The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-11-12

Major Rogers had been ou
shooting, and had discharged al
his guns, when an elephant made
a charge at him from the skirts o.
the Jungle. There was no help fol
1t but to run, and for 400 yards the
Major kept just ahead, feeling at
every step just as if the trunk was
trying to twist itself around his
loins. A turn around q tree gave
him momentary advantage, which
he made the most of by springiug
up into the branches; but before he
had time to draw his legs up the
elephant had seized him with his
proboscis. Still, Rogers pulled
against him, thinking it was better
to have his leg wrenched from its
socket than to fall back bodily into
the animals power. The struggle
did not last long, for to the delight
of the pursued and the chagrin of
the pursuer, the Wellington boot,
which the former wore, came off, re-
leased the leg, and saved the life of
poor Rogers. The dilemma, how
ever, did not end here, for the eie-
phant, 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 for twenty-four
hours, when the country postman
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.
There is a beautiful story of an
old elephant engaged in battle on
the plains of India. He was a
standard bearer, and carried ON his
huge back the royal ensign, the rail-
ly 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 a heap of slain The
obedient elephant stood still while
the battle closed around him and
the standard he carried. He never
stirred a foot, refusing to advance
or retire as the conflict became hot
ter and fiercer, until the Mahrattas,
seeing the standard still flying 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 animal stood |
straining IT'S ears to catch the sound |
of that voice it would never hear
again. At length the tide of con-
quest left the field deserted. The
swept on in pursuit of
the flying foe, but the elephant,
stood like rock, with the dead and |
dying around, and the ensign wav-
ing in its place. For three days |
and three nights it remained there
where his master had given the
to halt. No bribe or
threat could move it. They then
sent to a village, 100 miles away, |
and brought the mahout's little son. |
The noble hero seemed then to re-
member how the driver sometimes
gave his authority to the little child.
and Immediately, with all the shat
tered trappings clinging as he went,
paced quietly and slowly away.
The native Hindoo from want of
thought keeps upa constant drum
ming on the beasts head with the
yoad OF "ankus;" l. therefore hoped
not to use it at all. Such an i'm
all at once, however, was
more than the elephantine mind
could grasp. He began really to
enjoy himself, going his way more
han mine, till at last ne marched
straight into an immense forest tree
IF the banyan species and commen-
ed to browse. He seized the
coughs above his head, and brought
hem down on my devoted skull.
This was too much. | raised the
lnkus and brought it down on his
head with blow that brought the
blood through the skin. This had
he desired effect, and he at once
bundled off in the direction which
,e knew / wanted him to take
From this moment we were friends,
md | don't think | ever had to use
he hook again so as to bring blood.