The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1907-06-10
ISHA NATURE EFAKE2''
4 Remarkable Battle Between
Crocodile and Elephant.
FIERCE TUG OF WAR IN AFRICA

Fierce TUG Of WAR IN AFRICA
Franeis Aubrey Tells How Five Rep
tllss In : lagoon. Forming Chain,
Tried - DraS : Huge Elephant Into
NJ WaAsr. but Failed.
IN View OF the discussion which II
pending between President Roosevelt
ana tbs Rev. d. William Long. whom
b terms mature fakir," the follow
lug experience Of an Englishman Is of
timely interest:
Francis Aubrey writing to the editor
of the New York Herald says:
.As an Englishman I respect the
presidential Office too much to enter
into controversy with the president
and I trust will not be roped into the
Society OF the Deliberate and Unquali-
ned II, as An eyewitness. vouch to the
! following:
I'm or about the month OF June, 1880.
! Lord Randolph Churchill and ! werc
together hunting big game In the cen
xl0A I0IS VI oOULn kAAAN0s
toward the close Of disheartening
I 6ay. during which we met nothing
savo bot wind blowing across tha
sandy wastes we t1Aversed, suddenly
- came ACROSS the tracks Of huge
Slephant-apparentiy rogue elephant.
- We noticed from the spoor he was
travelling alone. Following the spoor.
10 came to, tho sloping shore OF a
HDwest water lagoon. and there. about
roo yards from the banks. we saw a
regular Jumbo enjoying big drink to
his hearts content
Il my companion and had hardly ex-
] changed ideas az to how we should
tackle the monster when, tho elephant
trumpeting an alarm, we saw tho open
Jaws Of a crocodile arise from the wa
fers In front Of the elephant and, with
d hard, metallic click, close down
upon the elephants trunk. The eie-
.phant Immediately began to withdraw
], ,ehoreward, drawing the crocodile with
!. him, but had not receded thirty feet
when another crocodile appeared and.
eeixing the tail Of his amphibious
friend, materially helped In checking
the elephants retreat. Strength and
weight was, however, with the ele-
phant. and. with measured backward
stride, hs was gradually making the
to banks when three other crocodiles
1 appeared, and each falling In line took
1 held OF anothers tail IN the grandest
fug Of war that mortal man ever wit
j noosed.
| AIhe hlndmost crocodile, acting AZ a
sort Of stroke oar In this remarkable
. aquatic team. began to back water
with his foremost paws, and the strain
upon the probosis must have been ter
rlble to the elephant. Amid the lashed
ana foam covered waters Il was Inn
possible to form an opinion as to the
ultimate result Of this gigantic strug-
Gle.
.Its even money on either side.' ex-
claimed Randy.
.T'n take your ludship's 4 to o
against ths elephant said l. and no
sooner was the wager effected than
the sagacity OF the elephant landed me
The money 40 well az himself the victor.
Tho elephant simply blew through
his trunk the many gallons OF water be
had Just imbibed, and the foremost
crocodile, feeling great aOd forcefuI
swirl Of water uprooting his back teeth
and threatening to almost wash his
very tongue down his throat, had to re-
lease his hold, and the entire crew or
llve crocodiles fell back into the depths
Of the lagoon. defeated and disgraced.
mo doubt some writer's Of stories or
Wild animals, such as mountain lions
Or Kilkenny cats, have misintorpreted
seeeme az the things they have witnessed
and others have unconsciously permit
ted their Imagination to color their OBJ
servations. but truth viii prevail for
the simple reason that truth is stronger
a. well a. stranger than fiction. Those.
therefore, not disposed to believe any
authentic tale can do the other thing
I'm no mollycoddle."