The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-07-01
DESTRUCTION or ELEPHANTS IN
CEYLON.

By the last accounts from Ceylon we
hear that the Governor, with the full con-
currence of the Secretary OF State, has
issued a prohibition against the destruc-
ton of elephehts. This has already
caused disappointment to sundry sport
ing travellers, and it Is as well that Il
should be generally known, that others
who are intent on the slaughter of big
game may direct their steps elsewhere
The wholesale and wanton destruction Of
these useful and intelligent animals,
which has too long prevailed, has at
length aroused the attention Of the Co
lonial Government. They ought to be
largely employed in public works. Their
strength, which enables them to draw
stones of huge magnitude, and to place
them with ease whereverffdqu rem
ders elephantwOrk far more eyaluableand
substantial than that of the weak Indian
laborers employed on the roads and irri-
CATION works in Ceylon. 1t is particu'
larly in the construction Of bridges that
the value of elephants is manifest. Moth
ing can be more interestingthan to watch
the docility and intelligence. of these
great creatures in the performance their of
tasks, now dragging, now pushing, to the
exact spot, gigantic stones and placing
them in their appointed position with the
accuracy ofa mason.
OF late, unfortunately, the strength Of
the elephant department in Ceylon has
dWindled down to the half of its full COM
plement, and from every province where
works of any importance were going on
demands come in for the assistance of
elephants, but in vain, Formerly we'll
trained elephants were not difficult to
purchase; many were owned by private
persons, but still more by the representa-
tives of the Buddhist temples, who let
them out for hire when not wanted for
religious professions. Now none of any
value can beprocured. Thenatiye head
men report that elephants are disap-
pearing, and the wanton massacre of
them in those parts of the island where
there is sufficient population to capture
them by a kraal have rendered it unlike
ly that the public want can be supplied
by this means. No doubt they can be
supplied by the employment Of elephant
catchers, but the cruelties praCticed on
the wretched animals by this process,
in which hardly one in three survives
the tying-up operations after the ele-
plants are noosed, induce the govern
ment to resort to it as seldom as possible.
In former days the number and bold
ness of elephants rendered their destruc-
ton a matter of necessity now they are
fully alive to their danger and instinc-
lively keep away, as general rule from
villages where they know they will be
encountered with firearms. Complaints,
no doubt, sometimes GOMEZ in that an out
lying crop has been ravaged, in which
case the punishment of the invaders is
permitted. Rewards are also given for
the destruction of rogue elephants, who
occupy for time some particular road,
put to fight the post-runners, and tear
open the bags, which are abandoned to
them to divert their attention. The let
ters scattered about are shown by the
runners in attestation of their story. 1t
has, however, been remarked that, though
ordinary letters in such cases are recov-
cred, the registered letters have some
particular attraction to the animal, and
are carried off by him into the jungle.
In these circumstances it has been
found necessary to put a stop to the issue
of licenses to shoot and capture, except
for government purpose, for some time
to come; and it is desirable that sporting
adventures should be appraised that
shot at an elephant in Ceylon is in the
case Of a notorious rogue, or Of herd
indulging in too frequent visits to irriga-
ton Works, and consequent destruction
of the dams.-LOndOn Times.