Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-09

most rapidity. l did the same, my pro-
gress being hindered, however, by my
heavy riding boots. We had no time to
secure our ponies, and the frightened
animals, as soon as they were released,
sprang nimbly through the thickets and
disappeared, and with them, of course,
vanished our only means Of escape from
the forest, even though the elephants
should pass us by unframed.
We reached our position of safety
none too soon. I could see the heavy
forest branches shaking violently, and
soon huge gray mass broke through,
stumbling along at remarkable rate
Of speed, not 20 yards from us and
screaming with vicious rage
"It's rogue elephant, sahib," said
Ramon. '"They are chasing him from
the herd"
Such indeed seemed to be the case,
for 100 yards behind him came another
enormous figure, which was headed
straight for our place Of refuge AS by
lightning flash I saw the horrible death
that menaced us. already felt myself
falling to the ground, in second more
to be trampled to death under those i'm
mense feet. But at that instant heard
Ramon call out boldly, "Letrah gaj"
(lie DOWN. The great beast paused.
''Let-rah, let-rah, again he cried, and
to my establishment the creature obe-
diently went down upon its knees.
Ramon quickly descended, calling me
to follow. Where black leads, a white
man does not lag behind, and down I
went I did not understand how the
magical Transformation had been effect.
ed, but as turned and caught sight of
the animal I comprehended it all.
Around the great foreleg was chain,
the end Of which still trailed on the
ground. The quick eye of the native
had seen it. He knew that the animal
must have been in captivity at some
time and called out the word of COM
mand, hoping that it would be obeyed
He was not disappointed, for, although
the small eyes still cleaned with an
ugly red light and the trunk waved
mutinously in the air, the great crea-
ture had not forgotten his former train
ing. We approached him cautiously at
first, but presently Ramon rushed fear
lessly up to the brute and petted him
effusively, calling him by every name
Of endearment. "Ah, It's thou, my lord
the elephantl IT'S thou, leader of the
herd, wiser than the wise men Of the
temple, beautiful as lotus bud, strong
as the winds of heaven o great Lord
Mowcha! Thy slave salutes thee!'
Truly enough it was our old Mowcha,
who, in spite of lapse of time and change
of place, had not forgotten his old mas
tiers and the familiar word Of command.
All this had happened within a few
moments The graf herd was still crash
ing through the forest all around us,
trumpeting with rage and shaking the
ground in their fury. Should one of
them chance to come near enough to
see us our lives would not be worth a
farthing. Mowcha seemed to under
stand the situation perfectly. for, his
anger all gone, he seized Ramon gently
with his strong trunk and set him upon
his neck, where the mahout usually
rides He grasped me with the same
ease and placed me beside him. Then
he rose and started off at a good pace in
the direction opposite to that taken by
the rest of his fellows, and soon their
screams and thunderings had died away.
We wondered where my lord the
elephant intended to convey us, whether
to his native jungles or to the post
again. Ramon tried to guide him, but
found it impossible without tho help
Of the usual ankus, or goad, SO we corr
fined our efforts to keeping our balance
and staying on his back, a somewhat
difficult task without the aid of harness
or how dab.
Briefly told, his strong, steady pace
never failed for over ten hours, until
we entered the post again. Our APP
proach had been deserted from afar,
and every living soul had turned out to
view the spectacle. When it was per-
ceived that it was Mowcha, dear old
Mowcha, who was bringing us back in
safety, hearty cheer broke from all
threats, cheer for my lord the ele-
phant. The children clapped their hands
and shrieked with joy, and even the
soldiers shared the general enthusiasm.
We gave my lord the elephant feast
such as never elephant had had before
but he did not seem to enjoy the dain-
tics spread before him SO much as the
moment when the howdah was placed
on his back, and he was led forth, sur.
rounded by the children, whom he once
more bore solemnly around the post.
For two days he remained with us and
was the object Of attention and love.
Then he became restless, and we fam
cied he again longed for his forest home.
So the cruel chain was stricken off his
huge foot, and my lord the elephant,
with roses and branches wreathed
around his great neck and hanging from
his stubby tusks, was led forth and given
his liberty. Our Animal Friends.