The record-union., 1897-12-03
CATCHING WILD ELEPHANTS.
A Stirring Hunting Scene In thu
Jungles of Nepa1.

Marie A. Millie contributes a num-
Der Of "Stories of Elephants" to the
"St. Nicholas She says:
The chase for wild elephants began
next Gay at early dawn We had
heard of a wild herd being seen In the
Chila Valley, and we mounted on an
elephant to see the hunt. Mr.. Bag
shave. the conservator of forests, was
in command of the party. and BlJll
Prasad was the most responsible ele-
phant.
For two long days they hunted their
wild brethren through the deepest Jun
gle. and in some places the pampas and
other grasses waved four and five feet
higher than our heads even while we
were riding on the elephant.
once. on the second day, the quest
seemed hopeless. Through bungling, or
owing to the dense jungle, the herd had
escaped and the ladies of the party
halted for luncheon in deep ravine.
After an hours interval We heard the
reports of guns, and the roaring and
laundering stampede of the 'chasers." 4"
Imagine our feelings in the ravine!-
never knowing when the herd would be
on us, trampling US over, or whether
there was the faintest hope of our be-
ing .'iE at the death" After q sus-
pense Of an hour. such as few of US
would like to suffer again, we decided
to mount and try to rejoin the hunt
erS.
AS luck would have it, from the next
hill We had view of the whole valley
below.
Eight wild elephants had been hunted
by the tame ones into the valley, and
there they were, two of them being
magnificent tuskers, tired to death,
with no hope of escape. A firm stock
ade Of trunks of trees was built to
close every way out. Each hill was
occupied by tame elephants and their
riders, but still the gallant beasts made
noble fight for freedom. 1t was really
distressing to see their uneasiness and
trouble, particularly that of one poor
mother, who had such a dear little
baby, not more than three and half
feet high. She was overcome the first
and was led off, attached by chains
to two big tuskers; and it was most
interesting to see the captors' intelli-
gence in dealing with the poor baby
elephant They gently forced it in be-
tween them to the mothers side; ev-
cry move it made was most closely
observed and checked. but never one
bit of roughness did they show it. And
so it was led off into camp, the trump
citing of the mother making us feel
most tearfully sympathetic. There was
a most exciting fight with the others;
they were simply ridden down by the
tame cnes, and overpowered only when
thoroughly faint and exhausted. The
biggest among them--a splendid tusk-
er-resisted to the last. For nearly a
week he had been hunted, without a
chance to eat or drink, but he still re-
manned defiant, not yielding to any OF
the many champions who went forth
to fight him.
At last it was decided that Bilji alone
should enter the field against him, and
we held our breath in anxious suspense.
The poor captive seemed to recognize
that his last hope was gone when his
magnificent antagonist appeared; and
we watched keenly to see how he meas
ured the others proportions before
their first rush of attack.
How can I describe the laundering
stampede. and shock like the burst of
a cannon when the two mighty heads
met in the first charge, the firing of
guns, the screams and cheering from
the mahouts. the trumpeting Of the