The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-26

BY COLONEL N. B. THAYTT.
sYY3 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Z

Some years ago, when I was at
Baroda, happened to be witness of
a most extraordinary incident which
occurred to two government ele-
plants.
Travelling in India was then very
different from Whist it is at the pres
ent day. Railways had not even been
commenced, and the distance from
one station to another had to be
traversed by marches, which, al
though occasionally tedious, were not
unpleasant, as they afforded an OPP
portunity of seeing the country, and,
If taken during the cold season-as
was usually the case-of enjoying the
excellent sport which in those days
was to be found almost all over India
Before commencing my story,
which may mention is true in all its
details. I should say that Baroda is
IlSsse capital of the most powerful in
dependent State in the Western presi-
dency. The Guicowar, or king, of
this principality was at that time
Khundee Rao.
Baroda was always favorite place
Of resort for the governors of Bonn
bay, who, whenever they paid visit
there, were received with much pomp
and ceremony, and entertained right
royalty by the Guicowar, their stay
being always made the occasion of
shooting and hunting parties in the
well stocked royal preserves by day,
and of fetes by night.
On this particular occasion the
governor of Bombay, who had been
making a tour through Kattiawar
and Gurejat during the cold season,
had signified his intention of taking
Baroda on his return journey, and
also of staying there few days.
In order to provide suitably for his
residence, it was necessary to pitch
g camp so as to accommodate not
only the governor himself, but also
his suite and large retinue which
accompanied him
A considerable quantity of camp
equipage was accordingly ordered
down from Ahmedabad, the nearest
station, distance of about sixty
miles from Baroda. For this purpose
government elephants were used for
carrying the tents, and this brings
me to the real subject of my story.
On the very day that the convoy
reached Baroda, two of the elephants
came literally to loggerheads. The
huge animals began a regular fight,
butting at and prodding each other;
and, Notwithstanding all the efforts
OF their mahouts, or drivers, they
continued until one got the better OF
It, and having vanquished his enemy,
who turned tail, he pursued him at
numbering gallop across the plain.
So excited were they that neither
OF them perceived blind well which
lay in their track, and the foremost
elephant fell right into the we'll to a
depth of some fifty or sixty feet, his
pursuer being so eager that he could
not stop, but fell in on top of him,
the weight of these enormous brutes
literally splitting the stone wall of
the we'll as they fell down.
Fortunately there was no great
depth Of water below, and although
the undermost elephant and his
mahout were crushed to death, the
top-one stood on the carcass appar-
emily uninjured. but of course utterly
unable to extricate itself, the driver
managing to scramble out as only
natives or monkeys could do, and
thus saved his OWL life in the most
miraculous manner
The accident took place close to the
cantonments, and on the circum-
stance being reported to the officer
in command, he at once ordered a
working party from the regiment to
go and dig down to the living animal
in the hope of saving him.
Accordingly, hundred men, with
picks. shovels and other appliances
70 commence the work, were sent out.
II must be understood that this did
not consist only of digging away the
sides Of the well, but it was also nee
essary to form sloping road, up
which the elephant could travel after
they had reached him.
This was a long and laborious I'M
dertaking, and although the men
worked at it hard. being relieved BY