The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-05-24
AN ELEPHANT FIGHT.

AT signal given by the king, the two ele-
plants advanced from the opposite sisdes,
each with his mahout on his neck Malleer,
with his one tusk, looking by no mears so
formidable as the hinge black antagonist whom
he was to fight, and who was well furnished
with ivory. The moment they caught sight
tf each other, the two elephants, as if with
an instructive perception of what was expect
ed of them, put their trunks and tails aloft,
and shuflcd up to each other with considera-
BILE speed, after Their unwieldy fashion, trum-
peing ont loudly mutual defiance. This is
the ordinary attitude of attack of the ele-
phant. He puts his trung up perpendicuarlv
in order to be out of harms way. His tail
is similarly raised from excitement. His trum-
peting consists of series of quick blasts be-
tween roars and gruntiDg.
"Malleer and his foe rushed at each other
impetuously. The sound of their huge heads
coming ilto violent collision might have been
| hrard at the distance of half mile. This
may sound like an exaggeration. Ii is not so.
When the reader only things of the bulk OF
the elephant, the great weight, the momen-
tum acquired by the rapid motion, ,,Gnd then
the consusson of two such bodies coming
full tilt against each other, he will not be sur
prsed at it. More than once, on such occa-
sions, have seen the tusks snapped short off,
and thrown up into the air with the terrible
force of the collision.
"The first blow struck, both elephants now
set themselves vigorously to push against each
other with their bio d foreheads. Head &c
head, doth trunks still elevated into the all
perpendicularly, tthir tusks Iinterlaced theil
feet set frmy in massive solidity upon the
ground, did they push and push, and shove
and shoye, not with enc resolute long contin
ued effort but with repeated short strokes o.
the unwieldy forms. Their heads were no
separated for a moment; but the backs wel'
curyirg slightly and then becoming straigh
again IN regular succession, as each shove
and push was administered. \ x Ii was
spectacle to make one hold in the breath will
earnest gaxing-s spectacle to make the bloot
come fast and humping through the vein
as the two huge combetants pushed and shov
ed with all their might vehemently, and a
the two mahouts ezerted ell their powers t.
encourage them.
1T is evident in such contest as general
ly happens with wild animals, that the strong
, er combatant gains the victory. Instances d
occur in which superior agility causes Il
weaker to bear off the honors of success bu
such instances are rare--in the case of tw
opposing elephants, rarer, perhaps, then witt
other animals. But what is the end Of thi
: pushing you ask. If the stronger su oez
in overth rowing bis adversary, the death @
the vauquished is the probable result. Thi
sometimes occurs when great violence is use
and the, weaker can hardly retreat que
enough He loses hope and strength together
/ e., o., &, Il lo t,,r
and falls. The end IS soon seen. The vctc
pianges his tusk without mercy into the sid
Of his foe, as Re lies helPlessly on the ,grount
and death follows. If the weaker. by gref
agility, succeed in turning and running away
,, chase is the result, which ends either in III
. escape of the fugitive, or in hi' being sorel
belatored dyShe trung and CALLED by the iuSG
Of his antagonist