The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-10-18


miles long and two miles wide, thrust
ing itself down into great plain like
q tongue. About opposite our camp
IL narrowed to width OF half mile,
and further down cut short off, though
there were groves scattered all over
the plain.
We were rejoiced to find that this
strip OF forest was veritable highway
for the elephants passing back and
forth. while the foliage was their
choicest food. We spent two whole
days getting the lay Of the forest for
several miles, and we finally selected
particular spot to work on. 1t was
In the narrowest portion OF the strip,
and here we dug two pits and con-
cealed them so nicely that the sharp
est native would have mistrusted
nothing. When all was ready we re-
tired from the forest and posted
native in the nearest grove to act as
sentinel for the remainder OF the day.
This grove was about an acre in ex-
tent, with the trees standing very
thick, and we were about moving off,
after instructing the native, when we
heard trumpet blast and a mighty
rush. The blast OF mad elephant in
his native wilds is a sound never to be
forgotten. Each one OF us instantly
realized that we had come up
on an old rogue, and that we
were in deadly peril. An elephant
who has become a crank and deserted
his troop or been driven away is more
dangerous than any other living thing.
His sole thought is to destroy, and he
loses all sense of fear. Had we been
mounted we could have scattered and
outrun him, but we were all on foot,
and our only safety was in sticking to
the grove. When we heard him COM
ing we lodged right and left and hur-
ried deep into the grove. The old fell
low bad the eyes of lynx. and, wheel
ing from his first charge, he seemed
determined to hunt us all down. Each
one OF us lodged on our own account,
thus distracting his attention, but he
finally pursued one Of the natives so
closely that the man had to take to a
tree. He didn't have his choice,
either, and was unfortunately driven
to shelter in a tree about as large
around as mans body. He was
barely out OF reach when the mad
brute arrived at the trunk. / was in
a much larger tree about forty feet
away. and could plainly see the move
ments OF the beast He was an old
bull, carrying large pair OF tusks,
and he was mad all over. He tried
hard to push the tree over, and though
he could not succeed, he shook the
native around so as to give him bad
fright.
In order to call the brute of fired
at him several times with revolver.
Each bullet hit him, but ot course did
no damage He, however refused to
leave the tree. and after standing for s
moment in thought he put his shoul-
der against it, surged forward. and.
after swaying back and forth half a
dozen times, the tree broke short of
about ten feet from the ground. The
native was expecting it, and as the
top crashed through the trees he
caught at limb and pulled himself
into large tree The elephant soon
became aware Of his escape, and like
wise recognized the fact that all of US
were out of his reach, and. after
trumpeting his disappointment, he
slowly retired and gave us opportunity
to come down. We left the grove as
quietly as possible, and made haste
back to camp. We must move at once.
The ''rogue' elephant does not travel
about much. and his being in the
grove was a menace to US. Should he
discover our camp he would attack US
otfhand We at once hitched up our
teams, struck our tents, and removed
to grove four miles away. While
not entirely SAFE here, we might es-
cape observation. On two sides of us
the approach was marshy while on
the others it was rather broken. Next
day after our removal it rained,
and none Of US left the grove.
On the morning of the second day,
just as we were rolling out Of our
blankets, cry from half dozen
natives alarmed the camp, AS rose
up and saw them looking to the west,
turned my eyes in that direction,
1 4 4 L =. !