The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-04-06
a STEAM ELEPHANT.
jules Verne,s --latest Journey into the
Realms OF the ImpOsslbie.

First, and apparently drawing the caravan,
came q gigantic elephant. The monstrous
animal, twenty feet IL height, and thirty in
length, advanced deliberately, steadily, and
with a certain mystery Of movement which
struck the gazer with a thrill Of awe. His
lifted high in the air. His glided tusks, pro-
jecting from behind the massive jaws, re-
semb]ed a pair of huge scythes. On bis back
was q highly ornamented howdah, which
looked like a tower s~urmounted, in Indian
style, by q dome-shaped roof and furnished
with lens-shaped glasses to serve for Win
dows. This elephant drew after him a train
consisting Of two enormous cars, or actual
houses, moving bungalows in fact, each
mounted on four wheels. The wheels, which
were prodigiously strong, were carved, or
rather sculptured, in every part. Their low
est portion only could'be seen, as they moved
inside a sort of case, like a paddle-box,
which concealed the enormous locomotive
apparatus. A flexible gangWay connected
the two carriages.
How could q single elephant, however
strong, manage to drag these two normous
constructions, without any apparent effort?
Yet this astonishing animal did SO! His
huge feet were raised and set down with me-
chanical regularity, and he changed his pace
from a walk to q trot, without even the voice
or q hand of a mahout being apparent.
The spectators were at first so astonished
by all this that they kept at a respectable
distance; but when they ventured nearer,
their surprise gave way to admiration.
They could hear a roar, very similar to the
cry uttered by those giants OF the Indian for
ests. Moreover, at intervals there issued
from the trunk a jet Of yapor.
And yet it was an elephant!
The rugged, greeny-black skin evidently
covered the bony framework Of one that
must be called the king of the pachyderms.
His eyes were life-like; all his members were
endowed with movement
Ay! But if some inquisitiye person had
CHANGED to lay his hand on the animal all
would have been explained. II was but 8
marvellous deception, q gigantic imitation,
having as nearly IS possible every appearance
of life.
In fact this elephant was really encased ia
steel, and an actual steam engine was "a
cealed within its sides.
The train, or steam house to give it ITS
most suitable name, was the travelling dwea-
ing promised by the engineer.
The first carriage, or rather house, was
the habitation of Col. Munro, Capt. Hood,
Banks any myself.
In the second lodged Sergt, Mcneil and
the servants of the expedition.
Banks had kept his promise, Col. Munro
had kept his; and that Was the reason why,
on this May morning, we were sitting out in
this extraordinary vehicle, With the intention
Of visiting the northern regions Of the Indian
peninsula.
But what was the good OF this artificial
elephant? Why have this fanciful appara-
tus, so unlike the usual practical Inventions
of the English? Till then, &C one had ever
thought Of giving to 9 locomotive destined to
travel either over macadam highways or iron
rails, the shape and form Of a quadruped.
I must say, the first time we were admitted
to view the machine we were all lost in
amazement. Questions about the why and
wherefore fell thick and fast upon our friend
Banks. We knew that this traction-engine
had been constructed from his plans and un-
| der his directions.