The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-05-31
THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT.
A Flea for the Rehabilitation of the AL
NAL by the GermADs-

NAL by the GermADs-
Germany. which feels the want OF
reliable beast of burden in her East
African territory more than England,
seems TO have resolved on the redomes.
tieation of the African elephant Some
time ago German officer commenced
a series OF visits TO the Indian "ked-
dahs," and, after mastering so far as
possible the Indian methods and sys-
TEN Of catching and training wild ele-
plants, has hired a staff OF experienced
Indian catchers and trainers. and is to
establish government elephant
stud" in German East Africa. Com
menting on the chances Of the success
of this enterprise Mr.. Carl Hagenbeck,
proprietor Of the geological gardens at
Hamburg and New York, has contrib
uted an interesting article to the Ham
burger Nachrichten.
Mr.. Hagenbeck's paper takes the
form of plea for the preservation OF
the African elephant. But with him
preservation is merely the necessary
preliminary To their demonstration,
for the probable success in which he
gives reasons which should be very en-
couraging to those now pledged to the
undertaking. Mr.. Hagenbeck writes
with authority on the subject Out
of tHo hundred African elephants
brought to Europe in recent years he
has imported one hundred and seventy,
and many of these have remained IN
his geological gardens at Hamburg and
in America. With the histories of the
rest since they passed into other hands
he is perfectly familiar. He was re-
Gently able TO tell the present writer
the exact number Of Africa n elephants,
ana the owner Of each, in the different
countries OF Europe; and he has q
national insight into the ways and
means of animal domestication- liz
gives il as his opinion that the enera
. belief that AFRICAN elephants are MOI
so strong as. are wilder, and less easily
tanned, and possess less endurance
than, the Indian species, is wrong
He maintains, on the contrary. tina
they are stronger. and at least a
tractable, and as useful as beasts o
burden or to be ridden as Indian ele
plants: and he claims to have con
WINGED the Berlin Geographical societ
that this view was correct, as early a
: ISIS. when he had number OF Africa
elephants in that city.
: 1t will be quite sufficient forpractica
purposes if part only Of these antic
; pations are realized. II the Aft ca
elephant can be trained and made a
obedient slave. it will be factor {
enormous Importance in distri'
, where the tsetse fly stops all animi
q carriage, and where for generation
1 human-that is, slave-transport hi
been the sole means of conveying gooc
from the interior to the coast IL
African elephant may we'll answer tl
purpose without becoming such ma
vel Of intelligence and docility as }
Indian relative. Moreover. he is n
only as strong. but far stronger in me
physique than the Indian. the nal
being. on an average. two feet and u
females one foot higher than the Asiat
species. Whether they have quite Il
same massive drayhorse build may
doubted but for most purposes thu
would probably be even more service
Bile as beasts Of burden. and the que
ton of general constitution won
hardly arise in the case Of anima
used in their own country, as the
would be in the German colonies.
London SpectatOr.