Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-12
virsinia's Elephant Fight.

The Piedmont VirginiaH gives the fol-
lowing particulars of the elephant fight:
"A rather exciting scene occurred
while old John RObinsOn's Circus was
travelling en- route To Louisa Court
House. The belligerents, Chief, Prin-
cess, Mary and Bismarck, were the ac-
tresses in the little difficulty 1t had
been apparent to Mr.. King, their
keeper and several other attaches of
the show that trouble was brewing, the
two actors. Mary and Chief (Asiatic)
on one side, and Bismarck and Princess
CAfricanJ on the other. The denOue-
ment occurred while crossing the South
Anna River, on a bridge; the elephants
crossing in the following order: Prin-
cess first, Mary second, Bismarck third,
Chief bringing up the rear of the squad,
the other elephants not being allowed
to come on the bridge at the same time,
on account of its apparent weakness,
their weight being 20 tons. About
midway of the bridge, Chief became un-
manageable, and despite the efforts of
Mr.. King, with hook and spear, made
fearful onslaught on Bismarck, and
such was its force that he was knocked
head foremost into the river. As the
water was very deep he sustained no
injury from the fall, but when he rose
TO the surface he emitted from his flexi-
Bile trumpet such an unearthly blast
that it was heard for miles up and down
the river. Ard then a scene commenced
that was indescribable. The elephants
on the other side rushed into the river
TO the assistance of Bismarck. Chief
ran off the edge of the bridge and into
the river, and there he renewed the
contest with redoubled fury. Emperor
IAN Indian animal) got TO Bismarck
| about the same time that chief did, and
then trunk to trunk contest COM
test commenced which beggars descrip-
ton. They fought right on top of Bis
marck, who did not come to the surface
for ten or fifteen seconds. At this
juncture Radjah, WhOOdah and Caliph
came up and the fight became general.
Bismarck gradually worked himself up
to the shore, but the banks being muddy,
and he being weak, he sank in the mud
completely begged, and perfectly help
less. just then Mary, together with
Princess, who had been passive specta-
tors of the trouble, sounded their horns
and pitched in. They made short work
of it, and soon put the rest to flight.
| They then, with almost human intelli-
gence, turned their attention to Bis
marck- Mary put her tusks under his
back, and with the assistance of Prin-
cess, succeeded in getting him into a
sitting posture. Mr.. John +. Robinson,
Jr., with all the managers, canvasmen,
grooms, performers and musicians,
on the scene at this time. and after two
| hours hard work. succeeded in getting
] old Bismarck ON dry land Chief and
Mary were bound together with chains,
and although they looked daggers at
one another, they could not hurt them
selves or any of the herd. In this man
ner they marched into town. Chief
was conquered but not subdued, and
the old fire still flashed from his eyes.
Mr.. Robinson saw that more punish
ment was necessary to make him per-
fectly tractable. He ordered him to be
taken down to a thicket, where being
properly secured, he wa. beaten until
he cried enough. G., blew his horn
like a good fellow. He then walked TO
his quarters As meek as the historical
little lamb that followed Mary.