The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-08-16
A TRAGIC ELEPHANT HUNT.
Seven Men Killed by Five Animals in An
African Forest.

In Captain Wissman's new book
describing his trip across Africa is a
very stirring picture representing two
elephants chasing hunters, black and
white, through the tall grass. The
only hope of the hunters is to gain the
bank of river near athand and strike
out for the other shore. The eHraged
brutes, with trunks and tails aloft, are
tearing through the grass at the top of
their speed, and they are about the
ugliest customers one could meet. The
story of Il very traglcal elephant hunt
has just been told by Capt. Brosseland
of the French army, who served awhile
ago on the commission which de-
termincdth boundary between French
Senegambia and Portuguese New
Guinea.
Arriving on the banks Of tho Rio
Grande Capt. Brosseland requested
the natives to take him on an elephant
hunt. They promised to do so as soon
as elephants were reported in the
neighborhood. A few days later some
natives came rushing into the village
and said they had seen the track of a
young elephant, and. as they saw no
other tracks, they thought the rest of
tho herd must be on the other side Of
the Little Koliba river. Their exper-
fence told them that the Young clc-
plant would notremain long away from
the rest of the herd. Capt. Brosseland
happened to be absent from the village
and the hunters could not await his
%tet,.rt. So eight of them set out after
their prey, and the fact :...iatt DDrosse-
I land was left behind was the luckiest
incident of his life.
The eight hunters had plenty of
powder and ball and big English
muskets which they could load to the
muzzlc. Through the tangle of vines
and Tickets they travelled until they
saw the animal, almost Il baby elc-
plant, before them. They were as
tonislied that its companions had left
1t alone. Tho young brute. seeming
danger, began TO make tracks for tho
forest. Several shots were fired at it,
and the sorcly wounded animals loud
cries of distress echoed far throughth the
forest.
The hunters started toward the ele-
phant, keeping, however. in the edge
of the timber, Whc;e they would be
less exposed to an offensive sally from
their victim. All of u sudden they
heard cries responding to those of the
young elephant. The hunters at once
comprehelded that they were in dam
ger. Tho other elephants were not
far off, and were running in answer to
the cries of their comrade. The blacks
Immediately abandoned their victim.
| ,,l,snI, l,n.l. S.,ll,,, - 49,. ,N,,N Hl.r-,
could hear behind them the cracking
of the underground as tie ponderous
animals fastened to the scene.
Unfortunately for the hunters says
The New York San, they ran into u
thickct of thorny shrubs, through
which they could not force their way.
After q desperate effort to get through
they were compelled, with bleeding
limbs, to turn back and seek some bet
ter route. They had gone but n few
steps when they saw i've elephants
rushing toward them. Further flight
vas impossible, and so with their eight
guns they blazed away at tho enemy.
The bullets hit the mark, but an ele-
plant is hard TO kill by a front shot.
and the ANIMALS with redoubled fury
rushed upon the helpless men.
Seven of the men were lifted high
in the air on the trunks of the ami
mails and then dashed to the ground.
broken against the trees, and crushed
under foot. One man nude his es-
cape and hurried back to the village,
whose people were horror-stricken NJ
his recital. A strong party was sent
out to the scene OF the tragedy. The
seven victims were found so terribly
mutilated that their own relatives
could hardly recognize them. One Of
the five elephants was on the ground,
so seriously wounded that he could MOI
move. Tho young elephant, whose
cries had brought the comrades that's
terribly avenged it, was dying and the
others had disappeared.