The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-15
THE AFRICAN ELEPHAAT.
His Indian Consin Is Really Not Superior
TO the Tribe or Jumbo.

W WIG ATiUe ~
Tho idea is very generally held that the Afri-
can elephant is not susceptible Of being tanned
and used as a working animal like his cousin
Of India. This idea. however. is erroneous
The African elephant is fullyas intelligent and
as docile DIS the Indian clenhant. Most OF the
elephants which are exhibited in menaG ,ries
and circuses, many Of them in high state of
training como from Africa. Tho ancient his
torlans tell us also that for more than 500
years the African elephant was captured and
trained for service in the armies and for use as
n boast Of burden aud in circuses. Tho
period when the elephant OF north Africa was
most utilized for these various purposes was
between about 2S5 b. C. and go A. d.
The African elephant is easily distinguis:aple
from tho Asiutic species by the conveNity VI his
face. the great length OF his tusks. md partic-
uarly by the enormous size OF his ears. To-day
he is not found north Of the desert Of Sahara.
When he was largely utilized by man. how
ever. he was found in great troops not only in
upper Egypt but also in the forests Of Morocco
and Algeria. 1t was somewhere between the
third and the seventh century OF the Christian
era that the elephant finally disappeared from
north Africa.
All tho early historians have something to
toll us about the use of tho African elephant in
warfare. 1t was 30 years i. G.. when one Of
en- ana n the Of s IN
animal showed his superiority, as a fghter,to
his Afri ri rety" All the elephants in The
With tho elephants Of An,ochus,
The Carthaginians., seeing that Egpyt was
equal to that Of Erypt's military establish
Of war :. a prominent feature OF their
force. HTn shn, Of men ,Ia we were sent
Mountains.
ORGANIZED for the eanturo Of elephants who
were destined to play AZ impHrtant part IN the
about the role that African elephants played
during the wars between the Earth4glntans
crossed the Pyrenecs with iurty elephants. and
he had thirty;;sevcn when he arrived on tho
In the Alps his heavy laden elephants had tic
greatest difficulty in crossing the snowy
the roSt so eS asr
days while the sodi crs were making rond
for the elephants. and when th"anlmn!s finally
arrived IN italy they were SO wenKen"d by
their hardships ana privations that they could
hardly stand Hannibal. however made con
spicuous use Of elephants in All the Lig hnttlcs
the year 3o2. j. c., when h"rowero Of GarlhasS
fnally cruml,led tho Garthn:irians ngreni in
would never again usn nleri'an's IN wnrfnr"'
tho Grs shHr' r mo Ara I sar. d
upon Pompey's. ',attI"iieid.. Ihc elephant.
he took hnck to l,a.y wrr"a feature Of h,s TIL
dictator to home, and. rs they passed through
the streets Of tho capital each held in his
After the I;oInu conquest of Africa tho cle-
phnnt nssnm.d i - =" la'iiir IT,. thoush le
animals such MS ns nnG iigrrs. lie .phyc!
his part in festival games ana IN o"easinn> "t
sspectaci"s and gIoPi "errL!. iilr'. ~" st9ti"s
teius performed NJ the r1trns Dy trained ei":
rhtnt. are a!nt"e, Incredible Illny tells OK
or upon litter, ON another OrrtS>.oik
u number OF elephants, were turnci
M %HS" wsln IN ,v. h"'l iI"1 W ~nJ the Cleo
t"u"hjng tho occupants. 4 Il H"n rIephnni.
dramatic costume. Tho ua0 were clad IN
t"ghs and the females III itnr>. After fhs
Iarnde collation. was a.ivrI !" ,mr"'rl,n i
tators were very much amused ana ATi"nlsh"!
by tho courtesy with which ,lc'nimnls rnsscd
plates from on" t3nno'h"i, and III other ways
In tho gan snmos With Ner" instituted in honor
OF Agrippna W" are told thai elephant da'ccl
is told Of nu elephant in the reign 81! nnlba.
Which in "inrgS OF fTannr In un,h N tnn
the cir,-ls and descended again into the arena
along tho same narrow ma,hway. SdMetonims
Deror Abr ian used clcphnnI- Tor 4 more nseiul
purpose. in tn" famous enterprise when no
works Of great ncchlnlcnl and engineering
difficulty, He emplos,d eighty elephants e
il TO Ao new site he had selected for it,. Upon
tho backs Of African elephants, also. were
borne n handsome raIanGnins the images OF
the gods and OF the rnperorS upon great cere-
mona occasions. Tho grand ietes by which
the thonsandth anniversary Of tho foundation
BEEN me The vi" last occasion on which the African
elephant took part in great numbers In these
Roman ceased to s
large depots. OF elephants II had maintained.
From this time these animals appeared no