The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-07-02
A Scarcity Of Elephants.


BY the last accounts from Ceylon we
hear that the Governor. with the mll CON
currence of the Secretary of State, has is
sued prohibition against the destruction
OF elephants. This has already caused
disappointment 10 sundry sporting travel
ers and il is we'll that il should be gener-
ally known, chat Others who are intent on
the slaughter of big game may direct their
steps elsewhere. The wholesale and
wanton destruction Of these useful and in
telligent animals, which has too long pre-
vailed. has az Length aroused the attention
OF the Colonial Government. They ought
10 be- largely employed In public works.
Their strength. which enables them 10
draw stones OF huge magnitude. and 10
place them with ease wherever required.
renders elephant work far more substan-
iial than that Of the weak Indian laborers
employed on the roads and irrigaiion-
works in Ceylon. ltis particularly in the
construction OF bridges that the value OF
the elephant j. manifest. Nothing can be
more interesting than 10 watch the docil-
ity and intelligence of these great
creatures in the performance OF their task.
now dragging, now pushing, 10 the exact
spot. gigantic stones. ana placing them in
their appointed position with the accuracy
of "A mason OF late, unfortunately, the
strength Of the elephant department i'm
Ceylon has dwindlcd down 10 half OF it,
full complement and from every prov
ince where works OF any importance were
going on demands come IN for the assist
anee of elephants, but in vain. Formerly.
well-tralnned elephants were not difficult
10 purchase; many were owned by pri
vate persons. but still more by the repre-
sentatives OF the Buddhist temples. who
laf fhan1 ft.r al tphaft az ~ faA Far.
religious professions. Now none OF any
value can be procured. The native head
men report that elephants are Disappear
ing. and the wanton massacr,s Of them ia
those parts of the island where there j.
sufficient population Ia capture
them by kraal have rendered
IL unlikely that the public want
can be supplied by this means. No doubt
they can be supplied by the employment
of elephant catchCrs. but the crueliies
practised on the wretched animals by this
process, in which hardly one in three sur
wives the tying-up operations after the
elephants are nOOsed. induce the Govern
ment TO resort 10 il "a seldom as possible.
In former DAYS the number and boldncss
OF elephants rendered their destruction a
matter of necessity: now they are fully
alive 10 their danger. and instinctively
where they know they will be encounter
ed with firearms. Complaints no doubt
sometimes come In that an outlying crop
has been ravageh, in which case the pun
ishment Of the invaders Is permitted. Re-
wards are also given for the destruction
OF rogue elephants. who occupy for a
time some particular road, put To flight
the post-runners and tear open the bags,
which are abandoned to them TO divert
their attention. The letters scattered
about are shown by the runners In attes-
tation OF their story. Ii has, however.
been remarked that, though ordinary let
tens In such cases are recovered, the regis
tered letters have some particular attrac-
ton to the animal, and are carried of by
him into the Jungle. La these circum-
stances, il has been found necessary 10
put a stop TO the issue of licenses TO shoot
and capture, except for Government pur-
poses, for some time 10 come and IL j.
desirable that sporting adventures should
be apprised that their only chance Of being
allowed shot at an elephant in Ceylon l.
In the case of notorious rogue, or of a
herd INDUCING too frequent visits to irri-
CATION works, and consequent destruction
ofthe dams. -London Times.