Smyrna times., 1888-06-20
BURMESE ELEPHANTS.
NOT so COURAGEOUS AN ANIMAL
AS IS GENERALLY SUPPOSED.

How the NIahout Takes Advantage of His
Beasts sagaoity-An Elephants Caution
When Crossing Bridge-NervOus About
New Departure.
The elephant holds the first rank among
beasts for size, strength and intelligence,
although lie is not by any means 50 cour-
ageous an animal as is generally sup |
posed. He won't fight unless he cannot F.
get out of a scrape by any other means. |
He will, when travelling with a load of |
humans in forest, start at any noise in |
the jungle, and if 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
trait in his character is not want of cour-
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 it is interest
ing to watch them at work. Their
mahouts often take advantage Of their
sagacity and so save themselves trouble.
l saw an instance of this up the cOun-
try The telegraph follows the advance
of the troops to secure rapid cOmmunica-
ton with the rear So a 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 |
oil n a
pile of these heavy poles and tell the in
telligent animal to pick one up; he then
with long wand he had for the purpose
measured off the distance and accom-
panied the elephant. who carried the pole
to the place the nl2hOut indicated. Then
l saw the mahOut tell the elephant to 90
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
lay down under tree and went to sleep.
In the meantime the noble animal took
up each piece of timber and carried it to
its proper place in the line. felt SO in
terested that l stayed to witness the
whole proceeding. | measured the dis
tances by pacing and found them all to be
equal in length and correctly placed like
the first one. The beast then went to his
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 in the same easy and
agreeable manner
often watched an elephants s motions
before he would cross a native bridge over
a river. He is most cautious; puts ono
foot down gently and presses on the
planks to see that all is safe and firm
before he will venture upon them. When
perfectly satisfied of the safety of the
structure, and not until then, ho 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 l know of their going at a
faster rate is when wild elephant is
hard pressed by shekarries. Especially if
| slightly wounded, he will suddenly turn
and rush at his assailants, select one and
/
! 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 q level country a handy, i. O.,
native cart, holding a quantity of stores,
etc, in addition to a 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 buffaloes or the fine oxen of
the country. So trial was made to sec
If the elephants would take favorably tc
this new departure in the order of things
A special wooden cart was constructed
strongly built, with long bamboo shafts
and a capacious body and primitive, solid
wooden wheels. One of the most docl6
and best natured elephants was selected
for the trial. The cart was brought up tC
him, the mahout meantime fondling anC
coaxing him and calling him pet names
at first with no promising result. He al
length permitted the rope harness to bC
adjusted to his huge person, appearing
very much astonished and foolish all the
time. He kept swinging his trunk about
and could scarcely be held quiet and IL
proper position. At last all was fixed
some heavy stones being placed in the
cart as ballast The mahout tried to coaz
him to go forward but he would take g
few steps only and then suddenly turn of
10 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 a frightened canine
At length, by diat of praising him ant
kind treatment. he dragged the cart few
PAGES onward AS shis was thought
enough for one day te was released
Every day for about a 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 tht
elephants were brought out TO witness
the performance They looked critically
at their brother in harness, walked arounC
the concern and felt it with their trunks
When he started to travel with the bandy
creaking behind him they seemed triti'
startled, but after a while appeared
reconciled to the look of the thing. Aftel
this exhibition little difficulty was ex
perienced in inducing the rest of the gov
ernment elephants to draw the specia
handles when it was requisite to do so
They had seen how the thing worked will
one of themselves and therefore accepte'
the situation as q matter of course
| 1. I T.