The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-02
4 ROGUE ELEPHANT.
BY DR. J. II. PORTER.

the "Trayeler's" smoking rom while a
ea~terlv gale blew off The North Sea. drvin
showers OF sleei against the windows OF tina
famous club. OF his party the latest come
from dis ant lands, Bellvilie, had bee
making the cow, rsatlon.n
There are men upon whom such expert
ences rs ouly 4 Few an ong them live TO re al
have set their seal. separating thee peo1l
in scarcely dsfnahle way from their ordi
nary fellow-creaiurcs. Bellville was one o
this kind sinewy Though slight man
with clrar-cut features. gray-eyed, dark ant
stern. His air and expression made hin
different, set him apart from others.
.Sdhib behddUF-to give you your old
title" said Mai Desborough, Ellis and
are more familiar with East Africa thar
Asia: tell US. then. which wild animal is
most TO be feared in those parts where your
service lay
Major" his companion answered. :" /
know what you mean, but it is impossible 10
give direct reply. When men meet brute
enemies able and willing TO destroy them,
Che sltuatiep settles matters. One destructive
beast is as bad as another, should d man be
IN its power.
of, however, you want to get my views
upon the creatures of India in their relative
capacity for mischief. ! answer unhestat-
jngly that q rogue elephant is unmatchable
in cunning and invunerabiiiy. in bodness,
persistent ferocity. and destructive power.
Yes. yes" Bellviile replied to a dissent
i'm gesture of the Majors, 3" am we'll aware
that many great authorities think differ
ently-Sanderson. Pollock Inglis, Barras,
for example Nevertheless. | hold to my
opinion, and am able TO justify it. both
from the literature of large-game shooting
and personal observation.
Those records / refer TO. made though
they are by men above suspicion, contradict
each other in almost every important par
ticular. Why? Because great sport>men
have not usually been highly cultured per-
sons, and their judgments were perverted
by superstItious precOnceptions. More
though, far more. for this reason, that these
writers had not been sufficiently trained 10
appreciate the essential difference between
what WAS seen and their own differences
from what they saw Fact and inierpreta-
tions of fact have become hopelessly con-
founded.
Surely" continued Beliyille, "you must
be familiar with errors arising from this
cause. One mistake is that different species
kill in ways peculiar to themselves: or that
The great caTnIvoTa so shock their victims
in their first onslaught as to destroy all
festlv designed by merciful Providence"
Look here" interrupted Ellis, "do you
mean to say that an animal whose power is
overwhelming does not destroy prey in
quicker and less agoniziDg manner than
weaker one?n
Yes" retorted Bellville, lyon express
exactly what / meant. 1t could do so, of
course, but why, when ali beasts of prey are
Enthusiastically cruel2 Lower creatures
cannot now be regarded as machines moved
by instinct On the contrary, they are SEN
tient beings, whose behavior varies with cir
cnmstaDces and the promptings of their own
natures. Gentlemen" he said earnestly,
experience and science have left us no
doubt on this point.
1t has happened TO me to trail tiger
while the man he was carrying away tore
up grass and cuiched at bushes for a mile
or more. i have heard-not seen, it was too
dark for that-a lion devour his prey alive
But as for the quick end that an elephant
makes-g0od heavens.
You know" he continued. that remote
and solitary tract on the Godavaris left
bank, district entirely cut off by semi
independent States and endless forests?
We'll, was there seeing about its annexa-
ton TO Chanda. The Dnur-t5onds worshiped
augsT-god On account OF their people being
continually eaten; they Likewise yenerated
cobras and elephants for their destructive
powers / came near being adored myself
on similar grounds, having gwen a quietus
10 many diyinitiss. Nothing exceeds tie
respect OF GODd for anyone who can yet
the better of his gods.
There rs shocking loss of life n those
parts. The wild beasts did not recognize
mans dominion over lhrm; in fact, got the
la.-Es gFa q
except when some wandering band of Ban
Jaras came along. nobody thought of res St
ance, especially against elephants ! shot
severa-m iraculousiy you understand else
how could IL have been done after such a
manner, namely, IN Indian fashion, with a
single ball as the brute CHARGED?
These pretrInatural performances were
PERFECTLY believed by every Gond. ard when
discouraged my own dedication, they con
soled themselves by calling me SGhiG Jehqdnr
His Honor the CnnGueror.
One day orr head iracker came up with
miserable little native who immediately
east himself down IN the dust making Do0ia
as Slvall Irreyerently said. He declared ms
district 10 be under a curse II was rayaped
he said by devil III shape of an elephant.
"ouid the heaven-eorn take pity upon their
nisfortunes and slay hiny
'Ot course knew what kind of a time
these deieDseless people must he having if a
really bad rogue had broken out aud readily
promised 10 give aid. We started that even
my, prepared for an active campaign and
instead of careering about on horseback /
Kept with the tram. If others had done
this many valuable man might be vet
alive.
Two days marching through the rough !
est tract ever traversed brought us 10 n |
village whose ruined and unrooftd bouSe. !
broken trees, and torn-down Enclosures
looked Ike the work OF a whirlwipd. Not
at all; furious elephant had been there
and We heard the shrill cries Of women |
famenting over their dead
Everybody knew that monster of this |
kind was abroad. They were well aware |
that rogue elephants are the most reckless /
creatures under heaven. No one doubt.d |
that an attack might come at any lime |
Nevertheless, not single watcher was |
placed to give warning
Accordingly, when the DESTROYER arrived |
they were wholly unprepared Their DAVIS I
work had ceased, and they sat about as il /
guaranteed against accident, while he stole |
through caDebrake with the silence Of |
death, and rushed upon them, mad with a
lust for blood.
Three women and one child were killed |
instantly. He demolished houses in search |
OF ihelr occupants. The savage beast raced /
=.