The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-05-25
Instincts OF Elephants.

If nature has att given intellect to
these animals, it has given them an in
ssirct very much aain to it. A mah has
only to hunt them III their wilds to
learn how wonderfully Providence has
able ground, whether for feeding or
encamping, and to resort to jungles,
where their ponderous bodies so re-
semble rocks or the dark foliage that
it is very difficult for the sportsman to
distinguish them from surrounding OBJ
iects; while their feet are so con-
structed that not only can they tramp
over any kind of ground, whether hard
or soft, thorny or smooth, but without
emitting sound. Some of their
encamping grounds are models of
ingenuity-some of them perfect fort
resses. 1 once followed up herd and
found them in small forest surrounded
on three sides by tortuous river,
impossible for ordinary mortals by
reason either OF the depth of water, its
precipitous banks, quicksanGs or en-
entangling weeds in its bed, while the
fourth side was protected by a tangled
thicket, further protected by quag-
mire in front. To get at them without
disturbing them was impossible at
last, when did got within shot OF the
forest, the elephants retreated by the
opposite side to that which I had ap-
preached, and after following them for
several hours 1 did not get shot. No
one supposes elephants have the rea-
soning powers possessed. by man iif
fhnrr hn1 o1,0,,Il 1,a thAs,-
and not they ours but their instinct is
wonderful. / will give a couple Of
instances /: When war broke out with
Burmah, lot OF elephants were sent
across from Bengal to Prone by land,
under the charge of Captain Baugh, ssof
the Bengal Twenty-sixth. Among
them was magnificent tusker. He
took dislike to this officer, why was
not exactly known. Some said it was
because he had knocked off the ele-
plants 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 q drummer does the lash at the hal
herds; 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
periodical fits to which male adult ele-
phants 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 1 never
knew any other to do, viz, when
boasts mock was cut through, all but
the vertebr@ lit did not matter whether
the beast was buffalo, deer, tiger or
else), it would, when ordered,
put a foot on the neck. twine
the trunk round the head, and
with wrench separate it from
the body and hand itup to the mahout.
L have seen one or two elephants
that would hand dead bird up; but
most of them will not touch nything
of the sort Nor would they intention
ally tread upon fallen man or beast
those used for executions in the Guicors
rritories-Baroda-h been taught
to do so. Some foolish men teach their
elephants to trample upon dead body,
and by SO doing ruin them for sport.
An elephant, unless vicious by nature,
will only do so at first with the great
est reluctance, but after time, if any
thing falls before it, it is apt to charge,
and if it does not kneel down suddenly
and throw the occupant out of the how.
iah, it gets the animal between its legs,
and plays sort of football with it,
throwing it backward and forward be-
tween the front and hind legs until it is
Of the consistency of jelly. Men are
thrown off the back of an
elephant; what would their fate be
on beast who had been
taught such tricksp An elephant
bought from Mr.. Tye had once been cut
oy rhinoceros. Nothing would
induce her to enter Jungle
where one of these animals was the
very slightest scent of one would send
her flying. A splendid female muckna
belonging to my department cared
nothing for tiger, would kick one out
Of her path without showing the slight
est signs of uneasiness, but if she met a
pony nothing could hold her.-London
Field