New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-14

laled; then there was a pause, during which
one could almost see them thinking and an
other, having apparently worked it out in his
mind, tried from behind, and, fairly lifting him
OH his legs, pushed him through, amid shouts of
applause from the crowd. native put his
head between the timbers of the fence and
was Immediately charged at by a large
bull that had been busying himself by
raking up with his forefoot little mounds of
earth, heaping them the end of his trunk
and then blowing them over his back Many
others were doing the same thing; but their OBJ
ject was not very evident. I believe it was
meant insult; it looked like one. / was
told that when the ground is wet. and they
cannot throw earth about they plaster great
cakes of mud their foreheads.
There were three baby elephants and one
only ten days old, that had been carried across
the river in his mothers trunk, attracted much
attention: but he kept himself so carefully be
tween her legs that not once did he seem in
the slightest difficulty, even when in the thick
of a crush.
FOOD FOR TIE CAPTIvEs
animals; but, considering their enormous appe-
titles it was like Offering them crumbs. The
few small punches of grass thrown in they
picked up IN their trunks and, after carefully
striking them against their legs or a post in the
fence TO shake off any dust or earth. conveyed
them by graceful action to their mouths. The
extraordinary heXibility and diversity of move
ment possessed by this appendaSc attained
by a wonderful interlacinS of, according to Gu
Ver nearly forty thousand muscles. Bananas
were, OF course, easily managed but their eff
forts 10 chew up cocoanuts whole were not gen
orally successful their slippery coats made
them difficult to hold, and a rule they too
large for their mouths. One or two small ones
were safely negotiated but when convinced by
Intellectual efforts that il could not be done they
place the nut under their feet and crush it fiat
OF course the milk is lost: but they seem to
keenly enjoy what is lCft-the shell and husk
This, when green, contains vile tasting sap;
when dry, is used for making cordage and door
mats The prince selected the animals be
captured next day, and gradually the crowd
dispersed, but the believing of the herd con-
tlnued for hours. 1t sounded unearthly by daV
weird and uncanny by night.
The catching began the next morning {
o CLOCK When seven large tuskers entered the
kraal, each ridden by two men. The mahOuts.
who were armed with short sticks shod with
iron hooks, sit with their legs behind the ears.
and their feet inserted in band passing round
the neck This Is in place Of stirrups, and en-
ables them to lean forward sideways with
out danger of falling off. Each also carries
a bamboo pole; and to this is fastened the slip
knot end OF a rope OF buffalo hide. some forty
fifty yards long. which is coilcd the ami
mails back, and secured to a rattan giTth pass
ing round its body The girth also helps to
steady the second man. who kneels or sits mon
key fashion, on his heels perched the hind
quarters. with wooden club tied to his wrist.
This and the prod are for persuading their
mounts. and at times arc pretty freely used.
The trained animals wander about among the
others in an apparently aimless sort of way.
hut all the time are trying to approach one of
the selected elephants, which they follow round
the Enclosure. until a mahout, leaning forward
is able with his bamboo pole to slip the moose
over one Of the hind legs. The assistant tugs
a the rope for instant and drops the coil
on the ground. As quietly as before the opera
ton is repeated, and another moose is attached
TO the other leg. IhlS may sound very easy,
but, judging from the number of failures, eVi-
IDENTIFY requires much skill and practice. The
mounted men appear to be absolutely at the
mercy of the wild animals; but, though il would
have been easy matter to pull them off not
once did / see the slightest attempt to attack
them, while any one on foot was promptly
chased out.