St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-01-14
An East Indian Amusement.

Il. y. Sala gives. III the London | elc-
graph, the following graphic deSclip-
tion OF the mode in which AN elephant
combat is conducted i'll India:
For the elephant fight proper the
contemding pairs are carefully trained
and prepared beforehand with Stimu-
lating food aud drugs. 1t * Il sight 10
see the Indian elephant III his wrath.
trumpcting ont blasts of rage and de
iiancc from his uplitted trunk. straight -
cning his tail. dropping his great under
hung pointed lip to give lair play to his
ivory hay omctS. and his little eyes "lar-
ing all the " lille like tirchallS from the
shadow of tn" huge ears. Yet there
are nIahoutS who will sit on them ncck>
and push into the thickc>t of the fight
hrutcS as mad lS even tliS digging III
their napc. this side and that. Nth the
dHkHs or hook, though hardly more
secure than would be the captains "t
tw" iron-rlads coming into collision.
with their eighty ton cannon diScliIIg-
ing il they pcIclcd themselves upon
the bowsprit ends. But only the best
trained animals would Ice trusted thus
to respect man amidst their widest
rage: ordinary lighting elephants can
not he ridden to the combat the ma
hout~ excite and cheer them, and then
slip of before the encounter begins
When it does begin. such as can look
with pleasure on these these things,
behold Il colossal ducllo. The cnor-
nous creatures charge like mountains
rolling together. their tuSks clash aud
chatter, their huge feet dciyc chasniS in
the dust and scatter il i'll clouds: and
they rear up on their hind legs and
wrcStlc for mastery with an agility aS
astonishing us is their >cnSelcsS fury
The trunk. ear and flank are the veal,
places. as the wise beast well knows
and what with each keeping his own
clear and Seckiu" to seize that of his
opponent. 50 that he may force him
aside and drive IN ivory sword tip I'M
der the elbow or hook. or wiring off his
lcathern cal. one and the other pro-
hosciS fly about in the air like the arms
of an Infatuated windmill. Shrill sig
mails of fear or rage. of victory or defeat,
accompany the rounds, fol the wrathful
elephant blows his own battle music
continually. and screams with tremend-
Gus anxiety when he is getting the
worst of it. Presently some advantage
is gained. and Il blow or dig which
would amnihiIatc anything but Lcvia-
than is dealt. whereupon. ordinarily.
the SIgaciou> brute who has fought in
vain knows that he is defeated. and
quite declines to stand up to any need
less punishment. He turns tail and
trots oil ungainly and discounted. and
covered with dust and blood. and pur-
sued Il little while by the victor. who
soon. however. is content to trumpet
ont in insulting blast, and range the
;trcna for another foe. 1t wants con
siderable skill at such moment to slip
the foot ropes on the Triumphant mon
Stcr and get him out of the way: but
this is managed 10y the adroit mahouts.
rithci by cunning approaches, or 10y
bringing in Il couple of females. Some
times Il weak elephant is forced TO the
earth and g"rcd or stamped till he dies.
but generally they live to fight another
day. provided that the tuSkS have not
been fitted with steel points. which is
occasionally practiced.