The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-07-14
NO 2S
AN ELEPHANTS REVENGE.

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The elephants were ranged in dou-
BILE line in front of the tents, and Ash
ton, the head keeper, was standing
with his back turned, about ten yards
ahead of Kennedy, 4 big elephant that
had been nursing a slumberng hatred
against him for long lime. kenne-
dy's mahout got down to fit strap on
the pad, and that gave Kennedy the
opportunity he had been waiting for.
A shout from the men warned Ashton
of his danger. and, turning quickly, he
saw Kennedy coming at him with
trunk stretched ont in straight line,
and as much diabolcal hatred in bis
little eyes as an elephants eye can
show. Kennedy meant murder there
was no doubt about that-and Ashton
did the only thing possible ; that is,
started on dead run for banyan
tree about one hundred yards distant.
Down the line came Ashton, sprinting
for all there was in him, and after him
came Kennedy with numbering shuf-
fie, but getting over the ground sur
prisingly. There was no time for help;
all we could do was to stand and stare
and wonder whether Ashton would
reach the tree before Kennedy reach
ed him. For about twenty yards
Ashton kept his advantage, and then
suddenly went headlong in the dust,
his toe caught in some knotted grass. :
| turned my head with a sickening
feeling; but those who looked say that
Kennedy was confused by this hap
pening, and lunged clumsily at Ash
ton, missing him with his tusks, and
then tried to trample him with his big
feet. His momentum, however. was
so great that he stumbled over him
with his tore feet, missed him with one
Of his hind feet, caught him a glancing
kick on the abdomen with the other
kind foot, and then lurched onward in
a cloud of dust Before he could turn
several mahouts had driven their ele
plants in between him and Ashton.
Then we saw Ashton rise upright, his
clothes covered with blood, stagger a
few yards, fall headlong, and lie quite
still. We thought he was dead, but it
proved that he was not seriously in
jured, the elephants foot having mere
ly grazed him. Until his last hour
comes, though, he will never be nearer
death than he was at that moment.
When it was all over, the Eajah
come up in great rage and scored
the mahout numerically for leaving
his seat And then he told him to
take Kennedy into the open and give
old Indrajit chance at him. 1t was
Indrajit's prerogative, as king of the
herd, to punish refractory elephants,
and he took uncommon pleasure in it,
There was no elephant Of them all that
dared stand before Indrajit, for not on
ly was he heavier and stronger than
the others, but his tusks were longer
and sharper. Round and round in the
in the open went Kennedy, plunging
and struggling under the blows OF the
angry manoui, who dug in his gunga
bar until the blood streamed. Then
up came Indrajit slowly, as cat
stalks mouse, to make the pleasure
last. When Kennedy saw him he lifted
his trunk and trumpeted in terror, but
he stood quite still, as if fascinated,
and watched the slow approach Of In
draft Step by step the big tusker
came nearer, eyeing Kennedy pleas
antly, as if to say, IL shall be having
some fun with you in moment, my
friend" And at five yards he charg-
ed, and sent his tusks in kennedy's
flank a good six inches: and when he
took them out, there holes there as il
cannon balls had gone in. Then Ken
nedy ran and Indrajit after him, and
the two mahouts gone mad. 1t was a
hard race. but Kennedy lost in the
end and got another prodding, after
which they took the big fellow off, and
left Kennedy believing. "Starve him
for two days." said the Rajah to the
mahout, "and then put him to work
again. Now, gentlemen, on your ele-
plants, please" In spite Of this con-
slant punishment with the gunga bars,
the elephants suffer little injury at
the bands of the mahouts. Their
great heads are made up of the soft
bony tissue which may be shot through
by rifle balls in all directions without
harm unless the bullet happens to
strike the brain, which is very small,
about the size of saucer.-.Mc Cnre's
magazine.
There is one little maxim