New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06
CONCERNING ELEPHANTS.
SOME ENTERTAINING DETAILS OF THEIR
LIVES AND WAYS.

SOME ENTERTAINING DETAILS OF THEIR
LIVES AND WAYS.
There were some interesting details concerning
elephants In a conversation held in London the
other day by representative of BLACK and White"
with Mr.. Cunnah. one of the directors of the Lon
don and Burmah Merchandise Company. The
company had imported troop of the great beasts.
and they were rocking themselves TO and fro In
their open she'd being fed with cakes by children
the two talked
Yes" said Mr. Cunnah, that movement
is odd. believe IL exhibition Of contentment.
know. though. that this habit nearly capszed the
vessel wherein we brought OF them down the
Irrawaddy. There was good sea on as we APP
preached Rangoon and this appeared to please tho
elephants. for they began to see-saw so violently
that the ship seemed likely be thrown her
beam-ends"
TO what purposes are elephants put in India and
in Burmah?'
1.-The native princes require them to enhance their
pageantry. Europeans them chiefly in piling ~
timber. dragging ordnance and hunting the tiger
DO not suppose that In moving logs an elephant
employs his trunk he is far too chary OF injuring
that sensitive organ. In point of fact he uses his
tusks. curling his trunk around the burden, which
often weighs half a ton, to steady IL. In turning
over a heavy piece he invariably takes the cord at
tached TO it between his teeth. and. passing the
rope over one of his tusks. obtains the benefit or
leverage. On the shores of all the big rivers bor-
Qereu Dy teak IOTcsts 10 NC WI hh'e AAA
an intelligent manner, but in reality he is merely
obeying the instructions of the mahout seated on
his neck. The instructions are conveyed by tho
voice and the pressure OF knees and rect IL -
generally admitted that the elephant Is not nearly
so intelligent as the horse dog. tie has small
brain. though animal excels him IN ooeuiehCe
and eenleness. The former is exemplified IN tiger
hunting and the latter is shown in the excitement
and the scrimmage OF hobbng wild elephants ai'e'
capture in a kheddah. where the tame ones disp'ay
great care in avoiding dsmounted native.
"These animals are OF the Asiatic variety!
eyes: there are but two species, the African anu
rho Asatc and both according 10 the Naturalist
halonr 10 the same genus. Fosszed remains, now
ever show that once upon time thcie "e'e a"
many as fourteen species. Ii Is curious 'na' ia
Ceylon males and females alike are seiierdiis
less-indeed not one In 800 has tusks-while IN lnoa
ouite u per cent OF the males are thus ADORNED
The tusks are perceptble at birth. and when prohen
or injured they are never reprouuogiu: here have
brass curbs at the point OF their tusks these are
designed prevent splitting or onen mJ9 fssr Of the
tusks and the with the biggest IN am ne, Win
greatly respected by MS re}v out Of the way
WHEN he attacks tiger. for nsta stan s hr AN
f feep omstimes an elephant born With , single
ttsk is then called Gunesh anu rr ~ by the
NATIVES it that the SCALED Or w any
elephant is Object me er valued as freak Of
nature and KEEP; by native princes o" '""'
The elephant seems TO move at iair pave'
remarked as one laden with visitors pssseu ~,
Yes ne usually goes along at about hve inlIes az az
hour but when he likes he can get up 80. , NE J
quite fifteen miles an hour. You n9,lce .Ia' ~
gait Is sort OF shuti'e; ne tHo rossins rough
mountainous country Is astonishing, III, In rancbeS
", ,ree his tisks are invaluable for digging ana
he commonly one tusk IN particular Tncm ia
a go s Grass and heritage: and since he does
not require tusks to procure sustehahce ,nat in
sappea red in process or time IL - sau ','n. -
the Far North the young elephant Is found Win
quite a woolly hide -. a. ,,.s,,s ,n,,s, no enor
nous -,,.,,. ,,oy have heen known to weigh az
seventy-four pounds being far more common. Ine
length from the gum Is some I'VE ieet ann tile ',
inference at that point sixteen inches. 10 get an
ennhants height you have but to pass the tape
twice around his foot and you have his height az
rreatlv exacgerated There Is not an elephant
which rises to ten feet eight teet hVe i'icneS -
fair height The natives divide elephants into three
classes the Koomcriah. signifying royal or prince
Is: the Murga a lighter animal with longer legs
mon kind generally found in herds:
..IIow are elephants taken alive?
mode practsed only by natives: many are thus hurt
in falling one upon the other Noosng. which Is ei-
the mahouts concealing themselves under cloths
till they have an opportunity OF slipping down ana
method in some places. The Government adopts
the kheddah principle. A large tract of country Is
surrounded WIN pdiSduc, ii"'i"N
shaned opening Where n herd is esped great
commotion is produced by discharging guns lgnt-
ing fires and shouting; and the animals are gradu-
oIlv driven toward the entrance. Once the ele-
phants are inside the kheddah the aperture Is
closed and men stationed hundred YARDS
apart TO Illustrate any attempt TO escape. The
beasts are then hobbied and fastened by ropes TO
stout trees it is marvellous how soon elephants
are tanned. In a couple of months they become
docile enough 10 be led away.
What about elephants keep"
Working. he consumes as much as TWO hundred-
weight of green stuff and half bushel of grain.
OF his keep ana his liability 10 disease
I'm captivity diminishing his use TO "A great ex-
tent. Still. in districts where logs have TO Dc
How long does the elephant live?"
We'll. that is disputed point. Some say eighty
wears others go far hundred and thirty.
II is a curious fact that you never come across
dead elephant in the forests II is said he betakes
himself TO some inaccessible spot TO die. II follows
that YOU his skeletOn-uness, OF
course he has been wounded or accidentally hurt"