Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-08
CONCERNING ELEPHANTS.
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 a rep
resentative of BLACK and White with
Mr.. Cunnah, one OF the directors Of the
London and Burmah Merchandise Com
pany The company had imported a troop
Of the great beasts. and they were rock
ing themselves to and fro in their open
shed, being fed with cakes by children
as the two men talked.
yes" said Mr.. Cunnah. that see
saw movement IL odd. l believe it an
exhibition OF contentment L know
though. that this habit nearly capsized
the vessel wherein we brought two OF
them down the Irrawaddy. There was
good sea on as we approached Ran
COON. and this appeared 10 please the
elephants for they began to see-saw so
violently that the ship seemed likely to be
thrown on her beam-ends'
ITO what purposes are elephants put
IN India and In BurmahY
The native princes require them to
enhance their pageantry. Europeans
use them chiefly in pilng timber, drag
ging ordnance. and hunting the tiger
DO not suppose that In moving logs all
elephant employs his trunk; he is fs-
TOO chary OF injuring that sensitive
organ. In point of fact, he uses his
tusks, curling his trunk around the bur
den, which often weighs half a ton,
TO steady H. In turning over heavy
piece. he invariably takes the cord at
:ached TO II between his teeth. and, pass
ing the rope over one or his tusks. OBJ
tains the benefit OF leverage On the
shores OF all the big rivers, bordered by
\. IL Ftsr
IN an intelligent manner. but IN reality
he is merely obeying the instructions OF
the mahout seated on his neck. The In
structions are conveyed by the voice,
and the pressure OF knees and feet. II
Is generally admitted that the elephant
is not nearly so intelligent as the horse
or dog. He has Il small brain, though
no animal excels him in obedience and
gsntleness. The former is cSemp.ified IN
iiser hunting. and the latter Is shown
In the excitement and the sorimmage OF
hobbling wild elephants after capture IN
a kheddah, where the tame ones display
great care In avoiding a dismounted ma
tive
"These animals are OF the Asiauc va
rietyT"
Yes; there are but two species, the
African and the Asiatic, and both, ac-
cording to the naturalist, belong 10 the
same genus. Fossilized remains. how
ever, show that once upon a time there
were as many as fourteen species. II is
curious that In ceylon males and fe-
males alike are generally tuskless-in-
deed. not one in 3Oo has tusks--while In
India quits IS per cent of the males
are thus adorned. The tusks are per-
ceptible at birth, and when broken or in
ranrflpaaA nankf-
less you have noticed that the two
males here have brass curbs at the points
OF their tusks; these are designed 10 pre-
vent splitting or other injury.
ooh, yes elephants have wholssons
fear of the tusks, and the one with the
biggest in herd is greatly respected by
his fellows He fights with them. curl
ing the trunk carefully out OF the way
when he attacks a tiger, for instance
and an elephant has been known TO pitch
n tiger fully 80 feet. Sometimes an
elephant IS BON with a single tusk;
ne Is then called Gunesh, and IL the
tusk be the rsght-hand one ne is much
reyerenced by the natives. II Is not trus
that the so-called white elephant Is an
object OF worship in Slam or anywhers
else. He Is merely valued as a freak OF
nature. and kept by native princes on
that account
THE elephant seems to move at fair
pace" / remarked. as one, laden with
visitors passed US.
"Yes: he usually goes along at about
five miles an hour. but when he likes he
can get up speed OF quite fifteen. miles
an hour. You notice that his gait Is a
sort OF shuttle; he cannot galIop, nor
ranter nor Jump yet his agility In cross
ing rough. mountainous country Is as
tonishlnc. In districts where his food
consists of roots and the branches OF
trees his tusks are invaluable for dig
ding. and he commonly uses one tusk In
partlcuIar. which the natives call the
elhadam. or the servant. In Ceylon his
food is grass and heritage; and, since he
does not require tusks TO procure susie
nance, these have disappeared In process
OF time. IL Is said that In the far North