The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-08-06
An Ad,ea,,re W,,h . Ceyle. Elephant.

In the early part OF the year 1901
WAS payirs.a visit to q coffee planter,
waJ hal u large estate in one ~ the
most out-of the-way places in the Island
Ut C-y ION.
at:cr IL pleasant ran up 10 kindly by
train. amt thcncc by coach and bullock
ext, 1 ultimately reached my destination
j.. safety. Travelling by buiiosk-cart IS
Ly 80 means comfortable performance.
an.l as this was the first time had ex-
;.erienccd l., naturally fo't the jolting
,s.y considerably. When ind arrivs,
hJa.ver, I was fully reconpensed, tor
I received > most hearty welcome
from my friend, and VIC spcLt the best
part of the night in talking over school
days, and the latest news from thc "Old
Country
La the course ef conversation c
mentioned that :, 'rogue elephant" had
bcensccn in the neiybborhood Il few days
previously, and he thought he would be
able Is arrange for portion of the jun
gle 10 be beaten the next evening, when
I shcaId probably have chance of my
"n,aiicn shot at large game.
The bridlepatl, through the janglewas
vcry narrow one, but my pony seemed
pretty wei! nsed to it indeed, he want
III 10 get along rather faster than cared
about. rs his rapid progress resulted i'll
ray tearing Iay clothes several times, in
zen sequence of their becoming cn:ang-
led in the branches Of the thorny acaria,
which fourishes most luXurian.iy ia that
part Of Ceylon. / arrived 1T the post
office without meeting with any adven-
lures, and having procured the papers,
commenced my return.
just as | had got about halt way
through the jungle, and was in one of
the most narrow parts of the pathway,
was suddenly aroused frcm my re-
vrric by what--to me-was u most un-
accountable sound somewhat resembling
the tumult should have expected 10
hear if half !. dozen bniIs were below
i.s; tho noise was accompanied BY q
ras..ing OF the underwood, and snap
PIN. Of branches.
II instantly flashed across my mind
ifa, mad inadvertently conc upon the
rogue elephant" and rs ,be uproar
w:.s immediately in front 0: me, deem
.d discretion 10 &c the better part OF
raior, and cr,,icay cred 70 turn nv horses
head.
could not succeed in my attempts,
however, The path being so narrow, and
the underwood on either side so dense,
shat had no choice but to stop where
| WAS or advance.
TO my astonishneBt, the pony did
- m fi,.. lansf a
with the exception of its long. bushy
tail. with which it kept switching OF
the brown bnffa!o-flies. MY surprise
was consequent upon my conversation
With C---the previous evening, when
be mentioned that horses had y great
nntipathy TO elephants, an antipathy
that wa. only cqua!lcd by the DISLIKE
which elephants had for horses.
had just turned round ia INV saddle
to see where my horse ke.Der had 90,
&c. when l found myself within few
feet Of al immense elephant. had no
firearms with me, and perhaps It was
fortunate l had not. for TO Put an e.e-
plant h0-s de combat with a single shot
~ feat to be proud CT, AMI one which
is rarely performed. The chances we're
hat. had l been armed, | should have
fred at the elephant, and So irritatcd
him that he would have immediately
rushed upon me.
Ny first movement was to draw nv
feet ont Of the st,rrups, and slip off the
horse in very undigni6ed manner. In
doing SO, my clothes, which were of
very tight material, were torn by the
thorns of the brake through which l
Was passing.
l struggled to regain my feet hay
ing lost my balance ia dismount,nr-
and as soon as did so, perceived The
elephant making way for himself
through the Jungle, in q direction at
right angles with the path l had been
following.
Much to my surprise, the animal did
not appear to any extent disconnected at
our encounter, and was moving off at q |
pace but little quicker than walk, fore
ing the underwood away on either side
of him with his trunk.
Ny surprise was also enhanced when.
Oh glancing behind me, saw the horse.
keeper regarding me with broad grin
pn his ugly features.
When l reached the bungalow found
hat couple Of "neighboring planters"
AS my friends called them, notwi,h-
standing the fact that their estates were
over fifty miles from his
,wn,-had called. en- route for HANDY.
he cup country" capital of Ceylcn.
Considerable anxiety was erinced by
and his friends 10 know VIVA, Wa.
he cause Of my ta:tered appearance, in
dditlon to which | was scratched nj
,ood deal about tho face.
Dinner beirg announced shortly ac q
crward, l proceeded TO relate NV en-
ountcr with, and escape from, the !
rogne-ciephant," and at the conclusion
fmy narrative expressed my surprise
t having had what might almost term
miraculous escape. Turing to c.
asked him how he accounted for the =
uiet way in which the horse had con-
acted itself. &c
l was greeted with roars Of laughter I
n every side. "Why, Jack, said C, 5
do You think rogue elephant would !;
aye skcdaddlcd As that fellow did . u
our adventure (save the mark y has
cen with 4 lame c!eDhaut icion,.;no ~