The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
ONE LONELY CINGALESE.
CETUOA AND HIS ELEPHANT HOME
SICK IN PITTsBURG's ZOO.

lheH common Tonguo-The Hippo Mans
Cure Tor Grip and Woman's Cure for
Cold--Glorios of Boyhood IN Ceyion.
A man is In hard luck when vicious ele-
phant Is his only comrade. That is the pre-
dicamcnt Of Cetuoa. the Cingalese elephant
trainer Of the Pittsburg Zoo. Buntji the big
elephant. understands Cingalese; but no one
else in PittsburR does. and Cetuoa's supply OF
English Ia limited TO a few scattering words
and such useful remarks as "Oh, yes" and "All
right" He knows little German. 30 does
BuntJ: but they do not speak 1t together
They prefer Cingalese. Not long ago porty,
commonplace American visited the Zoo and
stopped before the elephant pen, where Buntji
stood looking. as usual. half bored and wholly
vicious Cetuoa was leaning against the ele-
plants huge flank. a picturesque figure in his
brilliant Eastern costume. He didn't look
vicious His kindly face. with its big. child
like eyes. is quite ncapabe OF that. but he. too.
looked bored and unutterably sad
The portly stranger leaned over the railing
and said something that the bystanders did
not hear: but the effect was magical Cetuoa
sprang forward quivering with excitement, as
though galyanic battery had been applied to
him. Buntji took one elerhantine step toward
the railing. threw his trunk in the air and
trumpeted hilariously. Two small boys. who
were hanging over the bars. mistook the Joy
for rage. and beat hasty retreat. The
stranger laughed and spoke again. Then Ce-
tuoa burst into speech. and a torrent of words
poured forth. He had. for the first time
in two years. found some one to talk
Cingalese with him. and his JOY was
a striking commentary on his past
loneliness. The great eyes danced and
sparkled. His white teeth cleaned His
Oriental impassivity gave way to wild excite
ment. and he spoke with every muscle Of his
body BuntJi lum bered up and stood Mapping
his huge ears and blinking at the stranger AS
though he understood the conversations The
few unlookers gathered round and watched
the tableau with interest When. at last. a
period came in the conversation the American
recognized the publc's right to enlightenment
and explained that he was born in Ceylon and
had spent n large part of his life there: that he
knew Cetuoa's homo and could speak his dia-
lect as we'll IA ENGLISH
sinno thnn -" th ,r"s s, ,'n,,. .,,,.,, ,, w.,
several times. and the DAYS Of his visits are
notable days for the lonely Cingalese SIN
reporter happened to assist at one OF the inter-
views few days ago. He was the only mem
Der be, Of the trio. or rather of the quartet. for
Bunt,i was too big to be counted out. who
needed assistance. He had been carrying on
tel Ca,,,a. -, IT.,
with Cetuoa' when suddenly the elephant
e" ne
Than tha rarar,o. han.., III. haaI , n,
II men %, me reporter bowed MS head and Hood
up easpine the fat stranger e1nlainad that he
was Cetuoa's American friend md yolunt"a .
his services as interpreter. so the conversation
became tbree-sided
Cetuoais half dead with homesickness. He
thinks America a beastly hole. and being either
more honest or less fearful Of comnetition IN
MS hhe thah most foreign 'lsltors, ne expresses
his sentiments without reserve or consdcra-
-, ~ 800, ,,,,,h p...t '. . cnt'e
ne came 10 america WIN buhtli TWO years
him. for M one in the country h,nlorad
,4l. t III ~ On. ~ ,'o cou,'rg n"hNereu
after the lot Ioo Of taking care Of Bun'li. The
French Deputy to shame; and he has usually
ners. Cetuoa gives a lively description in
hant sd q b the manner t IN which the ele
one trainer and broke his back over tho rail;
!nEs ana me other man he threw down and
traamR Up, 10 deaoh' ,ho c,,co,oso ,,;,,,
souciance. that was long ago before he knew
me Now f ne Is gentle IKE sheep. Is that not
waeged ms head gently, but winSed one vicious
eye as though ae had SENSE OF humor.
i MS homS a in Ceylon, but c he was not lonely
thers. there were other Cingaiese with him
anu he went pu'k 10 inult every 1all, hagen
DECK taxes scores o' East Indians to Europe
every year. as trainers and attendants for his
animals, hut he Is responsible for each mans
safety and health to an English official
In the mans native town. He also agrees
70, return the man to his home each
iail. Tor me Hini3os cannot stand the
severe winters OF tho north. naturally, the
care of these charges Is "A serious responsible
lty, ana HaRcnbe"k European employees tell
amusing stories OF the times when the East
Indians haEn ESCAPED from custody and in
vestigated Eurorean manners and customs, on
their own hook with varied and greviuuS re-
suits. As the result OF these expsrienres. Mr.
iagenbeck has ordered that. in Europe. when
these swarthy OrlentalS are not on duty they
shall be Kept under lock and key; but. as
Cetuoa hasn any comradeS in PiuSburg to
lnrite nm TO mischief, he isn't Kept in durance
vile. However, he Isn't allowed to go out Of
the park alone. and he lives in little room at
the ZOO adjoining the elephant pen. A board
Ing house wouldn't do for Gctuoa, He cannot
stand american cooking. In fact, with his
usual me directness, he informed the re-
porter. through the Interpreter. thatthe Amer
leans mace m"sSes Tor SWINE. 80 NJ does his
own cooking. ana the opinion the other attend
ants at the 100 have q the messes he
concOrts isn't III Tor publication. Rice and
curry and red pepper are the cornerstones Of
MS diet Indeed, red PEPPER NAV be called the
entire foundation. There's tradition in the
zoo that ne mas STOMACH lining OF Carnegie