Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-10-31


The only result was to increase Old
Tips fury, II that were possible, and to
fx him in his determination to have a
round with the audacious raft
s.Before the men on the raft discov-
cred and understood the situation the
raft had made half the distance between
the bridge and the ford. As soon as the
nature of this most unusual obstruction
in the channel became apparent to
| them they we're terror stricken. There
wasn't man among them, from all ac-
counts, who hadn't had more than one
hand-to- hand fight with bear in the lum-
Der woods, and looked upon that as childs
play; but they drew the line at ele-
plants, and each man bent himself to
his oar and pulled as he had never pulled
before to steer the raft away from its
| direct course in the channel, and avoid
the dreaded collision that was other
wise inevitable. But it was too late,
and all their work was in vain. When
the crew saw that they were sure to
bring up against the big. mad, roaring
| elephant, every one of them, from the
pilot down, gave up the ship, jumped
into the river, and struck out in wild
and helter-skelter race for the New
| York shore. The deserted raft rushed
helplessly on. Old Tip never moved
from his tracks. His fury was sight
| to see.
1.-THE raft was made of hemlock logs,
and was at least one hundred feet long
and forty wide. The water was swift,
and SO deep where Tip stood that 1t
reached above his belly. Although it
was early in the morning, crowds of
people had gathered on both sides of
the river to witness the novel sight of
an elephant fording the stream. When
they saw Old Tip stop in the deepest
| part and wait for the raft and resist all
efforts to get him out OF the way, the
people grew wild with excitement
Every one, including the circus people,
expected to see the elephant, enormous
| rs he was carried away, and done up in
great shape by the raft and his owner
couldn't have insured Old Tips life
Just then for FIVE dollars But the ugly
old brute came out strong. II he had
had sure footing on the river bottom,
there is no telling what he wouldn't
have done with the raft.
Slut as it was when the shock came
the raft trembed and snapped, and it's
speed was greatly diminished. The
big elephant couldn't hold it's footing
on the slippery stones, and the heavy
raft in the swift current carried him
with 1t down stream. Old Tip didn't
move down as II he had to, but as II he
he was feeling for secure foothold so
that he could get his work in on his as
sailant and wreck it to pieces, there and
then. He did get foothold now and
then. but only temporary one. Every
time he stopped, though, he lessened
the speed OF the raft until its momen-
tum was so much overcome that the
hind end OF the raft began to swing
with the force of the current. When
this began the swift water soon carried
the hind end around until it had be-
come the front end, and the raft ran
away from Tiupo diagonally toward the
New York shore. The elephant gazed
after it as If in triumph, and raised his
trunk and trumpeted loudly. Once he
seemed to have made up his mind to
pursue his defeated foe, and took few
steps forward. But he evidently recon-
sidered that motion, and, stopping in
the middle OF the rapids, stood there
trumpeting and throwing water around
like whole fire department
The raft, thrown as IL was out of the
rafting channel, ran perhaps hundred
yards where it was cast upon rocky
reef that formed the river bed in part OF
the channel. The logs flew in all direc.
tions, and the raft was made about as
complete wreck as one would care te
see. At sight of that Old Tip gave q
roar that deaf man might have heard
mile away. The boatman who had
charge OF Tippo's keeper had rowed
wildly to the Pennsylvania shore with
the keeper, in spite of the latter's pro-
tests, the moment the collision between
the raft and the elephant had become a
sure thing. When the raft ran on the
rocks the keeper induced the native tC
row him back to where the elephant
stood, sounding blasts of victory in his
trumpet Old Tip seemed to be entirely
satisfied. He had spent his fury on the
raft and felt better. He turned ODE,
diently at his keepers order and re.
sumed his march to Pennsylvania as
docile as If nothing had occurred that
morning to disturb his temper in the
least
ION reaching the shore the keeper
made halt to see whether the old ter,
ror had received any injury in the
combat. There wasn't the sign OF even
scratch upon him. While they stood
on the bank, however, another raft was
seen coming down just below the
bridge. The men on that raft had seen
che latter part Of the misunderstood.
Ing between Old Tip and the raft ahead
OF them, and had been pulling with all
their might to run their raft to the New
York shore. When the elephant went
out OF the water so meekly, though,
they had concluded that the danger was
over, and they rested on their oars,
content to pass on. Tippo did not see
this raft until it had run down to a
point almost even with the spot where
he was standing. Then he caught sight
OF 1t He gazed at it for second OF
two In amazement 1t was as IL he were
saying;
"Whati Another one want some O.
| me?'
"Then he raised his trunk. gave bell
low that made every thing rattle. and
charged down the bank for the river
again. The men on the raft didn't wait
for subsequent proceedings, but jumped
into the water and never looked back
until they were safely landed high and
dry on the New York shore. The de-