Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-23
Democratic Northwest.
ELEPHANTS In WAR
The Big and Clumsy Beasts
Took Part in Many
Bloody Battles.
SOME TRAINED PAcHYDERMs
Climbing Tight Ropes-Playing in
Dramas-Fighting in the
Arena, Etc.

India. This idea, however, is erro-
neous. The African elephant is fully
as INTELLIGENT and as docile as the
India elephant. Most of the eie-
plants which are exhibited in nena-
geries and circus, many OF them in a
high state of training, came from
Africa. The ancient historians tell
us also that for more that 500 years
the African elephant was captured
and trained for service in the armies
and for us ase beast of burden and
in circuses. The period when the
elephant of North Africa was most
utilized for these various purposes
was between about 2S5 B. G. and ESQ
A. D.
The African elephant is easily dis.
tinguishabIe from the Aslatic species
by the convexity of his face, the great
length of his tusks, and particularly
bv the enormous size of his ears. To-
dav be is not found north of the desert
of Sahara. When he was largely utiliz.
ed by man, however, he was found in
great troops not only in upper Egypt,
but in the forests of Morocco and AL
geria. 1t was somewhere between
the third and seventh centuries of
the Christian era that the elephant
finally disappeared from North
Africa
All the early historians tell US
about the use of the African elephant
in warfare. 1t was 27O years B. G.
when one of the Ptolemaic rulers of
Egypt used elephants N war against
the Indian elephants of his enemy,
and at the battle of Raphia the Indian
animal showed his superiority as a
fighter to his African relative. All
the elephants in the army of Egypt's
ruler were killed in combat with the
elephants of Antiochus.
The Carthagenians, seeing that
Egypt was constantly extending her
territory toward the west, desired to
place her army on footing equal to
that of Egypt's military establishment.
They thereupon made elephants OF
war prominent feature OF their force.
Hundreds of men were sent into the
forest along the foot Of the Atlas
mountains, where great hunts were
organized for the capture of
elephants who were destined to play
an Important part in the first two
Punic wars. Much has been written
about the role the African elephant
played during the wars between the
Carthagenian and the Romans. We
know that Hannibal crossed the Pyre.
nees with 40 elephants and he had 81
when he arrived on the banks of the
Rhone after his terrible jourdey. In
the Alps his heavy.laden elephant had
the greatest difficulty in crossing the
snowy passes along the narrow paths.
On one part of the route the army
halted for three or four days while
soldiers were making a road for the
elephants, and when the animals fin,
ally arrived in Italy they were SC
weakened by their hardships and
privations that they could hardly
stand. Hannibal, however, made
conspicuous use of elephants In all the
big battles he fought In Italy, in Spain
and in Africa. In the year 500 B. G.
when the power of Carthage finally
crumbled, the Carthagenians aggreeo
in the treaty they made with Rome
that they would never again use
elephants in warfare.
Only a short time before the be-
ginning of the Christian era African
elephants figured upon Pompey's bat
tlefelds. The elephants he took bacl
to Italy were feature of his triumph
i, Forty elephants marched before thu
dictator to Rome, and, as they passec
through the streets of the capital
each held in his trunk a flaming
torch.
After the Roman conquest of Africs
the elephant assumed more pacific
role, though he still figured in battle
against gladiators and animal
such as bulls and tigers. He play
ed his part in festival games anc
on occasion of spectacles and grea
ceremonies. The stories that some O.
the later historians tell of the feat
performed in the circus by trained
elephants are most incredible
Pliny tells of seeing one day four ele
plants bearing another upon a lit
ter. On onother occasion a mum.
ber of elephants were turned loos'
In hall filled with people who wer,
lying upon couches, and the ele.
plants stepped over all the couche
without touching the occupants. A
dozen elephants owned by Germani
cus executed a charade IN dramatic
costume. The males were clad il
togas and the females in tuuics. AT
ter the parade a collation. was servec
to the elephants in the presence of
great crowd, and the spectators wer'
very much amused and astonlshed b,
the courtesy with which the animal
passed plates from one to another
and in other ways showed their gooc
breeding.
In the games wich Nero instituted
in honor Of Agrippina, we are tolt
that elephants danced upon tight
ropes; and very remarkabl,
story is told of an elephant in tn
reign Of Galba, which, in charge of
trainer mounted upon rode extend
ing from the ground to the top of th,
of the circus, and decended again in