The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-12-04

freed by IN AnTry Hrute-An intrepid
Beast in Battle.

Beast in Battle.
London Times.
Major Rogers had been out shooting,
and had discharged all his guns, when
an elephant made = charge at him from
the skirts of the Jungle There was NJ
help for it except to run, and for 40e
yards the Major kept ahead, feeling al
every step as if the trunk was trying to
twist itself about his loins. A TURF
around tree gave him q momentary
advantage. which he made the most OF
by springing up into the branches; he
was as nimble as cat and as strong az o
lion. One foot higher and he would have
been out of the elephants reach; but
before he had time to draw mp his legs
the elephant had got him firmly clinch-
ed in the tolls OF his proboscis. Still,
Rogers pulled against him, thinking il
was better to have his leg wrenched
from the socket than to fall back bodily
however, did not last long, for, to the
delight of the pursued and the chagrin
of the pursuer, the Wellington boot,
which the former wore, slipped off, re-
leased the leg, and saved the life of
poor Rogers. The dilemma, however,
did not end here, for the elephant, find
ing himself baked of his pray, after de-
strcying the boot, took up his quarters
beneath the branches and kept his an
ticipated victim in the tree for
"a hours, when the country post.
man happened to pass by. Rogers
gave him notice of his position.
and soon help came. and the elephant
was frightened away by tom toms and
yelling. Had this occurred in
dos rted part of the jungle, the officer
must have been starved to death in the
tr ,e.
There is beautiful story of an old
elephant engaged in battle on the
plains of India. He was standard
bearer, and carried on his hugo back
the roval ensign, the rally point of the
Poona host. At the beginning of the
fight he lost his master. The "mahout,
or driver, had just given him the word
to halt, when he received fatal wound
and fell to the ground. where
he lay under q heap of slain.
The obedient elephant stood still while
the battle closed around him and
the standard he carried. He never
stirred foot, refusing to advance or
retire, as the conflict became hotter and
fercer, until the Mahrattas, seeing the
standard still flying steadily in its place
refused to believe that they were being
beaten, and rallied again and again
round the colors. And all this while,
amid the din of battle, the patient ami
NAL stood straining its ears to catch the
sound of that voice he would never hear
again. At length the tide of conquest
left the field deserted. The Mahrattas
swept on in pursuit of the flying toe, but
the elephant, like a rock, stood there,
with the dead and dying around and
the ensign waving in its place. For
three days and nights it remained
where its master had given the COM
mand to halt. No bride or threat could
move it. They then sent to village a
hundred miles away, and brought the
mahout's little son. The noble hero
seemed then to remember how the dri-
yer had sometimes given his authority
to the little child, and imm diately
with all the shattered trappings cling
ing as he went. paced quietly and slow
ly away.
"The native Hindoo," the narrator of
this story tells us, from want of thought
keeps up constant drumming on the
beasts head with the goad, or 'ank u.s.
[, therefore, hoped not to use it at all.
Such an impros ement all at once, how
ever, proved more th.ln the elephantine
mind could comprehend. He began
really to enjoy himself, going his own
way more than mine, till at last he
marched straight into an immense for
est tree of the banyan species and COM
menced to browse. He seized the
bouglS above his head, and, tuggilg
violently at them, brought them down
on my devoted skull. This was too
much. / raised the ankus and brought
il down on his head with blow that
brought blood through the skin. This
had the desired effect. and he at once
bundled off along the road by which he
knew wanted him to go. He merely
took with him branch about the size
of small apple tree to discuss as we
went along. From this moment we
were friends, and don't think ever
had to use the hook again SO as to bring
blood"