The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-14

elephant to do 10 Inow. Their pursuers
were cIamorinp behind and on the TANKS,
but in front the way remained clear, for
naturally anything that would have headed
them was avoided.
SAT length their foremost fugitives reached
the raised gate, sliding door of tree-trunks
moving between two heavy uprights. As
matter of course there was moro lmpotent
commotion here, but finally few elephants
entered, and the ret soon followed.
Even now they were by no means secure.
This stockade, withlits shallow ditch in
side, could not havehheld them against their
will any more than fif it had been made OF
cobweb; and as for 7the natives outside,
single tiger, charging home, would have
scattered them in an instant.
at was not to be, however; it never is.
Their frenzied gymnastics aud shrlek1ng
were mere sound and fury, signifying moth
ing. They came down towards us In way
to make ones heart quake, and gave up half
way in the course. No two of them were OF
the same mind; not a single individual con-
tinued in any purpose long enough to &C
complsh it, They simply raved themselves
into exhaustion and became passive.
Having got them into the Enclosure, 1t
remained to secure these big brutes, and
this was done by trained females belonging
to the establishments Except q big fighting
tusker kept for emergencies that did not
happen to arise, dscoys," as they are called,
took captive the entire herd. Not by any
means of themselves, however, or through
their own devices. Every motion was dl-
rected by the mahout. If one of her own
sex required securing, the catching elephant
quietly hustled this unfortunate OIL TO
tree where the hind legs were adroitly
tethered to its boil and then left the victim
to get over her convulsons as best she might.
Dwasalas always came to their senses first.
Meergas (scrubs) struggled to the last, hurt
themselves, and some sustained such injuries
that they had to be shot. These immense,
roaring, plunging brutes were horrible to
behold, but their still loose companions
looked on with much equanimity and took
no warning.
"When female elephant, or perhaps two,
one on either side, if he were very large,
came up to n tusker and began to cajole
him, this infatuated being nearly always
succumbed at once. Apparently he never
saw the man on her neck who was ordering
it all, and was seemingly blind to the pres
ence Of two or three other men with coils of
rope who were perched upon his charmer's
himself to be backed up in the most bare
faced manner against tree, where, after
being securely fastened, he went off into the
customary fit. II obstinate, however, he
was gently forced into the requisite position
for lettering and made but little resistance.
"What has been told covers all that hap
pened. Sometimes accidents occur-men
are gored or trampled to death. Old bulls
cannot be approached, and when the fight
ing elephants attack them tremendous bat
ties ensue. It has occasionally happened
that part of herd escaped through breach,
but never, so far as remember, all of it.
Little now remains to tell. After the
captives became quiet their bonds were
loosened, a little food was given them by
men who perfectly understood how to be-
have, and subsequently they were fastened
together iff couples, ora bull was placed be-
tween two attendant animals, and they were
thus taken to water by details. Most Of
them soon became accustomed to being
handled they seemed to accept the situation
and resigned themselves.
"Then Sunderland broke up his camps
and marched the catch away for distribution
among the Government stables, in which, of
course, each animal had its own special
mahout, and was broken to whatever work
the creature seemed best fitted to perform.
sit must be evident, gentlemen" con-
cluded Maj. Baker, that. my views on the
subject OF elephantine superiority do not
comport with those exploited in sentimental
natural history; they agree, nevertheless,
with the weigh,isst opinions which have ever
been expressed"