for the pres
ence of mind displayed by George Nutter several Of
the natives would have been killed in their endeavors
to lash him. He had them completely in his power,
when two three rifle balls from the opposite quar-
ter served to distract his attention for moment dur
ing which time he newly and more securely
dashed, to be incapable of doing further mis-
chief. twas several days, however, before he was
sufficiently subdued to be loosed with safety. The
result of this expedition was fifteen fine elephants
as wish to see Dividing our forces, sent Nutter
further north in search of few more of the same
sort, and |, with the natives that remained with me-
set out for Coumbo and PIT Gale, taking our prizes
with us.
The second day of our journey the big fellow died
from the effect of his wounds This regretted deep
y, he was much the largest elephant had ever
seen. The night before reaching Handy three OF
four of my mahous left suddenly, taking with them
another of my elephants, but with the remainder
safely reached Port Galle and the whole thirteen are
now safely on board the bark