Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-10-02
Hunting the Elephant.

A''ei tn!ce vi iOur udES UNSUCCESSFUL
hunting | resolved. there being good moon
light, to try what might be done with ele-
plants BY night. shooting a, the fountains,
and determined to make Carey. one Of
my servants. shoot with me. he using the
big rife Of six to the pound, and my sin
gle barrelled. two grooved. Of eight to the
pound.
On reaching fountain, which is called
by the natives 'Paapaa." found the nu-
merous foot-paths leading to 1t, covered, as
had anticipated. with fresh spoor of ele-
plant and rhinoceros. l then proceeded
to study the best spot on which to make our
shooting hole for the night. It wonld be
impossible to prevent some Of the game
from getting our wind. for the foot-palhs
led TO it from every side. The prevailing
wind vas from the east. SO pitched upon
the south west corner Of the fountain. The
water was not more than twenty yards
long and ten yards broad. The west side
was bounded by tufrous rock, which rose
abruptly from the water about FIVE feet
high. The top Of this rocl, was level with
the surrounding valley, and here al the el-
ephants drank, as if suspicious Of treading
on the muddy margin on the other three
sides of the fountain. | made our shoot
ing box within six or eight yards of the
water, constructing It in a circular form Of
bushes packed together so as to form a
hedge about three feet high On the top
of the hedge. l placed very heavy dead
old branches Of trees. so rs to form q clear
rest for our ifles; these clean old branches
we're ali lashed firmly together with strips
thorn bark. All being completed, l took
our s-eeds TO a shady tree. aboat quarter
Of mile to leeward Of the fountain, where
we formed kraal and took OF the sad
dies. THIS day was particularly adapted 70
bnng game to the wa:cr, the sun being cx-
tremely powerful. and 4 ho! dry winl pre-
vaiiiny ali the afternoon.
-Four Oh bull elephants drew near from
the south They We're coming right on foY
Tie spo. where We lay, and they seemed
very likely to walk over the top Of us. We,
therefore, placed our Two bis rifles in po-
si.ion, and awai,ed their forward movement
with intense interest. On they came, with
slow and stately step, until within TWEEN.
yards OF Us, when the leading elephant
look i into his heal TO pass to leward. We
let him come on unil he 60. oar wind, hc
WAS then Wi hin ten yards Of The muzzle:
If our heavy me tlcl rifles; on win lin. Us,
h toss.I his trunk alot., aml We ins.an ~
fired together. | caught him somewhere
about the heart. and my biz six pound ri
flc bars- in Caeey's hands, very nearly kill
ing Us both. The elephant, on being fired
at wheeled about. and retreated to the f5r-
est atop speed. now directed ''S;ickin-
themud" 10 make use ofhis single barrelied
twelve to the pound. in the event Of more
elephants coming up, and thanking my
stars that the the old Ouch riAe had not
sent us both to the land Of the leaI, saf
down and watched the dark masses of trees
that cut the sky on every side, in the hope
of seeing a mass as high and wide come
towering forward ia.o DE open space that
surrounded the fountain
We had 4 POI proceeded far from the white
rock when we entered forest frequenied
by elephants, and we very soon came upon
fresh spoor of troop of about ten fine
bulls. The spooring was conducted very
properly, the old chief taking the gsestasi
care of The wind, keeping lis follow 'f'faa
back, and maintaining silence, extending
picque:s in advance, and to the right and
left, and ordering them to ascend to the
SUBMITS of the tallest trees to obtain cor
rect view Of the surrounding forest Pres
emily the mighty game was detected. Old
Scwartand was led alongside Of me, and
my dogs were all in the couples. eight in
number. Iquickly mounted, and riding
slowly forward, obtained blink of one OF
the elephants. | called to the natives 10
slip TIE dogs, and then dashed forward for
selection. | chose the last, and gave him
shot as he passed me, and then riding
hard under hiss'ern | yelled like demon
t. clear him from his comrades and to
bring the dogs 10 my assistance The dogs
came. as expected, 10 my elephant, and
shot him from the saddle in Il business-hke
style, loading and firing with great rapid
ty: he .ook from fifteen to twenty sho,s
before he fell Gordon Camm.Rg.
"A FACT To PONDER OvER.--All of the
old soldiers, says an exchange, IN the war
of 1912. whatever may be their political
predlections, should vote against Fremont.