The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-03
HUNTING ELEPHANTS IN SIAM.
An ImpsoinR Spectacle In the Presence Of ~
Hing aud his Court.
From ne hasOurOA Eesamo Chronicle.

Hing aud bis Court.
From ne RasburOA Eesnno Chronicle.
UNITED STATES STEAMER AsHUEIOr.
BANGKOK, SIAN, NAV 10, lSI6.-Tne business
when brought US here beng now about finished.
we we're beRinnng to think VI leaving when We
got IN invitation that fairly startled ia
Every wear they have an elephant hunt oy
drive rather. and we were invt ed To- ntterd o..
about to take place. 10 aod addit,onsI hci.. 20
the occasion, the,e was white eIepnant IN ths
drove. aud that WIS OF c0uIee the use of gro 4
rejoicing Fortunately l was one OF the lucky
ones who could 90. There were sx OF ia Ia ali.
the Captain and i've ~ our mess. For ne rly 4
year they had teen collecting this drove from all
the dist.Dt provinces. driving them TO few at
time. and now they were I'll collected at Ayn-
tina, n place about siXty miles up the river from
bangkok Our invitation came iron the For
In style sent us a steam launch, 10 tow US and
d. tue cooking. &C.. nd what they call ahouss
poat with house built over about half OF u,
and very comfortable, indeed. We took beds
otng and clothing, ana that vas oil. Everything
else wa provided for us. The Minister also sent
his Interpreter with us He was a Portuguese,
a very leasapt fellow, who added very much TO
our enjoyment.
most delightful trip up the river. Ihe country
" RAJ her mOnotonous, being very Nat, hut sttu
estlng, tue endless variety OF tfopic foliae:
coming down on the water with occasional
freaks with room enough Tor temple or h,tle
village. About we stopped at a little temple
ana had breakfast on shore, and n very vOod
breakfast 1t was. We took our own boys. but
tney furnished cooks, CHINA, grub, wines In
abundance and variety, md everything eiss
necessary. 1ne cattle here nro regular buf,-
Of them would rush down the bank into the
witet ana dash and splash In great plee. An
other pleasing thlng We saw WIS murderer's
head stuck on pole by the water, as q gentle
reminder that you should not Kill people. We
sd mishap or two. Just enough TO add viriety.
once our laInch broke down, Dut another one
came 81 nR and picked us up.
ABOUT noon the King passed us. He was In q
large. handsome barge towed by a mail steam-
or. About dark we cot to the summer palace, a
handsome new building a few miles below
Avnthii.
Here our launch overlook us. and we went on
In about fifteen minutes we broke down again.
but almost immediateIy ano her launch came
breaking down, and sent II liter us In case 10
should happen again, VERY thoughtful, wisn't
~ we got TO Aynthia about O. aud were i'm
medi itely taken possession ~ by the Foreign
Minister'S son and one OF his officers, ana they
never left us while. we were there. always look
never was SO well looked out for before 10 nv
life Tue Foreign Minister was not there him
self. but he Regent took us under his wing,
aud kept Z tnerly lookout for us. We did NOS
KNOW exactly how our mo Is were to be pro-
vided for US, but the first day settled all that
About DAYLIGHT before any Of US were up, the
recent came alongside IN small boat To pay
his respects.
Wei received MIN IN p1nj1mas. but he didn't
seem to mind that. aud left coffee for us Cha
c1nreiot Wa made OF Rpld) We were tied up
long procession OF HIS sci nts appeared. march,
lug along with our breakfast, everything being
served In massive silver. me breakfast was
courses, everything being a nice as possible.
Lunch was prepared on board our ! unch, aud
dinner came In the same swell style from the
Regents. That was the daily routine, and very
p, q sant we found IL.
Inc nr.t day wa, devoted TO capturing the
waito e'eph ,nt, nothing else being Of sufficient
Importance 10 touch on the same dav. The per-
form nee wBs to commence at ], and we went
there about l2 to secure a good place; out. az
usual. We founo ourselves well Looked out for.
We were given silendid plt ces, Just below and
IN front q tue King. A little before the hour
att REH Ida
where they bad been confined, and a queer
sisnt It Was, They cane on at a very sedats
pace, headed ny n tame elephant and surround
ed { y about tw.nty other large tame elephants,
who had no difficulty q al In keeping the herd
who seemed to nave the most perfect control
over the beasts, Jlbbing them PLAY fully In tho
head With a sharp iron hook when they wanted
Them t. do any hing. The drove was brought
down immedi tely IN front OF where we att
We were about Is or 20 feet above them. and the
tr4ined ele phants, wtich are used IN the CATCH
linz were brought out. The elephant was taken
10y a high noble. who Is second lord Of the ele-
phauts. The wise men had been consulted, and
tue Il ct minute at which II was proper to take
the Fellow scertnin d. aud all hands waited pa
tiently until the King gave the signal. and then
the herd 1--WE counted them Hfterw drd), and IL
seemed almost impossible to pick out the one
and had a rote around his leg In a very short
time. The rider carries coil Of hide rope,
to rush along. sllp the loop over II, and the
trained elephant Instantly turns and walks away
with a taut, So there Is no danger OF IL SLID
ping and then the end is thrown on and allowed
TO drag.
In the case Of fu-grown elephants three or
four ropes aye recess ny. They are Immensely
strong, made Of buffalo hide, but in the o ise OF
the white elephant only one Wa necessary, a.
he was only ABOUT three years oii and quite
small. As soon AS the line " - fast t. aim they
caught the end Of II, aud made 10 ta-t to strong
post, and then the tame elephant closed IN, aud
uroVe The herd OF, leaving the poor Iittle
wretch all al ne. HIS mother br ne from tue
herd aud came btck, ira ping on the line ana
pulling at IL with her trunk, tying to Tree hin.
hut tney soon drove her III aud left hin alone
in his glory. lie beloved and snorted and
stood on Is head, aud did ~, rythins lie could
To break the I'm but without tneci, ana then
they clos a in IN HIM aud captured him. IL
took three tame ones TO do II, one butting MIN
from ueulud The men On eHch side passed
strong e liar around MS neck. md then made 10
fast O other collars around the necks OF theh
own ele .hai =. ana thus they mad nun.
hey brought MN up ~ front OF the King,
and washed ui1i nice and Ce (the elephants
ket y themselves pli-terrd irOm mead To foot
with mud to keeu insects on, and showed now
beautifully white he was. lie really was rather
a liAnt brown, and Is said to 10 tue III est one
tn,y have caught in 10 wears. Another good
omen WAS that ne would eat. Generally. they
Will not To lch food for Two or three days put
this fellow did not seem to nina II much. The
King threw MIN bananas. which no hte very con-
tentedy. Alter every one Iad admired nun
suffict-ntly lie was ted away to his staole To be
tanned, winch would take two or three mon ns,
aud then he will be taken TO bangkok with
great ceremony aud t. jOiuing.