The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-13
ABOUT THE ELEPHANT.
Considered by Many Next TO Nan in
Intelligence.
Vow sportsmen HUNT Him Reverence
for the White Variety in Different
ountries-Affection for It's Keeper.
from The washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
The ancients were sparing in the
rrl.ses of the dog, but could not speak too
Eiv5lv Of the elephant. Pliny places the
srsnbart as unquestionably next to man.
Intelligence, obedience memory, ambi-
-ior Affection, honesty, prudence and JUS
+i,e are among the catalogues of virtues
,,hieb he ascribes to these creatures.
Tho Cartbaginians were the first to util-
jze him in European warfare, and it is a
remarkable fact they, and they only,
have been able to educate the African
snecies of the race for human uses. In
ancient times as many as dozen bow
men and spearmen fought from the
vantage ground of a wooden structure
called the tower, mounted on its back. In
india. from the remotest antiquity, it
formed one of the most picturesque, if not
the most effective features in the armies
Of the native princes. With their huge
Ieads defended with iron plates, to
which we're attached long spears, these
srinaIs we're very formidable in a charge
They have also been taught to cut and
thrust with kind of scimitar carried in
Elephants live in herds, and each herd
has a leader, generally the largest and
most nOwerful animal. He seems to exer-
else much control over the movement of
The herd. gives the alarm in case of dan
Ger. and seems to decide for the whole
partv as to the safety of proceeding in
anv particular direction. An animal,
which, by any cause, has become sep
aroted from its herd, seems never to be
admitted into another. They become
savage and much dreaded, while from a
herd of elephants danger is never appre-
hended.
THE FAvoRITE HAUNTs.
The favorite haunts of the wild ele-
plants are in the depths of the forest,
particularly in the mountainous regions,
where they browse on branches, and
from which they issue chiefly in the cool
OF the evening to pasture in the more
open grounds. They are ready to plum
der rice or other grain fields, if not de-
TERED by fences, of which, fortunately,
they have q wholesome dread. Elephants
intended for domestication are captured
in various ways. 1t was formerly COM
mon to take them in pitfalls, but in this
way they were frequently much injured.
Another method often practiced is by the
aid of tame elephants. Male elephants
are chiefly captured in this way, the de-
coy elephants being females trained for
the purpose. Two of the females take
their places one on each side of the stran-
ger, and while he is interested in
them. the natives who spend their lives
in the business, pass ropes round the legs
of the intended captive. When finally
the elephant is secured and becomes sen
sible of his danger, his fury becomes I'M
governable and he makes violent efforts
to get free 1t is not until he has thor
oughly exhausted himself, and begins to
suffer severely from fatigue, hunger and
thirst that steps are taken toward tam
ing him.
In shooting elephants various devices
have to be arranged by which the hunter
can get within easy range of his prey
without alarming it. The spot selected
is usually i'll the vicinity of some stream
where the animals come for water. Sc
GREETED behind a screen of bushes, the
sportsman can select some vulnerable
spot for the tough hide of the elephant
resIsts a ball with little difficulty unless
great care be exercised by the hunter.
STRENGTH OF ITS LEGS.
In captivity elephants have been known
to sleep for months standing up, and in
some menageries the keepers infer that
the animal is i'll if it lies down during the
night In fact, its legs support it so well
that one sportsman printed an account of
his firing at an elephant over and over
gain, and at last, coming up to it, found
that 1t had died standing up. Elephants
are very conservative, and do not like
what they are not accustomed to. They
are by no means towards, but like other
animals of undoubted courage, they NAV
be frightened by unfamiliar objects. 1t
IS known that an old woman once escaped
from an enraged elephant by opening an
umbrella, andsin the same way a herd
Will fly from the yelp of dog. A story is
told of little Scotch terrier that seized
an elephant by the trunk, and so fright
ened the big brute that it came at once
on Its knees. The distrust which an ele-
phant has for horse is founded on the
same grounds. Before the Prince of
Wales started on his Journey to India, his
horses We're taken several mornings to
Ine 100 and were walked round the ele-
phantS and other animals, so as to accus-
tom them TO forms they might see a little
more frequently in the east.
Inc elephant is probably held in great
ef affection and veneration in Burmah
IMAM any other part of the world 1t was
there that the writer first saw one of the
renowned white elephants that are held
IN such high estimation. 1t was not real
~ white either, but of dingy yellowish
color, not at all handsome, and probably
Ihe night color is caused by a species of
4epfoSy. This kind is an albino among ell
ePhdnIs. The Burmese have gone to war
WIN the Slamese on several occasions for
Ihe possession of the white elephants
Large rewards were formerly given to
anyone who discovered the whereabouts
OF white elephant. No native would at
Tempt to capture it for himself, it being a
reasonable otfense to do so, but had to
INFORM the king where the animal was.
CAPTURING WHITE ELEPHANT.
The capture was usually effected with
'ne ald of tame female, who acted the
part OF decoy to perfection. The decoy
would attract his attention, pretend she
ulu not desire his proffered caresses, and
mdlh away in the direction of the inclos-
gre made for his reception. The victim
aoHoWS her blindly, is caught, subdued
anu led in state to the king Here he is
decorated with golden ornaments, placed
al Injurious stable and fed with sugar
Cane and fruit.
ne cause of all this respect paid to the
.TuIl@elephant is the universal belief in
oHe IranSmigration of souls prevalent in
a. a. the oriental nations to the east of Hin
ugoSl ian The souls or spirits of those
o "uo had achieved the greatest good on
, C', lu are believed to fill the bodies of
Bpt55lG creatures. The essence of the
1 o-yoyuhas the performers of the greatest
S Sg5; Oh all, can only inhabit the bodies of
~Iile animals, such as the occasional
M me- monkey, swans and doves.
Anus mus the king, by obtaining such an
-IoratdlI' might possibly be the happy and