St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-09-03
Catching Wild Elephants.

Der of "Stories of Elephants" to the
September St. Nicholas. She says:
The chase for wild elephants began
next day at early dawn. We had
heard of wild herd being seen in the
Chila Valley, and we mounted on an
elephant to see the hunt. Mr.. Bag.
sha we, the conservator Of forests,
was in command OF the party, and
Bill Prasad was the most RESPONSE
Bile elephant.
For two long days they hunted
their wild brethren through the deep
est Jungle; 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." Imagine our feelings
in the ravine !-never knowing when
, the herd would be on us, trampling
us over, or whether there was the
faiptest hope Of our being 'in at the
] DEATH" After suspense OF hour,
e such as few OF us would like to suffer
/. again, we decided to mount and try
. to rejoin the hunters.
= 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
II valley. and there they were two OF
n them being magnificent tuskers, tired
E. to death, with no hope of escape. A
It firm stockade of trunks of trees was
It built to close every way out. Each
q hill was occupied by tame elephants
- and their riders, but still the gallant
u beasts made anobe fight for freedom.
!" 1t was really distressing to see their
'. uneasiness and trouble, particularly
a that OF one poor mother, who had
ct such a dear little baby, not more than
le three and half feet high. She was
IL overcome the first, and was led off
he attached by chains to two big tusk
Sc ers; and it was most interesting te
-. see the captors' intelligence in dealing
=. with the poor baby elephant. The,
= gently forced it in between them tt
er the mothers side; every move i
Dr. made was most closely observed ant
as checked, but never one bit of rough
ay ness did they show it. And soft wa
up led eff into camp, the trumpeting c
the mother making US feel most teal
st. fully sympathetic There was mos
95 exciting fight with the others; the
were simply ridden down by the tam
ones, and overpowered only whe
thoroughly faint andexhausted. Th
biggest among them-a splendi
tusker-resisted to the last. re
nearly a week he had been hunte'
without chance to eat or drin
but he still remained defiant, nj
Welding to any of the many char
~ pions who went forth to fight him
~ At last it was decided that b.
alone should enter the field again
him, and we held our breath
anxious suspense. The poor capt.
seemed to recognize that his last hoI
was gone when his magnificent a
so tagonist appeared; and we watch
keenlv to see how be measured t
Others proportions before the hr
rush of attack.
How can describe the thunderil
stampede, and the shock like
burst of a cannon when the tv
mighty beads met in the first chars
the firing of guns, the screams a
cheering from the mahouts,
% trumpeting of the wild elephants
ready captlves, who still hoped
the freedom of their leader?
But it was OF no avail! Bill
enormous strength was too much
the poor, tired, worn-out beast.
@f the frst sign OF yielding, tour mi
nihcent tame elephants, with n
bouts on their backs, rushed into
geld. Nooses OF iron chains W
8 flung around the huge body, a
proud Bill headed the sad process'
The captive was secured to two
plants on each side, with chains
each leg, and so led into camp.
There Is Nothing So Good.
VI ,Tba,a &c nothing inst as good as