The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-09-14

uncertain; but Mr.. Sanderson thinks it
attains to at least $50 years. Much ex-
apperation is current with regard to the
animals height; the largest seen by the
author measured nine feet ten inches
at the shoulder, and yet there have been
stories of Indian elephants measuring
seventeen to twenty feet high. Twice
round an elephants foot is said to be
his height, and generally this measure
ment is exact. The price of elephants
has enormously increased of late years;
but the Government kheddahs, or ele-
phant-catching establishments, enable
our Government to obtain good ani-
mails at a reasonable cost. An elephant,
we are told, which costs the Govern
ment E40 to capture, would cost at least
ESQ in the market.
The difficulties of elephant-catching
are, of.course, great; and there is moth
ing more interesting in this volume
than the sportsman account of his first
success in Mysore, when, after infinite
labor and many failures, he succeeded
in capturing fifty-three elephants. 81
often think" Mr.. Sanderson writes,
d" of the rapture of that moment An
hour of such varied and high excite
ment as elephant-catching is surely
worth a lifetime of uneventful routine
in towns. Sore disappointment hatbeen
undergone by myself and men. MANY
tedious days and nights had we libored
against discouraging incidents ss5
hardships. But all was forgottefTtl
| the success of that moment" fire
was still much work to be dore, Orthe
beasts driven into the inclosurela to
be secured with the help of tale ele-
plants, and fifty-three wild ntfright-
ened animals cannot be "hbbled'
without some danger.
During the tying-up proces in the
kheddah several amusing incients oc-
CURED. Active fellows would cnstantly
cross it on foot with ropes or other
things that were required, an at first
they were pertinaciously chaed by the
wild ones. The men made fir the pro-
lection of the tame elephans, and it
was considered creditable 20 do this
with as little hurry as circumstances
would admit. The arena formed a
center of attraction to the m-lookers,
as the theater of Spanish bull-tight
may do; and the men who slowed the
greatest GOODNESS were loudl, applaud
ed. The elephants, however, soon gave
up pursuing when they became accus-
toned to seeing people. Tie wild ones
did not attempt to interfere with the
men when they gained the shelter Of
the tame elephants. On one occasion
friend in the Forest Department who
was riding one of our elephants was
swept off, as well as the nnyhout, by
an overhanging creeper when their ele'
plant was dragging a captive across
the kheddah. Having but a confused
idea of the points Of the compass when
they gained their legs, they rushed
towards the nearest elephant for pro
lection. 1t was very fine animal, but
unfortunately, a wild one, which the!
mistook for a friend. The elephan
was rather startled, and did not take 81
prompt an advantage of their mistake
as it might have done. They meanwhile
made some remarkably good time
towards the gate of the Enclosure
which they reached in safety"
On another occasion, Mr.. Sandersol
himself had very narrow escars
While his elephant was facing Young
tusker, and was therefore unable to
protect his master from the attack, a
wild female rushed at him more than
once, injured his thigh severely, and
would no doubt have killed him had
not spear struck her in the head at
the critical moment, while tame ee.
phant, rushing at the beast the nextn-
slant almost Knocked her over.