Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-04
Importing an elephant.

the year 1888 the ships Cashmere,
Captain Elias Dawson, and the Sachem,
Captain Albert Brown, were loading
their cargoes of sugaE at Bankek, Siam.
Dawson, who died recent1y, was a
genial, whole-souled fellow, great wit,
practical joker, and wherever hewent
he always made friends The owner of
the Cashmere, Mr.. Alfred Richardson,
was distinguished for no one of these
qualities. He was stern and morose,
his prevailing characteristic being an
inordinate love of money and DISPOSE
ton to squeeze it out of his employees
on all favorable occasions. Dawson
had by his pleasant manner so ingratiated
himself with his consignee at Siam that
he was presented by him with rather
extraordinary scumshaw," one not
usually received with thanks, butaa
present that was really valuable if it
could be brought safely home-an
elephant. 1t was baby elephant just
weaned, and as it required by no means
such extensive accommodations as those
allotted to Jumbo the Captain slowed
him away under the main hatch, where
there was plenty of room for him, and,
the ship not being fnllaof sugar, boxed
the hatch around with b rough sort of
ventilator, laid in an extra supply of
water, and such other elephant sus-
tenance as the Passenger required,
congratulated himself ON the pro liability
of successful adventure, and got under
way for Boston. r.
In the meantime, while these prepar-
atoms were going on, the Sachem had
completed her cargo and sailed. Having
a start of a week, and being somewhat
faster ship, she arrived about ten days
before the Cashmere, and reported her;
for it must be remembered that there
were no telegraphs or even steamships
in those days. Five months were often
occupied in bringing the news. So when
Captain Brown arrived he brought the
latest intelligence from Dawson, and
among other things told of the "cum-
shaw"
When the Cashmere passed Boston
Light the wind was ahead. and, the tide
soon running ebb, she anchored in
Nantucket Roads. Tugboats being I'M
known, the Captain left the ship in !
charge of the pilot, to be brought up to
town on the next day, and took a shore
boat himself. He was prompt bust
ness man, and knowing that his owner
papers and accounts with him and pre-
sented himself at the Office Immediately
On landing. He had made good voy-
age the price of sugar was high, and
SO he received a cordial greeting. The
papers were at once produced.
"Here are my disbursements and my
account current" said Captain Dawson.
ssYou will find them all correct, sir.
overdrew a little, and there is balance
due you of S364.25 ~ II
Mr. Richardson scanned the docu-
ments, carefully added up the columns,
and pronounced them satisfactory.
'sExcept, one thing. Captain. 4 You
have not allowed me any freight on that
elephant -
ssElephant!'' returned the Captain.
s'Who told you had an elephant?''
eOh, I know all about it, replied
Mr. Richardson; ssand I~didn't think
you would try to smuggle him in in this
wav.n .
Dawson did not permit himself to
show any resentment, but calmy argued |
that the elephant was presented to him,
that he occupied room otherwise vacant,
and that he provided at his own cost for |
his food and water.
"'Twon't do, 'twon't do, SIR" re-
piled the calculating shipowner, ssthe |
ship is mine, and 1 shall charge you
freight-or,'' he added, after some re-
Election, IS I will take the elephant over |
good price at show, and you had that |
object in view, hadn't YOUR a.s~s 5
Captain Dawson acknowledged that
he had. .l,s.f. -.z.-- .s...et 4
"Well," replied Mr.. Richardson.
sspeople speak of me as being close, and
all that, but I'll show you that am not.
There! I'll take him over and square
our account s'5<,5 "ssF
"I'm in your power, Mr.. Richard
son." replied the Captain, mournfully;
ssbut it is hard on me, for | did think I
when / got the elephant that L. would
get $4,000 for him at least. Can't you
make it any moreP'' .--.
Mr.. Richardson answered ssNot one
cent?" and so the bargain was COM
pleted. = So =
On the next day the Cashmere came
up to the city Mr. Richardson and the
Captain stood upon the wharf, the latter
experimenting the hauling in. -s
6 Mr.. Hallet,' shouted the owner to
the chief mate, ''you might as well be
getting up tackle to hoist out the ele-
phant." af5y
sAye, aye, SIR returned the mate;
Gas soon as she is in at the wharf" -.-
''Mind, be careful not to hurt him.
returned the owner, thinking of the
two Or three thousand, dollars. in store
for him. = ~
Whereupon Captain Dawson disre-
specially punched his elbow into the
owners side and whispered in his.e ear:
ssGuess he can't be hurt much. He
died day before yesterday off Cape Cod.
He'll look well stuffed, and it won 'tcost
you anything to feed him.
1t was the old Captains last voyage,
and he felt independent. He made more
than 1864 25 out of that dead elephant,
for he used afterward in his subsequent
career of wharinger on Granite Wharf
to spin this yarn and lie back in his chair
laughing with laugh that prolonged
his life at the remembrance of the way