The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-12-27
TEACHING ELEPHANTS.
The Tall, Fat Legged, Small Eyed Kind
tho Best Pupils.

On nnmber OF points all elephant
trainers ngrse, says Applcton's Mag
zine. These nrc. first, TINT the tall
1 fat legged, small eyed elephant Of bil
glrtli II not only tho handsomest, hui
also the most docIlc aud intelligent oi
his kind. second. that nm elephant "A
fully aware Of his prodIglous strength
compared with mans ana that the rea.
son M elephant obcys his master IA
not because he III afrnld Of him, bul
because he has an affection for him
third, yon may beat Il bad elephant
70 death or Kill him by ramming red
hot irons down his throat In an effort
to press the "slueal OF surrender ou,
Of him. but the one and only way 10
train an elephant TO perform tricks IA
through kindness and patience unend.
Ing; last. but not least, without ex.
cepiIon the intelligence Of the elephant
far exceeds that Of any other animal
Elephant trainers maintain that train.
Ing m elephant to perform 10 like
teaching n boy circus riding. only less
difficult.
A number OF the simpler tricks with
which an elephant entertains his au-
dience come as natural to him as the
tapping Of milk comes to a cat--for
instance. the blowing OF the mouth
harmcnica.
Twenty feet to the right or to the
left Of the candidate 10 be taught to
lilo down four heavy stakes are driven
Into the ground, and from each Of
these runs block and tackle con-
Meeting with each leg and manned by
ten or n dozen men. When all IL
ready the trainer stands In front Of
the animal. raises his hook and Down!
Down. he orders. The elephant pays
no attention. He stands waving
his trunk and swaying his body from
side to side "Downl Downr" shouts
the trainer again. and upon a signal
some forty men begin 10 heave and
tug, the blocks squeak, the ropes
creak, and while the trainer continues
shouting his command the pachy-
derrn's legs begin to bc drawn from
under him. With a scalp raising trum-
pet, the startled creature begins TO
struggle, lashing with his trunk from
side TO side and CROPPING with Its tip
against the floor, frantlcally seeking
for a hold to steady himself, but the
relentless ropes continue to draw his
legs. The huge beast leans at a for
bidding angle. believing like a herd
OF steers and drowning the Down!
Down" Of the trainer The great body
begins TO totter, For an instant II re-
gains Its balance; then 1t falls. crash.
Ing with a dull thud on 10 the bed OF
straw. Trnmpeting like the screech
out Of cracked steam calllope, the
brute tries yainly TO struggle to his
feet, until at the end of three or -four
minutes he begins 10 realize that moth
Ing so very startling has happened and
that really he ought TO feel very com.
Portable indeed.
To teach him to stand on his head
the trainer again uses the block and
taclac. To forestall the effects of a
bad fall the floor OF the training stable
Is thickly Uttered with straw. Then
the candidate Is harnsssed with chains
and the b2llyband and block and tackle
us he was when learning to rear. the
difference being that the chains from
under the belly lead between the hind
instead OF between the forelegs. so
that the headquarters instead OF the
forequarters may be raised.