Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-04-03
alexaudnx Gxzette,
-
WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 8
a tragic Elephant Hunt.

The stnr7 of very trsgical elephant hunt
has ius. been told by Capt. Brosselend OF
the French army, who served while ago
on the Commission which determined the
boundary bstween French SeGegsnhia ard
Portuguese New Guinea. Arriving OF the
banks of the Rio Grande, Capt. Brossear j
requested the natives TO take him on an ele
phant hunt. They promised to do so S.
soon as elephants were reported In the
neighborhood. a few days later some ma
tives came rushing into the village and aaid
they had seen the track ola youna elephant,
and, as they saw no OTHER tracks, they
thought the rest OF the herd must be the
other side of the little Kolba river. Their
experience told then that the young ele-
plant would not remain long away from
the rest of the herd. Capt. Brosseland nap
pened to be absent from the village, and
the hunters could not await his return. 60
eight of them set out after their prey, ana
the fact that Brosseand was left behind
was the luckiest incident OF his life. Inc
eight hunters had plenty OF powder and ball
and big Eugish muekets which they could
load to the muzzle Through the tangle CT
vines and thickets they travelled until they
struck the trail. Suddenly they came upon
clearing where they saw the animal, al
most baby elephant. before them. lhey
were astonished that it's companions BAD
left 1t alone. The young brute, seeming
danger, began to make tracks for the forest
Several shots were fired at it, and the
sorely wounded animals loud cries OF dis
tress echoed far through the forest. The
hunters started toward the elephant, keep
Ing, however, in the edge of the timber,
no ay
fsnsive sally from their victim. Ali OF e
sudden they heard cries responding to those
of the young elephant. The hunters at
once comprehended that they We're u den
ger. The other elephants W re- uot fer GILL
and were running in answer to the cries OF
their comrade. The blacks Immediately
abandoned their victim, which had fallen TO
the ground. They could hear behind them
the cracking OF the undergrowth as the pom
derous animals FASTENED TO the scene. Un-
fortunately for the huUters, they ran into
thicket of thorny shrubs, through which
they could not force their way. After
desperate effort to get through, they were
compelled, with bleeding limbs to turn back
and seek some better route. the had gone
but few steps when they saw five ele-
plants rushing toward them. Eurther
flight was impossible, and so with their
eight guns they blazed away at the enemy.
The bullets hit the mark, bus an elephant Is
hard to kill by front shot, and the animals
with redoubled fury rushed upon the help
less men. Seven of the men were lifted
high in the air on the Trunks of the animals,
and then dashed 10 the ground, broken
against the trees, and crushed under foot
O0e man made his escape, and hurried back
to the village, whose people were horror
stricken at his recital. A strong party was
cent out to the scene Of the tragedy. The
seven victims were found so terribly mutt
lated that their own relatives could hardly
recognize them. One of the FIVE elephants
was on the ground so seriously wounded
that he could not move. The young ele-
phaut, whose cries had brought the comrades
that so terribly avenged it, was dying, and
thc others had disappeared.