The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-27
CATCHING A2wIED ELEPHANT.~
Mode Is simple, But Requires Judg-
ment and Great Nerve.

From Travel.
One of the best known crackers in my
day in Ceylon was a Norman of the name
of Ali Mahomed. The mode employed by
the elephant catchers was extremely sim
pie, though it required great judgment
and nerve. 1t consisted merely in getting
close enough to an animal to moose his legs
and then tie them to a tree. Ali Mohamed
was king of the elephant catchers, and
when he could be induced to talk of his
yet did I mark an elephant in the herd but
captured it." Still, though Ali captured
an immense number of elephants, he did
not always come off unscathed, as the fol-
lowing incident will show:
lie discovered a herd one afternoon, and
the next morning, accompanied by his 49,
year-old son, Hassan, ne set out to rope
a beast about two-thirds grown, for a
young animal is more easily handled and
tanned. Their outfit consisted of four ropes
made out of twisted deer hide, each hav-
ing a carefully prepared running moose
These ropes We're very strong and elastic
and well adapted to resist an immense
strain. About noon Ali and his son found
the herd, after tracking them for many
miles, and. carefully observing the wind
crept up from leeward until within hear
ing of the elephants. The heat was in
tense and the herd was resting in the shell
ter of clump of big trees. Except the oc-
casional swapping of a dead stick under
the ponderous weight of some slowly NOV
ing beast or the swish of a leafy branch
with which one would lazily brush off a
fly, there was nothing TO indicate the pres
ence of the game
All, after divesting himself of all cloth
ing except a scrap of cloth, which every
native wears, went on alone, leaving Has
san in charge of the ropes Presently
through the underground a swinging trunk
warned him that he was near the herd.
Careful observation disclosed the proper
tons of a full-grown animal, so he quietly
shifted his ground until, after two or three
attempts, he finally selected one young
enough to suit his purpose Carefully not
ing the exact location, he returned for
the ropes. He took two of them and care
fully coiled them over his left arm, and
Hassan followed with the rest Progress
with the ropes was slow and laborious and
when at length the gray form of the ele-
plant became visible Ali signed to Has
san to stop and crept forward alone. The
delcacy of this proceeding may we'll be
imagined when it is remembered how keen
ly endowed the elephant is with the senses
of hearing and smell. Intense care in
moving will prevent noise, but it is difficult
to imagine how the crackers keep the ele-
plant from seeming them, even though
the wind was favorable.
1t is possible they use the Juice of the
strongly scented lemon grass which grows
around,Or some other herb, to overcome the
human odor. With the two ropes ready
Ali approached the elephant from behind.
for it was his hind legs he was attempting
to secure. When about twenty feet off he
made the end of one of the ropes fast TO
a tree, and then, inch by inch covered the
intervening distance. At last after much
painful effort he lay at full length al
most touching the animal with two moses
lying open, one behind each pillar-like leg
Giving a last glance to see that the rome
he had fastened was clear, he took the
moose and pushed Il forward until a touch
ed one foot To get il on the leg the ele-
plant must by some means be Induced TO
raise his foot. With a long thorn All gent
ly pricked the other leg just as a 1y might
sting II, for the 'pachydemmata In spite
of their thick hides, are very sensitive 10
the bites of insects. Slowly the foot ne
was endeavoring TO secure rose and rubbed
the spot he had pricked. As IL left mo
ground the moose was slipped open beneath
H. so as 10 encircle IL when replaced. Then
after a moments pause, with steady. I'M
faltering hand the moose was raised ana
lightly drawn When the elephant felt
the contact of the rope he at once with
the other foot, attempted TO shove Il on
down 70 the ground. This action allowed
Ala 10 slip the second moose into place.