Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-05-09
then M. tuskgoes straight up in the


elephants, their tuSks clash together,
they struggle bead to head, to the
aStonishment of all, as it is known
to be very un usual for the wild ele-
plants to attack the tame ones on
these occasions. The old tusker
gradually force his antagonist down
hill, in spite of the yels Of the natives
who point at him with their spears;
he then suddenly leaves him, and
charges us the assent, catches him
on the broadside, and with one butt
knocks him right over, leaving the
poor beast on his back with his feet
up in the air, the poor mahout hav-
ing gone flying through space. The
other tame elephants now retire in
the panic, the wild herd slowly with
draw, and the grand old tusker, after
taking a good look at his discomtit-
ted foes, stalks quietly off, covering
the retreat of his companions.
The excitement among the specta-
tors now rises to the highest pitch;
the tame elephants are brought up,
aud with their united strength lift
their fallen comrade on his legs. The
natives once more commence to drive
the wild herd, the tame ones again
advance, they meet again in place
where the trees prevent us from see
ing the encounter, and the result is,
another tame elephant knocked right
over by the undaunted old tuSker.
Things now have come nearly to a
standstill; regular slate of funk
has been established among the tame
elphants and their mahouts, who can
not be induced again to approach the
herd, For some time it seemed as If
nothing could be done. The wild
ones make repeated charges, and the
natives show considerable courage i'll
standing their ground, and driving
them back with spears and shouts.
1t was curious to see how the ele-'
phantS always avoided to PIss under
our stand, invariably going round 1t;
had their sagacity been degree or
two greater, how easily they might
have turned the tables on us,as they
conld without difficulty have broken
down the trees which supported
the royal stand, when the whole
thing would have collapsed, and the
occupants would have been thrown
into the aerena at their mercy. An
elephant was secured bv one of the
hunters getting into tree, and,
dropping a moose on the ground, by
jerking it up, captured the elephant,
who, in passing, had literally put his
foot into it.
After a consultation among the
native headmen, it was decided that
nothing more could be done until the
tusker was shot. 1t appeared now
that he was a wel-known ''rogue"
elephant who had killed number of
nen in his time; that the natives
knew of his being in the neighbOr-
hood, and had endeavored to drive
him off, and thought thy had sue
ceeded, but that he entered the kraal
with the Others at the last moment,
in spite of all efforts to preyent him.
After considerable difficulty a gun
was procured-an old following
piece, | believe-and Lieut.. L. r. A,
who had some experience in ele-
phant shooting in the jungle vOlun-
teered to try his hand. a....
The herd had by this time drawn
themselves up in line, within about
a hundred yards of the stand, the
old tusker standing in front of them
like a squadron leader. L. advanced
quietly to within about twenty yards
of him, supported by the native hum
ters, who fringed the edge of the
Jungle, about the same distance to
his rear.
L. drops on one knee; we hold
our breath while he takes his aim;
but oh, horror! snap goes the cap,
the tuske's trunk goes up, and he
trots forward; it seems all up with
his tinny antagonist, when the ma
tives rush forward with yells from
the Jungle; he hesitates, and slowly
falls back. L. now fires, and this
time the huge beast drops on his
knees; roar of applause goes up from
the crowd outside the kraal; but the
old tusker gathers himself up, none
the worse, leads on gallant charge,
and SaatUe qasj Peatt is the order of
the day. Mr.. s., the hero of the
white umbrella, now takes the gun,
and apparently succeeds in placing
two bullets in his head, but the brave
beast seems none the worse. While
thus being made target of he has
advanced nearer to the stand, when
the unexpected report ola shot from
the high ground outside the kraal
is heard. The tusker is seen to
stagger; he has been struck behind
the ear. The gallant old rogue has
got his death wound at last; he sinks
quietly down and falls dead. And
lucky it was that this bullet, fired by
some reckless native, had thus found
its billet, otherwise, from the direc-
tion in which it came, it must have
gone into the royal stand.
The old tusktr being dead, the
tame elephants at once recover their
courage, and the work of noosing
the others went on easily. The
process is simple enough. Two tame
ones follow the herd, until they they
can separate one from 1t; couple of
natives, skillful as nOosers, are be-
hind, and supported again by the
native beaters in the rear, the noOs-
ers under cover of, and protected by
the tame elephants, ,(who will quick
ly interpose themselves when necesa-
ry for their protection get close up
in rear of a wild one, and slip the
moose rope under his hind foot
The other end is then made fast to
the collars of the tame beasts, who
walk away with him to the rear,
while he is resisting with all his eff
forts and screaming like an enor-
nous pig. A cougle more tame ell
ephants are now brought up, who
get on each side of him, and butt
and hustle him along as he struggles
and tries to throw himself down
The rope is at last got round a tree,