Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1895-03-05
MY LORD ELEPHANT.


When was stationed up in the hill
country, some 20 years ago, I used to
be pasIonately fond of hunting. had
not been out from England long, and
the novelty of following big game had
not vet lost its charms. My duties did
not occupy great deal of my time, and
I could often be absent week or ten
DAYS without serious inconvenience to
any one. With a couple of natives and
nv old ''aenry, - would set forth on
Mowcha, my elephant. Mowcha was
an exceptionally fine specimen of his
race, endowed with all its virtues and
but few of its faults. He was strong.
patient, sagacious and devoted to his
master He had never been used as
working elephant, but only for the pur-
pose of the chase. You should have seen
his unwieldy bulk making its way
noiselessly through the thick jungle
grass, his great feet lifted and put down
with the utmost caution, his flexible
trunk darting in all directions to scent
the game, and his small eyes cleaning
with excitement. He seemed to know
instinctively the moment to fire, and
then he would not move muscle. You
KNOW IL liz o44sSA4A 6AACaA1S ~
nerve to stand perfectly still with q
Bengal devil in striped skin charging
at one and too often it happens that
your well directed shot is spoiled by
your elephants speedy retreat.
The natives deemed Mowcha super
human, on account of his intelligence
and strength, and his mahout always
called him my lord the elephant and
II, fl,n fes-t Y.ac4NopE
You know the Hindoo belief-that the
souls of one's ancestors have to reside
| for a period after death in the bedies of
animals till they have atoned for their
shortcomings on earth, and, lest they
might unwittingly treat some of their
grandfathers or great t-grandfathcrs with
disrespect, which would be criminal
violation of their religion, it is their
custom to give to each Of the inmates OF
the Jungle particular title as, for in
stance, his highness the tiger, our king
the lion, etc. So Mowcha was more Of
ten addressed as my lord the elephant
than by his real name.
He was a great pet in the regiment,
and for the children at the station there
was no better sport than to climb into
the howdah, shrieking with laughter,
| and have ride on Mowcha. He seemed
to enjoy it as much as they did and
carried his precious burden with the
greatest dignity. He was really hand
some, as elephants go, and looked his
best when adorned with his scarlet trap
pings and harness and bearing tho how
dab filed with merry children, and it
was pretty sight tosee them afterward
bestowing upon him his reward in the
shape Of pineapples, bananas and man
goes, all of which he loved to stow away
in his capaoious stomach.
I tell you all these details that you
may understand my grief when he sud
denly disappeared one night in early
spring. My lord the elephant had been
restless for several days, his mahout in
formed me afterward, and that evening
ne had managed to break his chain and
| had vanished in the darkness Whether
he had been spirited away by q clever
| thief, or had decided that he had work
ed for man long enough and would now
return to his native woods and the So
ciety of his kind, we never knew, OF
course, but we missed him moro than
one would think, and for some time the
cry among the children was, If Now
cha were only here"
] tried number of other elephants
for my hunting. but could not fill his
place, and as my duties increased about
that time my gun rarely left its case,
and my cartridge belt hung unused on
! tho wall
About three or four years later was
| invited to spend the Christmas holidays
with an English friend who was giving
q house party at his place farther up IN
the hills. easily obtained leave and
started with but one servant, Ramon.
| He had formerly been Mowcha's ma
| hout, but after that brute's uncanDy
| disappearance he had attached himself
| to me and proved to be very handy
/ fellow. We were mounted on hardy nt-
| tie ponies, and the first day made about
| so miles, spending the night at the hut
| of one of the forest rangers who are
stationed by the government as guard
along the edges of large and important
forests.
The next day we plunged into the for
est itself. Toward midday we were
startled by hearing fearful thunder
| Gus roaring, as of some monster In ITS
death agony. at that distance did not
recognize it as the voice OF any Wild
animal 1 was acquainted with and turn
I ed to Ramon for an explanation. HIS
| dark skin was bleached to ashen gray.
cts a herd of elephants, - he ex-
| claimed, land they are sounding their
| battlecryI If they come this way. 1t
mems certain death. We cannot escape
them -
It certainly seemed as though they
were headed in our direction, for tho
noise grew louder, and we could feel
the ground trembling beneath1ns ct the
trampIing of many feet
"Follow me, sahibl'' cried Ramon as
| he threw himself from his horse and
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