The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-12
sWeSEw..Sk0zg


he to that Of his rider. 1t is the trunk that
Is used for the operation. and that in way
which was a surprise 10 us. We had sup
p womld be wound around the thing to be
drawn or propelled, but this Is not the case.
The end of the trunk only is brought into
contact with the log, and In some way
probably by force of suction-holds 1t firmly
enough to propel log of perhaps three
tons weight easily and even rapidly through
the water.
ployed in the work Of the yard, and all Ct
these but one are males. This may, and
probably does arise from the tact mat the
males are usually larger and stronger than
the female elephants, but, judging rom the
specimen we saw, It cannot be from any
superiority of intelligence on the part OF
worker. indeed, is a veritable maid of all
work about the yard and no kind Of work
appears to come arlss TO her. AT one time
she may be seen holding log UP 10 Inc
saw when at work. either endwise or across,
as occasion may require; at another she IS
dragging the slabs away with the end of
the regularity and skill of The most Eeat-
handed workman; at a third she is making
a stack of sawn boards or sweeping
the sawdust from the mill house floor with
a gigantic broom. The meaning of the
whistle to knock off work is not better
known to any workman on the place than
her TO do O single trunks turn when the
signal has once sounded. True to the tra1i-
ton of her sex, she came WITHIN very
little Of destroying Mr.. Jacksons camera
In her too inquisitive desire to examine ITS
internal mechanism.
The log, once piloted to shore, Will. at the
word of command. if not OF greater
up by the animals tusk, and then grasped
with the trunk carefully and exactly IN the
middle, and carried where 1T is wanted. Ar
rived at the heap of logs in the yard, he
will place one end on the ground and the
other on the heap, and then procaed with
the most systematic care TO push II up and
adjust 1t with the point OF his tusks
You cannot overload an elephant, how
ever. for the animal will at once refuse any
load which he considers beyond his strength,
and there is practically no appeal from the
elephants opinion such question. In
seems to be too large and heavy for single
elephant. a second is called to his assistance.
and the two animals proceed quietly TO pick
II up by the extreme ends and carry it 10
with the utmost care, even examining 1t
critically TO see that IL is perfectly In lire
with the rest of the stack FOR this ard
all other nice processes OF adjustment the
point of the trunk is the instrument used,
and IL appears TO BE as sensitive as the nlu,
sicians fingers, yet as strong, and, II need
Be. as rigid. as bar of steel.
IL has been said that an elephant can DO
everything but speak. and, indeed, We were
often disposed TO doubt whether there was
even this exception Whatever emotion one
of these animals feels he seems ready to
express In sound and so various are the
mcdulations OF his voice, and SO ready their
sympathy and apparent comprehension OF
one another that we could hardly doubt
that the impression that elephants cannot
speak was due rather to our ignorance than
TO their want OF the power OF making them
selves understood The elephant Is very
liable to sunstroiSe, especially when working
In the water. and even on shore he Is gener-
ally furnished with cover for Els head
during tha hours of the greatest heat. A