Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1865-08-02

- oHe anoGher, Wnen IlppoO Iosth tempe
g and let fly with his trunk unexpected
lg catching Hannibal under the lug, an
ID fairly staggering the old fellow. I'll
is latter, as soon as he recovered from h
astonishment, rallied and visited Tippc
e with a sockdollager, which sent him fail
: y on his beam-ends. Tippoo wa
: stunned for a few seconds, but, as soon a
S he recovered his senses, rushed at hi
= enormous opponent with fury, and in Al
instant the huge antagonists were engage,
in deadly strife. With trunks inter
locked, and their colossal heads raised
, high in air, each strove to bear the otheI
, to the ground, and had either succeeded
in the effort, the other would soon have
been gored TO death. Fortunately, they
were both chained, which impeded the
full exercise Of their strength, and their
respective keepers succeeded in separat-
ing and pacifying them before auv
serious mischief was done. The excite
ment Of the moment over, the elephants
became good friends again but after
this incident they were always chained
so far apart as to prevent any of those
familiarities which in their case had bred
disseusion, if not contempt. When Han
nihal, Columbus, Pizzaro, and Virginius
we're travelling together, itfrequentIy be-
came necessary to swim them across
rivers and at such times they almost in
variably manifested a disposition to in
dulgo in free fight among themselves,
requiring great watchfuIness and decision
on the part Of their keepers to keep the
peace. Is they were all extremely
powerful elephants, it is quite probable
that this disposition arose from ali honest
desire to ascertain. which was "the best
man" among them rather than from ma
Iicious motive.
Hannibal was an original emancipa-
zionist. In 1858 he carried an emanci-
patton proclamation Gin his trunk into
South Carolina, which he issued in the
form Of a " Trumpet Blast of Freedom"
extra, and which efectually abolished
slavery from one section Of the State
for short time, at least. It happened
in this wise: The menagcrie was cross |
ing the Black Warrior river, and Happi-
bal was taken in to swim it. Now, an
elephant can stay under water long
time, and by stretching the trunk so as
to reach the surface for air, can float far
below for hours without giving any 7isi-
BILE signs Of his presence. On this occa-
sion, after swimming very nicely for
while, Hannibal made a dive. His
keeper who was in small boat, stopped
rowing, and waited for him to come up
again. After waiting reasonable time
without the elephant putting in an ap-
oearance, the keeper mistrusted that
was wrong, and commenced :
owing in circle as if he we're pulling t
or wager, in hopes of finding some in
lications of the brute. Leaving the
'oeper thus employed, we will follow 5
he elephant, who, taking advantage of q
he current, had fOatsd down the river.
urned bend, and, after enjoying a de- I
ightful bath, began to look fora landing i
lace. He found one twelve miles from q
he spot where ne started, on the edge ofI II
cotton field, in which about three hun f
red darkies of all ages and both sexes Il
ere at work. A big "swash" and ire Il
londous blast from the elephant trunk, fl
rev their attention to the river, from !,
he very depths of which they saw
lack monster emerging, the water rolling .,
ON his sides, his immense ears tapping 81
Idly, his fearful tusks pointed directly W
theH. On he came, and away went h,
ey! The appearance of such a crea- 81
re under such circumstances, would br
artle anybody but the effect produced ri
/ these ignorant plantation hands, Sc
eat portion Of whom were not aware tr.
at there was such ali animal rs an ele M
lant in existence, can better beimagined Iiy
an described. They were all satisfied GU
at the Evil One had come for them.
re enough; and as they fed in wild
Infusion, they spread the story among
whom they met with such terrific ex-
gerations, that in twelve hours, it is
id, there was not cullod pussum," z
,e nor bond, to be found in the country. Ne
is certain that for twoWoek3 afterward IN
e menagerie people daily encountered ~ ~
sntCs locking for slaves who had dis ort m
peared after Hannibal'a unlocked for Ior
it to the plantation. and
Hannibal was what Artemus Ward him
uld probably term a " healthy feeder" stel
ur hundred weight of hay and three the
shells of oats formed his regular daily I
ion. That would make for the forty thai
, years that lie was owned by Van par
lbursh & Co., forty-four thousand Aut
ht hundred and ninety-fve bushels Of
S, and two thousand nine hundred and up up
ety-three tons of hay that he disposed low,
while Gfty-nine thousand eight hun &c
d and sixty barrels Of water would be up !