The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-12

freed by an Angry Brute-An Intrepid Beast
in Battle.

English Officer in London Times.
Major Rogers had been out shooting, and had
discharged all his guns when an elephant made
a charge at him from the skirts of the jungle.
There was no help for it except to run, and for
four hundred yards the Major kept just ahead,
feeling at every step as if the animals trunk
was trying to twist itself about his loins
turn around tree gave him momentary ad-
vantage, which he made the most of by spring
ing up in its branches he was as nlmole as a cat
and as strong as lion. One foot higher and he
would have been out of the elephants reach; but
before he had time to draw up his legs the ele-
plant had got him firmly clenched IN the tolls
of his prOboscis Still, Rogers pulled against
him, thinking it better to have his leg wrenched
from the socket than to fall back bodily into the
animals power. The struggle, 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, released the leg and saved the
life of poor Rogers. The dilemma, however, did
not end here, for the elephant, finding himself
baked of his prey, after destroying the boot,
took up his quarters beneath the branches and
kept his anticipated victim in the tree fol twenty
four hours, when the country postman happened
to pass by. Rogers gave him notice of his posi-
ton, and soon help came, and the elephant was
frightened away by tom toms and yelling. Had
this occurred in deserted part of the jungle
the officer must have been starved to death in
the tree.
There is beautiful story of an old elephant
engaged in battle on the plains of India. He
was standard bearer, and carried on his huge
back the royal ensign, the rallying 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 a fatal wound and fell to the
ground where he lay under 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 be-
hntt nd Mahp
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 bat
tie, the patient animal stood straining its ears to
catch the sound of that voice it would never hear
again. At length the tide of conquest left the
field deserted. The Mahrattas swept on in pur
suit of the flying foe but the elephant, like
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 command to halt. No
bride or threat could move it, They then sent
to a village, one hundred miles away, and
brought the mahout's little son. The noble hero
seemed then to remember how the driver had
sometimes given his authority to the little child,
and Immediately, with all the shattered trap
pings clinging as he went, paced quietly and
slowly away.
1.-The native Hindoo, the narrator of this
story tells us, from want of thought keeps up a
constant drumming on the beasts head with the
goad. or ankus; l, therefore, hoped not to use it
at ALL Such an improvement all at once, how
ever, proved more than the elephantine mind
could grasp. He began really to enjoy himself
going his own way more than mine, till at last he
marched straight into an immense forest tree of
the banyan species and commenced to browse.
BE sezed the boughs above his head, and, tug
ging violently at them, brought them down on
my devoted skull This was too much. raised
the ankus and brought it down on his head with
a 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 l
wanted him to go. He merely took with him a
branch about the size of small apple tree to
discuss as we went along. From this moment
we were friends, and do not think ever had
to use the hook again so as to bring blood"