The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-03-23
HUNTING ELEPHANTS,
EXCITING ADVENTURES WITH THE
BIG BRUTES IN THE JUNGLE.


shrcwdness in Time of Danger-A
Camp Raided at Night by an Enraeed
s.Solitaire."
~ There was period of three years when
was regularly employed by an English house
at Zanzibar to hunt for ivory, and I was
fitted out in the most liberal manner and
permitted to go in any direction inland. The
main object was to secure tusks, and sent
enough of them to Zanzibar to seemingly
supply the markets of the world for fiftv
years. Something is written every day of
the tame eephants-the big, good natured
beasts OF the circus and geological gardens
but very little is written of the wild ones I
had opportunity to study them under all
sorts OF circumstances and have never been
satisfied with the accounts given by hunters
and naturalists In my opinion the elephant
in his native pastures is the keenest. shrewdest
and most intelligent of all animals. He has
more courage than the lion, more ferocity
than the tiger and more cunning than the
fox. Only man is match for him. and it
must be pretty intelligent man, too
started in the business of elephant hunt
ing with the idea that only had to look ND
drove OF the beasts and begin shooting.
but soon discovered that was laboring un.
der mistake. have never seen any refer
ence made in print to the powers of vision
possessed by wild elephants Nature endows
all wild creatures with extra keen eyesiqht.
but believe the elephant can see further
than any other four footed animal. had an
instance of this in my first trip out
Six OF us were scattered through a wood in
search OF signs OF the presence of elephants.
when solitary" sneaked out of a Jungle
where he had been hidden and rushed unon
my horse: was two miles away, but one of
the natives saw the performance. He said
the elephant broke cover as stealthilv as a
man, carefully approached the horse, and
was only few yards away when discovered
then he trumpeted and made rush. His
sudden appearance seemed to strike the
horse with terror, and he made no
move to escape. The great trunk, held aloft
as the beast charged, struck tho horse ''side
wipe" and knocked him flat, and he
was no sooner down than the elephant knelt
upon him and kneaded him into bloody pulp.
When his vengeance was satisfied he rose up
and retreated to the same thcket, sneaking
along as if he was seeking to hide his trail.
1t was an hour later when reached the spot,
and l was so angry over the death of my
stop me from entering the thicket in search
of the destroyer. Joe followed me, bearing
gun, and both of us were ready for any
trick the beast might be up to; but we were
too late. We found the spot where he had
stood for hours, and from which he had sal
lied out to attack the horse, but he had
quietly sneaked off. The elephant, when Dur
suing an ordinary course through the forest.
leaves broad trait hel,ind him. bfe8Ks- !
down branches, uproots small trees and the
prints OF his big feet could be followed on
horseback at gallop. This fellow had gone
OFF so softly that we We're half an honr in
picking up his trail There was not a broken
branch and he had set his feet down with tha
utmost care and selected the hardest soil
After getting a quarter of mile away ne
had selected a rocky ridge to travel on, and
we soon lost him entirely
Our camp was about three miles from the
spot where the horse was killed. We ALWAYS
had one guard and q couple of fires and as
there was only the wild beasts to look out
for, we had slept in perfect content. On this
night, soon after midnight, the guard awoke
me and stated that some danger menaced the
camp. He had heard what he believed was
body of men lurking about, and the bull
locks seemed greatly excited. The camp was
aroused as quietly as possible, the fires were
allowed to burn low, and in short time the
statements of the sentinel were verified.
Somebody OF something was lurking about.
We were in the lion country, but the move
ments We're too heavy for the king of beasts.
The noise passed clear around the camp and |
back, and then all was quiet We were under
arms for half an hour, and then, all being
still, we lay down. and all but the sentinel |
An
suddenly as if shot from the gun.
the old solitary of the day charged into !
our camp, trumpeting like the blasts |
from locomotive, and evidently in a great
rage. 1t was he who had been lurking about |
for two or three hours. He had approached |
the camp as carefully as man could walk,
and had passed around it to locate every
thing and decide on point to charge FROM
When we got the alarm, he placed himself in
the shadow OF some bushes, and the natives.
who examined the spot, said he stood there |
for an hour and half without moving
foot.
Bloody and destructive work followed tho
charge of the elephant He stepped on and
crushed a sleeping native, picked a second
up and dashed him to the earth a corpse, and
broke the back Of q third who was trying to
get out of his way. He was soon among the
bullocks, knocking them right and left with
his terrible blows, and just then got my
gun ready. His charge had been 50 sudden
and fierce that we were all demoralized for
two or three minutes. Fortunately for us
all, some one had tho sense to throw light
brush on one of the dying fires and started
a big blaze. This seemed to disconcert tho
elephant, and he showed signs of retreating.
In this be was encouraged by two of our bull
locks, who dashed at him for fight, and
raked him severely with their stout horns.
was dancing about, waiting to get shot,
and III tell you what saw that elephant do.
He picked up bullock weighing at least 800
pounds, and that with his trunk alone, and
swung him aloft as easily as you can lift an
axe over your head. He held him in the air
q minute, and then flung him clean over our
Cape Colony wagon to the ground The
bull aiighted on large heap Of freshly cut
grass, ard was but little injured. 1 opened
On the elephant just as he flung the bullock,
and he at once bolted out of camp, CARRYING
three bullets with him. He had scarcely got
clear when he stepped into hole IL, the
ground, lurched forward, and went down
with a broken leg. Before he could get on
his feet again I had given him his death
blow. He had killed three men and four
bulioclls, and wounded one man and two bull
locks, and his death gave us deep satisfaction,
Cleveland Leader.
Cottonseed Meal.
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