Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-27
O ELEPHANTS.
How These Huge Animals Arc Capture
and Tamed-A Fable.


ABOUT ELEPHANTS.
How These Huge Animals Arc Captured
and Tamed-A Fable.
How many of II young readers who
have seen elephants in the menagerie
are aware how these huge animals are
caughtp They run wild in the forests
of India, Ceylon and ot:ler countries of
Asia; and onc in awhile the rulers of
those countries determine to have an
elephant hunt. They begin by inclos-
ing an acre or two of ground in the for
est, and generally o the bank of q
river; they put a fence of logs all.
around it so.strong that tho elephants
can not break it down, but with a great
many holes where men can pass through
with ease. There is a gate at each end,
which can be closed or opened Instant
ly; from the entrance gate two fences
run out in the shape of the letter ..V,"
and each fence is from five to ten miles
long. For a mile or more the fences
are as strong as the sides of the yard,
but beyond it they are very slight. At
the end of the yard, opposite the en-
trance, there is a pen which will hold
three elephants standing side by side,
and there is a gate at the end of the
pen where tke animals can be lot out
when desired.
When all is ready, hunters are sent
into the forest to drive in the herds.
Elephants are very shy and will flee
from the presence of men; the hunters
endeavor to get on the side of the herd
farthest from the yard before they are
discovered. Then the animals move in
the desired direction, and the great
effort of the hunters is to have them go
gently forward until they are within the
line of the fences, or in the jaws of the
letter ''V." Elephants are afraid of
traps, and when they come to a fence,
no matter how small it may be, they do
not try to cross it. In this way they
are kept moving towards the yard, but
the hunters do not show themselves or
make any noise until the animals are
inside the strong part of the fences. As
soon as this is accomplished there is a
great tumult. Fires are lighted, guns
are fired, horns are blown, and the
frightened herd dashes forward and
enters the yard. Then the gate is
closed and the great beasts are fairly
trapped.
They run around the yard and try to
escape. In the pen at the end opposite
the entrance, two tame elephants are
standing, and there is justroom for one
of the wild ones to squeeze in between
them. He goes in and the gate is
closed; then the two tame elephants
hold him firmly with their trunks while
men slip through the holes in the fence
and bind the feet of the captive with
strong ropes. When he is we'll secured
the pen is opened and the tame ele-
plants drag him to the bank of the
river, where he is turned on his side and
left in the care of a keeper. Then they
go back again to the pen and assist in
binding and dragging off another pris-
oner. In this way the hunters secure as
many as are required and the rest are let
out to return to the forest.
The captured elephants are Replying
on their sides without food or water I'M
til they are completely conquered. They
are literally subducd by hunger and
Thirst, as they receive nothing until
they throw up their trunks and make a
peculiar sound, which indicates that
they will obey their keepers. Then the
ropes are removed from their feet, they
are fed and allowed to drink as much
water Is they like, and are driven off
to the stables and put to work as read
lily as though they had been in captivity
all their lives. They are perfectly do
Gle and do not show any desire to re-
turn to their wild life in the forest; aud
another curious thing is that they are
ready to assist in capturing others in
the way they themselves were taken.
Very often the elephants that are used
for securing the wild ones in the pens,
holding them while the men are tying
their feet and dragging them out after
wards, are those which have been pris-
oners only n or two years. The cap
tnred elephants. groan and show great
distress While they are being secured;
they Irvine their trunks around each
other, and frequently the tears run
down their cheeks and they seem to be
crying like children. The tame ones do
not manifest the least sympathy with
them, but, on the contrary, appear to
take pleasure in their sufls inys.
1t requires from five to eight days to
starve an elephant into submission, the
time depending upon the condition of
the weather. During all this time the
keeper stays close by his side, watching
him Though the day and sleeping be-
tween lis feet at night, and thus making
the animal accustomed to his presence.
When the elephant gives the sign of
submission the keeper hurries to loosen
and feed him so that the poor beast is
sur to recognize him as a friend. 1t is
owing to this fact that the elephant is
so fond of his keeper, and will obey him
in preference to any one else. After q
time he may develop bad qualities and
become absolutely dangerous, but for a
few weeks after his capture he is very
obedient.
Elephants are also caught by driving
them into pits which have been carefully
covered oyer with branches and leaves.
The pits are so deep that the animals
can not climb out, and there they stay
without food or water till they submit.
Sometimes when the hunters have thus