The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-01-06


5ssWHoLE No. 3S4.gs -
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lating food and drugs. and ndtladventaHe
is soitsken of that psriodicel frenzy
displayed in the male elephant which
is known. n.a.."must.' '!iAt such q time
Of natural excitement the elephant be-
comes fierce and formidable even to
his Keeper, aud only. TO- send two such
beasts forth into thesarena aud show
them for . moment the waving trunk
of the distant female produces .. de-
greoy Of pugnacity which wants little
additional encouragement 1t WAS
enc of the favsrite pleasures of the un-
feeling Roman pepulace to watch iele-
phant,6ghts1 in the amphitheater.
siLAneasths, who gavelthe people four
hundred and thirty panthers, and
Pompey, swhe, lete loose six hundred
lions ints the arena, were thought to
be oatdoneiby Trajanuwhen he pro-
duced twenty elephants in . stale of
smnst," and pittied them in deadly
combat against six hundred Getuhan
captives. That was one elephant to
thirty men, nor would the oGldsi seem
dispropcrti0nateite these. Who have
| witnessed the Indian hkti in his wrath,
trampetinE out blasta. Of rage and. de-
fance from his upliftsd trunk, straight
ening his tail dropping his great sa-
dsr-hnng poiuted lip to give fair play
to hissi livery bayonets, and, his little
eyes glaring all the while like fireballs
from the shadsw of theshage ears.j jY,t
there are iinah0uts who win sit on
their,neekA and spssh in the thickcst of
the fight brstes sas sd ven AZ; this
digging 1at theirsnape.o this9 side and
that, with.the anEHs Or hook though
hardly more secure than would be. tho
Captains oftwe iron-clads coming in.
to collision, with their 8O-ton cannon
discharging. if theynpearched them-
selves upon the bew-sprit ends. But
emily the best trained animals would
he trusted thus t0 respect man amid
their widest rage; ordinary fighting
elephants cansnet be ridden to tho
combat the mahsats excite and cheer
them, andfhen slip off before the en-
counter begins.4e Whensit does begin,
such asican lock with pleasure on
hese things behold . colossal sduelo.
The enormous creatures charge like
saountainsr rsliing together. their tusks
clash aud clatter, their huge feet delve
chas0s in the dust and Is scatter it, IN
cloads. and they rear mp on their hind
legs and wrestle for mastery with an
agility as astonishing - istheir sense
less fury. . The trsnk, ear and flank
are the weak places, ~ the wise beast
well knows aud what with each keep.
ing his ewn clear randIseeking to soize
that of his opponent 80 that he may
force him aside and drive an ivory
sword-tip under the elbow or hook or
wiring off his leathern ear, one and the
other preboscis fy about together in
the air like arms of sninfuriated wind |
mill. aShrin signals of fear or rage, Of
victory or defeat, II accompany the
rounds, for the wrathful elephant |
blows his own battis-music continual
ly, and screams with tremendous anxi-
ETY. when, he is getting the worst,sfjit.
Presently some advantage o is gained,
and a blow or dig W hich wosld anni-
hilate any thug but Leyiathan is dealt,
whereupon, ordinarily. the Isagacious
brute whe has fought in, vain knows
that he is defeated, and quite declines
te stand mp to any needless punish
ment. He turns tail and. trots of, un-
calmly and disco mfited, covered with
dust and blood, and pursued little
while By the victor, who soon, how:
ever, is content to trumpet out an in
sulting blast and range the arena for
foe. 1t wants considerable
akill at such . moment to slip the, foot
ropes on the triumphant monster and
get him out Of the way; but this is
by the adroit maheuts, eth
erI by cunning ,approaches or BY bring
ing 10 couple Of females. Some
times weak elephant is ferced to the
earth and gored or stamped so that he
dies, bpts generally they :liye. to, fight
another day." provided that the tusks
have not been fitted with steel points,
which 10 occasionally practiced. .a.,