The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-12-17
DUEL BETWEEN ELEPHANTS.
Terrific Battle of Leyfathans Which Is
Fought to the Death.

1t was my good fortune, writes cor
respondent to a Karachi paper, for
some years to spend some months
every season in fine forest and hill
country, where my duties gave me
chances of seeing. a great deal of ele-
phant, bison, and other big game that
frequented those parts. Our camp was
on partially isolated hill, good deal
above the surrounding country. We
had been some days in camp, but had
not been visited as usual by our friends,
the elephants, when one afternoon the
sudden below of one, evidently in
pain, reused every one in the camp.
A hill man presently came up to say
that two large tuskers were hard at it
close by. Every one turned out on to
the hillside, from where it was easy,
even with the naked eye, to see what
was going on, while with glass even
the movements of startled deer could
be made out.
About 700 or 800 yards below the
crowd watching the fight were two
tuskers. The one somewhat nearer
us, burly, stout-built beast with
short, powerful tusks, was evidently
getting much the worst of the combat
and the white and red burrows in his
sides and rear plainly indicated seems
run by his antagonists tusks. Blood
could be seen trickling down his head
and shoulders. On the rise of the hill
was the rival, a still larger animal,
possessing the advantage of longer,
cleaning tusks. 1t was a lost fight,
and in few minutes the victor, with
a quick rush at the other, made a good
a. ko 60
was severe struggle, the tusk went
its full length in the now beaten brute,
and using all his weight, the victor
pressed him down the hill, where they
disengaged themselves and prepared
for another bout.
The wounded tusker's roars of pain
and rage were pitiful to hear, and
though he would have escaped if he
could. the other kept close behind and
administered thrust after thrust. but
not in any vital part. Presently wheel
ing around they came together with q
mighty smash. This was about the
only stand made, and the weaker was
quickly overpowered by the more pow
erful and fresher victor. The thrusts
now put behind the shoulder and into
the body quickly disabled the pool
brute, and in fact. in few minutes
the combat was finally over; the con-
queror with one rush completely roll
ing his enemy over, and by repeated
thrusts into the prostrate form finish
ing the fight amidst meanings and
trumpeting.
Next morning, on our proceeding tt
look for the tuskers, we found large
herd in an excited state, almost on the
spot where the finish had occurred
In it were several small tuskers, be
sides the big conqueror of the evening
before, who seemed to instill grea
deal of fear into the youngsters. II,
came now into the open glade with ;
fine young female, and as he approach
ed even the other cows there was
general stampede out of his way.
We came on the dead beast, which
had been butted and rolled, after it wa
killed, into clump of bamboos.
had been fine, burly animal, but wa
marked from forehead to rear and to-
to foot by rips and cuts. He meas
ured nine feet six inches at the shoul
der, and the tus ks, which were take1
by the hill men, proved slightly owe
100 pounds the pair. The victor, whic
in the fight appeared to tower owe
his foe, must have been quite ten fee
high. and had the longest tusks l hav
ever seen clear of their sockets. l trie'
to get him, but what with his haren
about him, and the difficulty of gettin
clear view in the long grass l faile
to get shot, GGtigna9ai Messenger