The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-14
BURMESE ELEPHANTS.
NOT so COURAGEOUS AN ANIMAL
As IS GENERALLY SUPPOSED.

When Crossing n Bridge-Ncrvous About
New Departure.
The elephant holds the first rank amo
beasts for size. strength and intelligence,
although he is not by any means so cour
apeous an animal as is generally sup
posed lie won't fight unless he cannot
get out of a scrape by any other means.
He will when travelling with load OF
humans in q forest. start at any noise In
the Jungle. and II not soothed by his
mahout. is ready TO bolt into the forest,
Quite careless about those who are mounted
upon his capacious back. Perhaps this
trai, in his character is not want OF conr'
age. but merely nervousness They are
the general beast of burden in the country.
and the government departments have a
number Of them in their charge. Each
elephant has his name. and 1t Is in~rest'
inc to watch them at work. Tbeir
mahouts often take advantage OF their
sagacity and so save themselves trouble.
saw an instance of this up the coun-
try The telegraph follows the advance
Of the troops TO secure rapid communca
fion with the rear So line was formed
as the country was occupied First a
track was made by telling all timber and
clearing off any underground. etc, TO
about twenty feet in width, hundreds OF
men being employed. Such trees as were
suitable in length and otherwise were
trimmed into the required shape for tele-
graph poles; anumber of them being piled
at Intervals along the track. Then the
elephants were sent to carry the poles to
the distances they were TO be set apart.
saw ono mahout conduct his elephant to
pile of these heavy poles and tell the in
felligent animal to pick one up; he then
with q long wand he had for the purpose
measured off the distance and accom-
panied the elephant who carried the pole
10 the place the mahout indicated. Then
saw the mahout tell the elephant to go
TO the pile and place them in line along
the track. at the same distance apart as
the one he had measured The man then
Law down under tree and went to sleep.
In the meantime the noble animal took
ND each piece OF timber and carried 1t to
its proper place in the line felt SO in
terested that | STAYED TO witness the
whole proceeding | measured the DIS
tances by pacing and found them all to be
equal i'm length and correctly placed IKE
the first one The beast then went to ms
mahout and gently touched him with the
tip Of his trunk and awoke him, as much
as to say, "All is finished, master, accord
ing to your orders" The mahout awoke.
mounted the elephant and went forward
TO continue the line i'll the same easy and
agreeable manner.
! often watched an elephants motions
before he would cross native bridge over
river lie is most cautious; puts ono
foot down gently and presses on the
blanks to see that oil is safe and firm
before he will venture upon them. When
perfectly satisfied of the safety Of the
structure, and not until then. he viii
walk over to the other side. Other ele.
plants who may be in company will stop
and attentively watch the proceedings OF
the leader When all is right they follow
him without hesitation. They are not
without warrant for their caution,
for these native bridges are often very
rickety structures, and | saw many OF
them come to grief during my experience
of them. Elephants are sometimes de-
scribed as running, but it Is contrary to
their habits to do So they invariably walk.
The only time | know of their going at
faster rate is when wild elephant is
hard pressed ky shekarries Especially If
slightly wounded, he will suddenly turn
and rush at his assalants, select one and
try to catch him This is termed charging.
Should he reach the unfortunate hunter
the elephant would seize him around the
body with his flexible trunk, whirl him to
the earth, and tread him into a bloody
mass of flesh.
have mentioned the nervousness OF
these animals An instance was shown
in the difficulty found in making them
draw light wagon. 1t was considered
that in a level country handy, |. e.,
native cart holding a quantity Of stores.
etc, in addition TO q moderate load on the
beasts back. would save transport. and
that more could be carried than by merely
heavily loading the animals The handy
IN Burmah is always drawn by the long
horned tame bufabes or the fine oxen of
the country. So Il trial was made TO see
II the elephants would take favorably to
this new departure III the order Of things
A special wooden cart was constructed,
strongly built, with long bamboo shafts
and capacious body and primitive, solid
wooden wheels One of the most docile
and best natured elephants was selected
for the trial The cart was brought up to
him, the rtahout meantime fondling and
coaxing him and calling him pet names,
at first with no promising result. He at
length permitted the rope harness to be
adjusted to his huge person. appearing
very much astonished and foolish all the
time. lie kept swinging his trunk about,
and could scarcely be held quiet and in
proper position At last all was fixed,
some heavy stones being placed in the
cart as ballast. The niahout tried to coax
him TO go forward. but he would take a
few steps only and then suddenly turn of
to the right or left, trying to reach the
cart with his trunk. He did not like the
rumble of it at his tail, which latter ap-
pendage he kept down close to his body
like frightened canine.
At length. by dint Of praising him and
kind treatment, he dragged the cart few
PAGES onward AS this was thought
enough for one day he was released
Every day for about week he was put
through his PAGES until he was pretty
perfect and made no objection to having
the handy harnessed to him nor to drag
the cart whenever wanted Then all tho
elephants were brought out TO witness
the performance. They looked critically
At their brother in harness walked around