Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-13
TANNING AFRICAN ELEPHANTS.
A Scheme TO Train the Wild Lords OF
the Jungle as Beasts of Burden.
From the Near York Sun.

the Jungle as Beasts of Burden.
From the Near York Sun.
1t is expected that efforts will soon be
made TO tame elephants in some regions
OF Africa, and make them useful 10 the
whites there as beasts Of burden. In sew
eral Eastern countries the employment OF
Indian elephants for drauRht and carry
ing purposes is almost universal, and the
question has recently been raised whether
their African cousins cannot be tanned
and made useful IN great districts where
the deadly tsetse fly prevents the use OF
horses and cattle. We have seen many
tame African elephants in menageries
and circuses. among which Jumbo was
the most famous; but for many centuries
the elephant has not been domesticated
IN Africa, for the reason that his habitat
for hundreds Of years has been only among
savage tribes, who have no use for him
except to kill him for food and ivory.
Only two recent instances are known OF
the tanning of elephants by negro tribes.
Some fifteen years ago King Mtesa sent,
as present to the Sultan of Zanzibar, a
perfectly tame young elephant, and seven
years ago an explorer in Angola reported
that he found a tame elephant among the
natives Of the river Cunene.
In 1879 the International Association
imported a number OF Indian elephants
into Africa. They were heavily laden
with goods for the white station at ka-
rema, on Lake Tanganyika. and started
west with caravan from the Zanzibar
coast. The experiment was failure.
Not one of them lived to reach the great
lake, and all died within five months.
Although the experiment was not fairly
conducted, the elephants being far too
heavily laden and also improperly fed, 1t
n
The African elephant has the reputa-
ton of being less dOcile and intelligent
than his Indian relative, but there seem
10 be no good grounds for this belief. For
hundreds of years before and after the
dawn of the Christian era, when herds of
elephants roamed in the Atlas Mountains
and were found In manv parts of North
Africa, they were hunted by the Egypt
lans and the Carthagenians, and captive
elephants were thoroughly tanned and
trained for carrying purposes and also
Tor war. They were taught to trample
down the enemy in battle. The war ele-
plants that nearly succumbed amid the
SHOWS of the Alps when Hannibal led
them into Italy were from Africa, and
many an elephant that marched in the
triumphs of Roman Generals through the
streets OF Rome were part of the war es-
tablishment of Carthage. To-day the villa
African elephant can be found only south
OF the Sahara desert, in the jungles of
savage Africa.
Alter African elephants ceased to be
used in war they still figured largely in
Rome in the cruel sports of the circus.
they were sent into the arena to fight for
their lives with lions, tigers and other
feroclous beasts. They were also trained
to perform remarkable tricks, and ii half
what the later Latin writers say about
the African elephant be true he is GER
talnly not surpassed in intelligence by
the Indian quadruped.
Mr.. Forepaugh announced the other day
that before long be would have horse,
whom he has taught TO walk tight rope,
attempt the feat of crossing the Niagara
gorge after the manner of Mr.. Blondin.
Suetonius, In his description of the reign
OF the Roman Emperor Galba, tells of
wonderful elephant, whose performances,
he says, were attested by thousands of
witnesses. This elephant was in the
habit OF mounting q cable and slowly
walking up to the top of the circus tent
with his Roman trainer on his back. He
would then descend TO the arena again by
the same Route. The historian has not
informed us whether the accomplished
animal carried a balance pole in his
trunk.
Mr.. A. J. Wauters, of Brussels, one of
the leading authorities on questions re-
lating to Africa, and other gentlemen
who have made a study Of the African
elephant, believe that it is entirely feas-
ible to tame this noble lord OF the iungles,
and put his back to the same uses for
which hundreds of black porters are now
hired. No attempts have yet been made
by white men to catch him alive except
for menagerIe purposes, but there are
pioneers now in Africa who hope some
day to see him tanned and trudging obedl-
emily along in a caravan.
1t is not difficult to distinguish the Az
rican from the Indian elephant. The
African animal ia noted for much greater
convexity OF face, for longer tusks, and
for much larger ears than his Indian
relative.