Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-14

Blephants In Africa.
A novelty in African sxploratioa il
announced for the Egyptian province Of
Sudan. This h the snploynent Of
East I.dia elephants. insasad Of native
porteFs 70 carry Tie baggaCs. provisions.
goods and camp equipmenie Of explor.
ing expeditions. Il has hitherto been
6apposed that Indian elephants could
nos live in Africa; q ell events not
without The luxurious feeding custom.
AIRY in India, and the care Of Asiatio a.
tendants. This notion turns out TO be
. mistake. Five elephants, which the
Khedivs OF Egypt received - present
from India some years ago, recently
made the journey from Cairo 70 Duff. .
station on the White Nile in the region
Of Albert Lake, without much dimcul-
~ and in spite Of very considerable pri.
vations on some portions Of the route.
Their Indian attendants became hearth
" sick Of life on the White Nile after
. time. and turned back, leaving the
elephants to b cared for solely by me-
gro soldies during the latter part OF tho
journey. Notwithstanding this change,
and . frequent scarcity Of food. the
animals got on we'll over all sorts OF
country, swimming many lakes and
streams, and even the White Nile itself,
with great case. At last accounts they
were employed about Duff in transpor.
tation, and the Khedive rejoices that
they are NO longer eating of their heads
ct Cairo.
The success OF this experimental
journey up the valley Of the Nile has
encouraged Col. Gordon, Sir. Samuel
Baker. and others acquainted with
Central Africa, to believe that Asiatic
elephants can be probably substituted
for pOrters on such expeditions - those
Of Livingston. Cameron. and Stanley.
iLasmuch % to obtain and keep suf'
hcient number Of native porters hes
long been one Of the principal dihacul-
ties in the way Of African exploration.
Each elephant would equal . large
number OF men in carrying power, and
would not require more than two at.
tendants.
Since the project has been under dis.
cussion in England, Mr.. P. L. 6clater,
an accomplished naturalist connected
with the Geological Society Of London.
has not only proclaimed his acquies.
oence in the opinion that tho elephant
is the proper beast Of burden to be
used in African travel; but says that tho
African elephant can he thus employed
Just o. we'll ss his East India brother.
The idea which once prevailed that the
African. elephant Was fierce and I'M.
tamable is now known to have been in
correct. He is equal to the Indian spe.
cies in docility Intelligence and subjeo
ton to human control; in proof of
which Mr.. Sclater refers to the two large
African elephants in the Geological
Gardens at Regents Park, where they
may be seen almost any pleasant after
noon in summer quietly carrying about
great numbers OF delighted children.
Like testimony on this subject is given
by Mr.. Walter Severn, an artist. who
says that when he was sketching re-
Gently at the Alexandra Palace he found
the African elephants and rhinoceroses
there 90 tame as to be q positive nui-
sance. There were about dozen of
them, and II had much difficulty" he
writes, "in preventing these playful,
cleaver beasts from riAing the contents
Of my pockets and eating my books.
When I had to use forco to boat on .
too intrusive elephant, he would pro.
trude his enormous ears 1.-THE distingu-
fishing mark of the African species) =,
and utter shrill trumpetings in most
ludicrous manner"
From Mr.. Severn's account of the
Nubians, under whose care these ami
mails were at the Alexandra Palace, it
would seem that Nubia ought to furnish
any number Of oompetsns elephant
drivers of the same race. he was much
impressed by their kindness to every
creature-dogs. oamels, cattle and
sheep. as we'll as elepEants-and by
their influence over these various ami
mails. A word suhiced to summon
the gayest young elephant or rhinoscer-
os, or to bring the most obstinate camel
to the ground.
In view of all these facts, it seems
probable that the employment Of ele-
plants for African exploration will he
attempted before long, and that suit.
able animals, as we'll as compe-
tent attendants for them, can be obtain.
ed in the Dark Continent itself. Mr..
Sclater says that elephants are still
abundant ON the mainland opposite
Zanzibar. which is the best starting
point for exploration Of the lake region.
Here any number of wild animals could
be captured if Q small band Of elephant
catchers we're sent over from India
with trained elephants TO- aid in the
work; and the domestication OF the A.
rican species in some such manner is
strongly advocated ~ q benefit to man.
kind, which would result in the pres.
ervation OF q noble animal doomed
otherwise soon t. perish of the face of
the earth.
The Term Porte.
The term Porte," which is used to
denote the administrative government
OF the Ottoman Empire, and includes