The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-07-07
AN ELEPHANT HUNT.
Experiences of an Expedition After
the Trumpeters.
[R Cation Wooduiile in Harpsr's Magdzine1

essss&25,ss,9 esss&xy9 R. sANDERsoN met US to con-
@ E59 duct us to one of the hooks
6 SyX AZ where the kheddah is construct
GaAsYeA5 ed. We dismounted and walked
cJo-y1CF-o{o to stand that had been erected,
well disguised by tho foliage, from which we
could watch the proceedings without being seen
by the willy beasts-a great necessity, as by
some small carelessness sometimes the labor of
weeks has been foied at the last moment. The
kheddah is large inclosure of huge wooden
beams and tree trunks of about mile and
| half in circumference, with smaller inclosure
of about 100 yards diameter opening from it,
the whole surrounded inside with a ditch of
| some six feet width and depth. There is
| gate opening into the inclosure and from that
| another into the smaller one. These gates are
| constructed like the traps that they really are,
| and are dropped as soon as the captured herd
is once safely in. They weighted with
enormous stones, and it takes about 80 strong
men to lift one.
When we were all stationed, Mr.. Sanderson
took his place to direct the beat, and
shot-the given signal-announced the COM
mencement of the drive. The herd had been
previously inclosed some way off by long line
OF beaters, numbering about 400, and had been
driven there gently from long distance In
the night they are kept in their places by huge
fires lighted 1T equal distances from each other
ers have 10 be extremely careful that they do
not get frightened in any way, as they will
then suddenly break through the line, and
perhaps not stop again for 60 or more miles.
perfect stiffness reigned, broken only now and
| then by word of command among the beaters
as they noiselessly drove the herd onward
toward their prison. Now and then you could
hear the crash when they entered bamboo
clumps or the cracking of some young tree
broken down in their progress
For some time all went well but suddenly
they stopped, just as they were crossing the
river, and doubled back in their tracks. The
beaters then ran on before them, and tried all
in their power to make them stop, which at
last they succeeded in doing, and again they
were driven forward in a cautious and careful
manner. The elephants sense of smell is very
strong, and he can by this means discover man
at considerable distance, and will quietly
move off. This smell curiously enough, is
much stronger in cleaned and washed Euro
pean than in dirty native, and all wild ele.
plants, or any wild animals, indeed, do mind
the former more than the, to our idea, more
perceptible latter. The elephant is naturally
very timid, and will only charge when pro-
voked or driven into corner from which he
fancies he cannot extrcate himself, or when
wounded and driven to fury. This is differ
ent, though, in the case of "rogues" These
are solitary elephants that by their viciousness
from herd. and henceforth lead a solitary
existence. These become very dangerous, and
Will attack man or beast, III many cases with
out any provocation whatever.
Again a short shrill trumpet was uttered by
a leader, and the herd faced about and formed
a square, without knowing in which direction
to go, but feeling that danger was coming near.
Then the beaters had to be extremely cautious,
and try by perfect quiet to allay their fears
and alarm, as stampede of herd, when they
find themselves surrounded, is overwhelming,
and the females with calves will turn and
charge without the smallest particle of hesita-
ton, although the elephants on scenting dam
ger generally make off as quickly as possible,
and with marvellous quietness and absence of
hustle, considering their size. At last they be-
gan to move forward again, and how mysterious
these huge brutes looked as they silently strobe
through the dark forest breaking the bamboos
in their way and tossing them over their
heads.
These wild elephants in their native Jungle
| appear colossal, and have not that dark, almost
black, appearance that they acquire when
tanned and frequently washed. In their nat
ural state they are gray in color, and covered
with red clay and mud, with bits of grass and
leaves sticking to them.
The guidiDg-line Of the beaters has to keep
well away, and to be very careful to leave no
opening in the chain. We could now and
then get a glimpse of the giants Of the forest
as they were moving on led by an enormously
large female-the largest / have ever seem
through the thick foliage, with its sheets of
sunshine every now and then playing upon
them. and intensifying the general surround
ing darkness. At last the men got them near
| the gate Of the outer inclosure; but again they
were startled by something, and began, with
loud and frightened trumpetings, to move in a
side direction. Finally. however, they neared
| the gate, which. as well rs the stockade, was
| well hidden by bamboo branches, the inside
also being one dense mass of that plant, as any
bare patches had been filled by sticking them
| into the ground; SO We could only now and
then get a glimpse Of their backs or trunks as
they raised them to break off some obstructing
branch in their forward progress. Mr.. Sander
| son was ubiquitous, and, at last, after many
| anxious moments, they passed the gate, which
closed behind them with bang, and the herd
was in safe keeping in the outer Enclosure. One
would fancy that now all would 90 smoothly
and serenely, but the more difficult work now
| began of driving them into the small inclosure.
As they were now in a comparatively small
| space, they grew more suspicious and alarmed,
| and were ready TO look upon everything in
their way as dangerous to them and to be
avoided. The beaters were now collected, and
| Mr. Sanderson entered the outer inclosure with
them to begin driving the heard into the inner
one. This outer inclOsure was about half a
| mile in diameter; and from this which was
also covered with very thick jungle, they had
| to be driven into the eastern corner, where the
| barrier to the inner inclosure was erected.
Again line was formed, and another shot
| gave the signal, when the elephants began, too,
to move, and in the right direction. We could
see ali now very plainly from our platform as
| the drive progressed.
Every now and then the elephants would
make stand, when, with trunks uplifted high
in the air, they would huddle together, not
! knowing in what direction to move. Their
trumpetings and shrieks when one of them
would turn to charge beater were now very
| frequent, and they were getting very angry
| and ill-tempered. However, they were pushed
gently forward, and by degrees were nearing
| the inner trap. 1t has happened that one of
the herd, by making use of the back of a COM
| rade who had tumb!cd into the ditch, has
| broken through the stockade and SO gained
freedom again. So all round this were many
men stationed with guns, mostly old match
locks, to fire with blank charge iuto their
faces in case of such rush. They seemed to
fight very shy of the gate, and always, when
| nearing it, made off again, but were as peril
naciously driven back to it again ia q circle.
at last, after many futile attempts to get them
in, they faced the barrier, and with wild trum-
| petings they tore through in one dense mob.
| The Maharajah Immediately cut the rope and
| with terrific crash the ponderous gate de-
| scended. They at once perceived the trap and
| tried back ward rush. and though the pate