The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-06-14
InstinctaOF Elephants.


If nature has not given intellect to
these animals, it has given them an IN
stinct very much akin to it. A man has
only to hunt them in their wilds 10
learn how wonderfully Providence has
taught them to choose the most favor-
able ground, whether for feeding or |
encamping, and to resort to iungleS,
where their ponderous bodies so re-
semble rocks or the dark foliage thst !
it is very difficult for the sportsman to |
distinguish them from surrounding OF
jects; while their feet are so con |
structed that not only can they tramp |
over any kind OF ground. whether ham |
or soft, thorny or smooth, but without |
emitting q sound. Some OF their
encamping grounds are models OF
! ingenuity-some of them perfect fort
resses. once followed up herd and
| found them in q small forest surrounded
on three. sides by a tortuous river,
impossible for ordinary mortals by
reason either OF the depth Of water, its
precipitous banks, quicksands or en-
eutangling weeds in its bed, while the
fourth side was protected by tangled
thicEet, further protected by quag-
mire in front. To get at them without
disturbing them was impossible at
last, when I'did get within shot of the
forest, the elephants retreated by the
opposite side tc that which l had ap-
preached, and after following them for
several hours 1 did not get shot. No
one supposes elephants nave the rea-
soning powers possessed by man; If
they had, we should be their slaves,
and not they ours {; but their instinct is
wonderful. 1 will give a couple OF
instances When war broke out with
Burmah, lot OF elephants were sent
across from Bengal u Prone by land,
under the charge Of Captain Baugh, OF
the Bengal Twenty-sixth. Among
them was a magnificent tusker. He
took dislike to this officer, why was
not exactly known. Some said it was
because he had knocked off the ele-
phant's neck his mahout but be the
reason what it may, this brute tried to
kill Baugh, and him only, several times.
have seen him thrashed for this sew
eral times by other elephants armed
! with chains, who welded them much
as drummer does the lash at the hal
berds; but it was of no use, his dislike
was inveterate, he got must, would take
: no food except from a pet female (he
had two lashed alongside of him), and
, eventually died at Shoaydoung. As a
rule, elephants are timid, quiet and in
offensive but when wounded and
, closely followed up, or when must
g periodical fits to which male adult ele-
r plants are subject), or females with
] young, their fury knows no bounds.
. They dread fire more than anything
else; but one elephant belonging to the
battery in Assam was an exception, and
would assist in putting out fire, This
same elephant would do what / never
} knew any other to do, viz, when p
beasts neck was cut through, all bu
s the vertebr@ Gt did not matter whet he
i the beast was buffalo, deer, tiger or
anything else), it would, when ordered
) put a foot on the neck, twine
!, the trunk round the head, and
with q wrench separate it from
Z, the body and hand itup to the mahout
y 1 have seen one or two elephants
that would hand dead bird up; bu
e most of them will not touch anything
q of the sort. Nor would they intention
IS ally tread upon fallen man or beast
= those used for executions in the Guicor'
e territories-B -Baroda-have been taugh
+ to do so. Some foolish men teach thei
'e elephants to trample upon dead body
n and by so doing ruin them for sport
sr An elephant, unless vicious by nature
er will only do so at first with the great
70 est reluctance, but after time, if any
9r thing falls before it, it is apt to charge
le and if it does not kneel down suddenl
m and throw the occupant out of the how
IS dab, it gets the animal bet Seen its legs
Id and plays @ sort of football with il
SIS throwing it backward and forward bS
er tween the front and hind legs until il
re of the consistency of jelly. Men al
le occasionally thrown off the back of a
ne elephant; what would their fate b
go mounted on a beast who had bee
On taught such tricks? An elephant
1g bought from Mr.. Tye had once been CT
d. by rhinoceros. Nothing woul
. induce her to enter a jung
where one of these animals was I'll
a. very slightest scent OF one would sen
er her flying. A splendid female muckr
~ belonging to my department care
lie nothing for a tiger, would kick one OF
e. of her path without showing the Sigh
30 est signs OF uneasiness, but if she met
X, pony nothing could hold her.-LondC
ss Field.