The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-01-02
ELEPHANT SIUItIES.
THEY GO TO SHOW THAT THE GREAT
BEASTS CA;l REASON.

neyance.
IL ny opinion the elephant j. the
most intelligent Ct all sIins@ls. lie
tanks for himself, and no matter -
Whist Position ho may 10 placed, G.
what emergencies he may be called up
On to meet, he seems to be endowed
with enough common sense to be equal
to all occasions. He has also q strong
sense ct humor, which at times is so
marked as to BIO almost human.
This sense of the humorous was TN
usually well developed in an elephant I
knew III the Jardin DIES Plantes III Par
Is. LIE was kept i'll q great inclcsuro ont
III tho open air, SO that lie had plenty
OF room to, roam about. In the same in
closure was Q very large Eippopota1aus,
for whose comfort and amusement a
great stone basin had been built ard
filed with water, and the hippopotanus
IN turn furnished amusement for the
elephant. It was quite early one morn
lEg-beforc the hour for admitting the
public to the gaTden-when I noticed
the elephant walking around On tne
stone eageo t the basin, c~Griously watch
ing the hippopotamus.
l felt quite sure that the elephant was
up to sone prank, and Twas not iIistak-
en-; for, just as Q as the cars OF the
h1ppopotan1Es came into view, the ele-
plant quickly seized one Of them with
his trunk and gave it a sudden pull.
The enraged lippopotamus lifted his
ponderous head clear Of the water and
snorted and blew, but every time he
rose to take breath the elephant would
recomlnence his antics. Around and
around the beast would &c, keeping d
sharp lockout for the little ears Of the
-hlppopotamus, which lie would SEIZE the
moment they appeared. His eyidlnt tle-
light II teasing his huge ncighhcr was
very cc-aical, and there could IL no
doubt that he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Again, one day tho keeper placed
seine food fer the hipropotamrs III a
corner CT the inclosure, and at once the
hippopctamus began to leave the water
TO get it, but tho elephant SLOWLY am
bled G to the same corne-, and arriv-
ing there first he placed his tour feet
over the farorite food in such d way that
tho k~ippopotamus could rot Get at it,
gently swaTed his trunk back md forth
and acted altogether rs though he were
there quito accidentally, lntil the gar
Gen was thrown open to The public ard
he went forward to receive tie daily
contributions Ct bread. cake, pic, etc,
which We're always offered him by his
hosts Of admirers.
Elephants appear to take much enjoy
ment in life aid exhibit Il good nsturcd
spirit even while ut work. In the ami
mails quarters at Bridgeport, some time
ago, two little elephants showed evil
pleasure in the tasks that were set
for them. Even in their stable, when
10 trainer was about, one little elephant
wc.ld stand OH its head just it was
used 70 doing i'll tho circus and the other
would look anxsously en- until its own
turn came to stand ON its head and be
admired by the other.
In his native cline, during tie hot
hours Of the day, the elephant usually
seeks the friendly shade of d grove Of
trees SO as to shield himself from the
burning rays Of the sun. Some time ago
in Central park the elephants in sum
mer were kept in an open Enclosure
where there were no trees or shade of
any kind, and during the hot DAYS.
when the mercury was well I'D in the
nlneties, the heat was almost unbear-
able. Intently watching the elephants
there We're always many persons carry
ing sunshades or umbrellas to protect
themselves from the suns rays.
l wonder how many Of these onlcok4 i
ers realized that the elephants were
carrying sunshades, too, for such was
really the case. On the very hot days
tie great quadrupeds would take the
hay that was given them, or, when they
could get it the newly mown grass, and
thatch their hacks with it
shield themselves from tie sun. Thc-
sometimes do this same thing III
fly tine to protect themselves from be-
ing bitten, for. strange as it may seem,
ELEPHANTS skin is very sensitive.
In africa there grows a tree called
the feglik tree, which bears fruit
b. the name CT lolobes. Now the
elephant Is very fond of lolobcs, but the
fruit grows SO high up as to be quite
out of the animals reach. OF course
does not deter thG elephant from
to get it. True, he cannot climb
> tree. but he has a big bump Ct inge-
nulty and we may rest assured that he
gets the fruit by some means OF other.
Sir Samuel Baker, the great African
traveller, was fortunate enough u day
% see IN elephant in the very act Of get
ting the fruit. The elephant would re-
ire a short distance from the tree and
then rush at the trunk at full speed,
striking his head against it with such
s0rca ae To rcnEn tho tron +noaahla -: