Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Three Hours Combat with an
Elephant.

L
nageric, gives the Cincinnati Commercial the
particulars of terrible fight with Tippoo
Sahib, the we'll known elephant, which oc-
cured at Conncrsvile, Indiana, rcCcn
tly. The menagerie had gone into winter
quarters at that place, and the colossal ami
nal is chained in a small building, where
he will he kept until the show season opens
next year. Tippoo Sahib, by the way, is
now the largest elephant in America. He
| is thirty six years old, and weighs ten thou
sand pounds.
The battle with Tippoo resulted from a
change in his keepers. Frank Nash, his
keeper for ten years, was recently supplant-
eti by Charles johnson, formerly of Barnum's
I menagerie. The elephant will not accept Il
new master without II Oattle, and Mr.. john
son prepared himself for an exciting en-
counter. The elephant was in particularly
bad humOr with all mankind. He would
allow nobody in his quarters, striking at
every intruder with his trunk and tusks most
yiciOusly.
On Tuesday morning last, at ten O'Clock,
the combat opened. The new keeper, with
! nine istants, had fully equipped themselves
with chains and cables for tying, and spears
and pitchforks for subduing Tippoo. The
first thing done was to fasteu a brickbat to
the end of rope, and throw it over the end
of the tusk chain, which latter is fastened
! to one leg ard one tusk. By means of this
rope, n twenty one cable chain formerly
used to subdue the famous HarnibaD was
! slip.noosed around the tusk. Next, an eX-
cavation three feet deep was mace under
| the sill of the house, and while the elephants
! attention was attracted to the other side of
! the room 10y pail of water poured into his
| trough, the cable chain was passed through
! the excavation and fastened to heavy stakes
! outside. All this time the infuriated mon
ster struck all around him with terrific fcro.
city, and tugged ut his chain with incredi-
ble momentum.
The next thing accomplished was the snar-
ing OF his hind legs. This was consumma-
ted by the Singing of fresh ropes around
| those two stately pillars of elephant flesh,
! bone and muscle, and finally by the stealthy
strategy of the keeper and another man,
these ropes were fastened to stumps outside.
The elephant was now sufficiently pinioncd
to al low the order, "chargc ptchforks, to
| be given. Ten men, armed with these ugly
implements of otfense, plunged them into
the rampaging beast, taking care, of course,
to avoid penetrating his eyes or joints. The
tcnderest spot in an elephant is just behind
the forelees, and that locality was prodded
numerically. By means Of hooked spear
sunk into his back, Tippoo was brought to
his knees but he surged up again with
such awful strength that he swept his tor
mentors off their feet, and made his claims
whistle like iddlc.stIings.
After an hours fighting he was brought
down on his side--but for two hours longer
he tuggcd ut his chains with frenzcd obs Ii
macy. lie pulled so hard at times that hi
hind legs were straight out behind him, ant
three feet off the ground.
At the end of the three hours, the gian
gave in by "trumpeting," which is the eIe
phant way of crying enough The mo
, mcnt this peculiar cry was heard the hattl'
ceased. The keeper made Tippoo get VI
and lie down a number of times, and he wa
as obcdicnt to the word of command ms
, gentle pony. The anima! was then groome'
? and rubbed off with whiskey. He allowed
, all manner of liberties without so much a
tapping ali ear. He was suoJugated ele
plant
, At one stage of the fight the dog Jack
! "a companion of the elephanD thought som
, of the tying business foul play. He fley
{ upon Johnson's back and tried to sink hi
. fangs into his neck, but was pulled off ant
, dragged out of the room. "Jack" evident
9 ly sympathized with his big friend.
!. One hundred and forty-three members @
$ the Smith family have graduated from Yal
: College.
n Eleven of the New York churches hsv
e boy choirs.
= A Rev. Dorsey is lecturing the Cambride
n England) undergraduates, on the art {
e reading aloud. He hopes that the ne,
If generation of clergymen will read the sc
Al vice more naturally and impressively thi
b the present.
G. Why is love like ducks foot I Becau