The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-17
vTHE ELEPHANT D1s1 yE.

U THE ELEPHANT D1s1 yE.
IN lntercstins Story OF Adventure In India.
Mr.. G. Sanderson, the superintend-
ent OF the government Khcddahs at
Daeca, made an unprecedented can.
t4te OF elephants i'll Garo Hills. The
"details OF this exploit are described
by Mr.. sandcrson himself:
.The l4th we began to drive in the
forenoon. The elephants were, con.
trary to our expectation and to their
habits hitherto, all together i'll one
large gathering. 10 arrive ut the
stockade they had first to reach
small, level plateau on tho top of q
hill, from which they were to be de.
Elected to their left down q slope, at
the foot OF which was the stockadc,
we'll screened III the Jungle. The two
guiding palisades or wings, con-
vergins to tho gates OF the
stockade. were run up the hillside
the distance OF some two hundred
yards at fifty yards apart
Three fire lines were made through the
jungle across the space between the
guiding palisades, one joining them at
their extreme ends. .ons-half way down
Fs's 5ifs about 0O'yardsfrom thegate.
On these lines dry grass was stacked
in bundles and hidden by green leaves,
ready to be fired when tie elephants
had crossed the paths. The drive was
well managed. tho herd being kept to-
gether and not overdrivc,, which often
causes IL herd to break up into small
parties. The moment tho last had
crossed tho fire line the spies sounded
their rattles, and as if by magic q had
not spared ~ few dozen match boxes
among the men), u cracking line of
flame extended along the hillside, join.
ing tho extreme ends o! the palisades
ana cutting oil retreat. Immediately
the hitherto comparative silence OF the
drive was broken by yelling and blank
firing from oil sides, and theclephants
hurried forward in IL crowd, no longer
following any leader, but each striy.
ing not to be last. They soon crossed
the second tirclinc, and at u signal
from a log.horn-barely audible i'll The
din OF elephants and men-active iel-
lows raced forward from both ends
with torches, and in u few seconds
this line also was n wall OF fire.
Tho third line was similarly fired
when the herd had passe.l, and now
the fun waXel fast and furious. Some
OF the elephants went into the stock
ade ut once, but IL huge male with the
right tusk only (such elephants arc
called Gunesh and certain custcs OF
l1indoos reverence them) took up his
position in the gateway. which was
only eleven feet wide, aud no elephant
could pass him. The scene how was OK.
traordinary,and Colonel and Mrs. Ora.
ham Smith, from Il platform in rec
near, had an excellent view OF it. The
space between the convcrying palisades
was tightly packed by IL struggling
mass OF elephants for many yards
from the gate. Every vcst;,ge of Jungle
had disappeared, and the men were
skirmlshing with blank cartridges and
torches OF blazing grass up to within
twenty yards or less OF the elephants,
and shower OF sticks and clotls was
kept over the palisades by those out
side. Tho roaring OF the youngsters
of the herd, which were being trampled
and squeezed, combined with thenosc
OF rattles, guns and ofthc fire consum-
ing the jungle between the palisades in
the direction whence the elephants had
come, made it impossible to make
ones self heard by any one, even at
shot into the ns rearmost Of S"dhes ths elo. g.
phants, though really l thought
them little to blame for not
moving on it was not for
want OF will or pushing, as the angle
OF their hind legs as they bored des-
perately into the mass before them
mutely testified. At last the opposi.
ton gave way; the guncsil and others
which were stopping the way were
borne onward into tho stockatle by
the pressure behind, and tho ANIMALS
III the rear made renewed eXertious
to get away from the terrible sights
and sounds so close behind them.
"Whcn Isaw the elephants strug.
Cling before the gate. never believed
that SO many 1876 us it turned out)
could by any possibility get into a
stockadc 2l5 feet in circumference.
The area was even less than that OF
q circle OF similar circumference, us
our stockades have l3 straight sides
OF $ feet each, and the gate side oi2O
feet. We never expected ourstockalcs
would hold over 100 elephants;
65 was the greatest number we had
ever impoundcd before, though l
must say they had plenty OF room
when the resistance was overcome
and the final struggle to get into the
stockade began. The thing seemed
impossible after seeing the elephants
half covering u hillside or trooping
along in single file. One wave to the
man who stood over the gate rope
with his axe and the pondcrous gate
came down on to the backs OF the last
few elephants. and us they struggled
from under and it fell into position it
was quickly dashed by many willin.
hands.
Immediately everybody went to
work to strengthen the stockadc.
1t was never really in danger. but
We made assurance doubly sure.
A supplemental stockadc was
at once commenced by barricad-
ing Off twenty yards OF the space be.
tween the guiding palisades outside
the gate. The elephants were pound.
ed ut y. NJ, but it was not until
0:3O p. NJ. that all was ready. We then
hauled up the gate and relieved them
from the back hole.lle confinement Of
the stockade by admitting them into
the new one. 1t WAS filled ut once,
but really the crowd in the first ST ock-
ade hardly seemed decreased. Early
next morning We shut Off some :,5
elephants in the supplemental
stockade by closing the gate, and the
tame elephants were then admitted,
and by evening we had secured
this lot and removed and tied
them up i'll the forest
near. AT night the gate between the
stoskades was again raised to give the
remainder room, and wild plaintain
trees and other succulrnt, cooling fol-
der were supplied to them. But next