Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-06
KILLING ELEPHANTS.
stanley Tells How He Has Done 1t.

CIaeiRRGd TIssss-StGr.
''Mr. Stanley, did you ever kill an ele
phant?"
''Oh, yes, l have killed a good mani
Of them, replied the great explorer
evidently somewhat amused at The
question,
How have you killed them and how
would you go about ii were you going
70 kill one nOw?n
well, would shoot him, and as tc
how | would go about IL would depend
upon the kind Of elephant it was"
could you kill him with one bullet?'
IL have done IL.
1T took twenty-three bullets to kill
our Zoo elephant, Chief recently"
Il read something of that. What
kind Of an elephant was your 'Chief?'
II he had the cOncave forehead, that is,
Scooped out, he was an Indian elephant.
II he had a convex forehead he WAS an
African. He was an Indian elephant.
Then would have shot him in the
forehead, for there is only a short reach
20 the brain, while with an African ele-
plant an enormous amount OF muscle
and tissue is piled upon the forehead,
and you might shoot into il all day and
and never kill him. But a well directed
shot into the center of the forehead OF
Chief, II you are sure he was an Indian
elephant, should have settled him. And
if not the heart can always be reached.
Yes, behind the ear, too; they are read
lily killed that way. Why, there is no
particular difficulty about killing an
elephant il one knows how to go about
it,"
do you imagine that Chief suffered
much pain with all Of those bullets in
him?"
Undoubtedly he did. And you men
ton the fact of his reaching out his
trunk in an affectionate or appealing
way 10 Hatnee, his mate, who stood
near-that shows, more than ia any
other way, that he was suffering, and IL
shO rs, too, an affection and sympathy
between the two that one would scarce
ly imagine elephants to possess. That
reaching out of his trunk and her re-
Spouse, as though in farewell, is certain
ly very touching thing.
you ask me il | haven't hunted the
elephant in Africa. Well, you know |
did not go there for that purpose, OF
course. had too much else 10 do and no
time TO waste; but, as l say, l have
killed elephants, and don't think very
much of il, either. One can't help but
run on 10 them, whether he will or no.
Why, the natives there will kill them
with a spear, or even with sword. Yes,
sir, they will run at them and slash
them across the legs and hamStrng
them, and then piece them behind the
ear with their swords. 4 man will get
off in front Of Am elephant and brandish
shining sword, it flashes in the ele-
plants eyes and instantly makes him
mad. and he will charge.
"As he charges, other natives Will
rush out OF the copse, in flank move
mentS, and slash NJ him, and even the
man ahead with the sword will spring
aside far enough TO get out OF the reach
Of his trunk, and as the big fellow goes
charging by he will give him a sweeping
slash across the front of the legs and
the elephant is rendered helpless and
falls. These natives get wonderfully
Skillful, something after the matador,
who lets the bull rush at him full tilt,
and then lightly springs aside and
thruSts his sharp sword Into him. When
an elephant charges, he IS so bulky, you
know, that his momentum carries him
directly ahead, and a nimble and prac-
ticed man can spring out OF his way.
But an elephant will overtake a horse,
and l have seen them jerk the rider
from horSe'sback all going full tilt.
"Oh, yes, an elephant is very swift.
have yet To see the horse that can get
away from him on a dead, straight run.
And they can swim, too. Why, an ele-
plant will cross river with only his
trunk out OF the water three or four
inches. All he has TO have is air, you
know, and he gets it through his trunk.
Aud he will not swim until he has 10.
But have seen the trunk, several of
them, just sticking out OF the water Of
a river they were fording.
Then, again, We have iloated down
the Congo in our boats, quietly and
without moving a muscle, and we could
get within twenty feet Of them without
attracting their attention or alarm, and
then have shot them, killed them with
one shot-that is, one bullet. Some
times, in going through jungle, have
come upon them. remember coming
upon one suddenly one day and l only
had a small Winchester rifle with me,
aud you can depend upon it, backed
out as quickly as | could. Yes, wild
elephant will likely charge you. wheth-
CT you disturb him or not. He is bel
ligerent.'