Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-09
AN ELEPHANT DRIVE.
HOW THE BIG ANIMALS ARK
CAPTURED.
Exciting Chase in An African
Jungle.

Success has again attended Mr.. Ban
derson's exertioRs, and fne hero Oh
elephants, fifty-one in number, when
were driven into large seventy-acre
Enclosure on Monday, Aug. 9Th, have
been brought out and pic&eted IN Inc
open Jungle three miles west oil Inc
Khedda. II was at first supposed that
from eighty 10 hundred animals hau
been captured, but the big herd appar-
entity separated into two portions dur
Ing the early part of the drive. Inc
main body headed straight for the
Dodday Gowden Parha gorge, III
which the Khedda is situated, WINE
the other turned of to the south down
valley leading 10 forest called Shu-
bur Malay. This was not found out
until atterward, though the track Oh
the escaped portion had been noticed
by Mr.. II. ii. Morris, planter, VINO
acted as Mr.. Sanderson's assistant dur
ing the whole of the operations.
Taking all things into consideration
it was just as well that all were not
inclosed. as there would not have been
enough tame elephants TO deal with
them, and even as it was many of the
older and consequently useless AMI
mails had to be shot. By the Sd inst.
all the strengthening of the fortliica-
tons, preparation of the gates, etc.
had been completed, and all was III
readiness. On the 7th the welcome
news was brought by the vigilant
crackers that large herd was quietly
browsing in Kalliarre kombe, IA
vorite cover in close proximity to the
Khedda gorge, so that little time was
lost. BY the same evening 400 heaters
had been collected and brought into
camp from Chamrajnaggur. Early
the next morning all were assembled
at the foot of commanding little hill
known as Munegooday, where Mr..
Sanderson proposed to take up his
post and direct the drive by means of
flag and signals; the men had just
been mustered and told Off to their va
rious stations, few minor prelimina-
ries were being discussed, when Mr..
Morris noticed the elephants quietly
filing across an opening in front, and
Of their own accord heading in the di-
rection of the khedda.
To despatch the parties that had al
ready been told of to blockade the
main exits was the work of very few
moments. Mr.. Morris, with $50 heaters,
ran across the valley to deploy the men
and bring them up in line on the
southern side. Mr.. Sanderson himself,
with one OF two of his picked men, re-
naming to direct the start and bring
up the northern side. Soon the con-
tinuous tapping of sticks in one long
semicircular line over mile in length
proclaimed that the exciting perfor-
nance had commenced. The elephants
came forward quietly and gave but
little trouble until close to the main
entrance of the surround. Here an
unlucky coatrctcmps occurred. Some
lunatics more willing than wise got in
front Of them, and the herd broke
back few hundred yards and en-
sconced itself in very thick bamboo
cover on the banks of the river. BY
judiciously giving them an hours rest,
closing in the line of beaters to within
short range of them, with their little
fires, they were subsequently forced
forward and driven into the enclosure,
not, however, through the gates.
A bright piece of forethought on the
part of Mr.. Sanderson had caused the
barricades across the river to be re-
moved, so as TO give the elephants a
choice of paths. The wisdom of this
was fully exemplified when the ami
mails dashed into and up the river; the
signal rocket was fired, while the thuds
of the falling gates and the cheers and
shouts of the beaters announced the
successful issue of the drive. half the
coolies were told off to watch with a
but and a watchfire at every twenty
yards. Next all available hands set to
work to construct tho inner stockade.
On Wednesday, the 10th, the Resident
and the Maharajah, with his party,
arrived on the scene.
On Thursday most of the elephants
were driven into the smaller stockade,
few, however, remaining outside,