The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-28
AN "ELEPHANr cLApPER.o
One of the Curious Things Used in
Siam.

From the Washington Star.
The National Museum is continually
receiving curious weapons, skins,
plants, animals, stones, etc, from Pro-
fessor Abbott. who, for the last six
years or more. has been travelling
about through the various states and
islands of Southern Asia and the Ma
lay archipelago. notice of which may
be seen from time to time in the Wash
ington papers. Yesterday there ar
rived a collection of household and
farming implements and utensils from
Southern Siam. containing, among 9TH
er things, a complete outfit of ele-
plant furniture, harness, ETC., of
which. one object in particular, con-
stitutes about the most remarkable
specimen received by the museum for
several years. For a time IL had the
curators busy guessing what use the
Siamese found for such an outlandish
affair.
The object in question Is an "ele-
plant clapper." 1t consists of a sec
ton of well seasoned bamboo closed at
the upper end. but open and hollow at
the lower, on either side of which is a
vertical slot, widening out at it's upper
end, but open and hollow at the lower
q
slot, widening out at it's upper ex-
tremity into a triangular incision,
somewhat resembling the openings on
the sounding board of rude fiddle. A
fiber Irvine passes through the upper
end of this section of bamboo (Which
is about a foot and a half in length)
as we'll as through the ends of two
remarkable looking objects, placed one
on either side of the section of bam-
No.
affairs are made of teak and are a
about two-thirds of their length they
look like trowel handles, widening as
well as fatteninR out at their lower
extremities, where they are divided by
slot cut into the wood for about one
third their total length. Into these
slots are fitted two objects of lighter
color, though harder, wood, in shape
resembling a couple Of revolver han
dies. The small or narrow parts are
secured to the upper by means of a
back and forth with perfect ease and
freedom. These are the "clappers,"
and when the string holding them to-
gether is drawn taut the butts of the
wooden pistol handles rest directly
upon the lower end of the section Of
bamboo, and on either side of the Y
shaped slot. With the slightest mo-
lIOn OF sinking lHe Cldpper DuIIS strike
against the bamboo, making a most
discordant, deafening, uncivilized bar
barous and disagreeable noise. Such
is the elephant clapper, In Siam the
natives are not so Industrious as those
of India. and TO save the labor OF
cutting and carrying forage to their
tame elephants they simply turn the
beasts out in the jungle to Craze over
night. As a result the Siamese ele-
plants are not nearly so tame and
docile as those OF India. and as they
oftentimes wander considerable dis
tances during the night. one of these
elephant clappers is attached by means
of bamboo collar to the neck OF the
leader of the herd. in order that the
mahouts may find them in the morn
ing, just as we place bells on cows.
sheep and goats and sometimes mules
and horses for a similar purpose. The
hollow bamboo. with a Y-shaped slot
cut in the end. makes an excellent
sounding board. and as elephants are
never still, but constantly swinging
their heads. trunks and bodies back
and forth, the leader OF the herd wear
ing this singular contrlvance keeps up
a perpetual din and chatter by means
OF the two wooden clappers striking
on the bamboo every time he sways
his body or moves his head. The ma
bout Is thus able 10 trace his ele-
plants by the sound OF the leaders
clapper. The clapper as Il arrived at