The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-04-28
ROGUE" ELEPHANT.
BY c. B. LEWIS,

VA \ HUI LCao aliS hSohN ~SN'.
ct the famous "rogue" elephant of
haohe district of Mysore, province OF
Madras, before ever got within 200
miles Of his stamping ground. He
made his first appearance in 1868, and
Tor years was veritable terror to an
!, hrea Of country 50 miles long by 30
broad.
This fellow was called "The
n Wicked" by all the natives in that ter
ID isitory, and some Of the stories told of
his doings were really wonderful, as
well as strictly true. His territory
Mas along the suddar Valley. On the
edge of this valley, which is
from one to five miles wide, is dense
Jungle fifty miles long, and this place
was his retreat He was probably
Ahunted after more than any other
vssrogue" ever heard of in India. After
Na year or two the Government offered
Ii reward of f100 for his death, and
before he was finally disposed of this
LtIreward had been increased to f3O0.
asHe was hunted on several occasions
n by bands numbering 400 men, and at
ssaleast fifty different white hunters
u sssjourneyed into the district and had a
M try 1t him.
.5 n It was wonderful how s'The
I. Wicked managed to escape death so
!. long, but it used to be asserted that
:. be was only an elephant in form. The
" natives fully believed that he was the
W Evil One in disguise, and more than 1000
VI people moved out of that productive
VALLEY on his account. The official
= sf9c6Sd5 Of his doings would make a
m big book. He began killing as soon
4 as he appeared. One night about
he enertered native village
~ \. containing about seventy huts, pene-
llasrated to the centre and killed five
people sleeping in hut. Even the
,a'iogs knew nothing Of his presence
~ ,%1 Until he got to work. He put his
iarausks under the. foundation poles of the
tut and tipped it over and then he
! !, ,rampled on the family sleeping in the
middle Of the mud floor.
;s :. Only three or four people caught
i tight Of him as he moved away. A
Grand hunt was organized, but he was
Tssfot even discovered. 1t was hoped
ord Slat he had been frightened out of t.
but two or three days later,
~ NJ native was driving bullock cart
tlOa ong road at the edge Of forest,
laV,ssie elephant, who was in hiding be-
M3fnd clump Of bushes, picked the
l@|N4an off his seat with his trunk, and
s4Mhp8 him 20 feet into the air. In the
Y me minute he drove his long tusks
,k.lrough the bullock and then disap-
q INared. The native was SO badly
brt that he died three days later.
IS gsSa,is was on a Thursday, about IL
BIiII1aaS: s1. n lock in the morning. At 3 O'Clock
se the afternoon the elephant appeared
.:.::.s. .:.:s point up the valley, exactly 32
4. & Is q, les away, and killed ryot, or
tSs tive farmer, who was at work in
iaGsssfS, field.
PiTIlsln three years, according to official
9 irSqs qsurns made, "The Wicked" killed
PssissgI! PfssI ward Of 100 people, destroyed thou
id1sTg,lds of dollars worth of crops, and
ss.srlsed the death of hundreds of do
-,nstic animals. His aim was to kill
wv destroy, and he went about his
tnsps a. M ssrk in such queer and mysterious
..NS sl%S inner as to keep all the people afraid
5aucass r. Nh him. Wild elephants never leave
dfsi,a a sv. or during daylight. This fellow
ka ked abroad by day as well as by
Ill soyht. He moved as silently and
4 S%vxsSf y, xsssSftly a. q tiger. On one occasion
natives, who had been stacking
ut down to eat their luncheon.
- high noon, and they were half
~ from the edge of the jungle.
s,hant came upon them over
~ stony ground, where the
q man would certainly
heard, and the first known
1lence was when he struck
five down. The others es-
ed nl1by leaping into ravine.
When reached the valley it was
depopulated, and all those re-
ming were in state of continual
81. Not a day passed that the
halt Aid not kill or. attempt to