Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-02-05
SOMETHING ABOUT ELEPHANTS
AND THEIR CAPTURE
BY Marshall D. Taylor.

$500
Having had an estate elephant work
ing for me ruding my long residence In
India, readers Of the Blu letin will
be interested to learn few facts In
regard to these highly intelligent and
easily trained beasts.
There are three kinds OF elephants
in India, viz: the Koomeriah, Meerga,
land Dwssala. The former Is the thor.
oughbred and forms one Of the con-
splcuous features of an Indian pageant,
the MeergA ID somewhat inferior al
though excelling in point OF speed.
while the Dwsala Ia a hybrid, q cross
between the two. This latter species
constitutes about 75 per cent. Of all
elephants found in India.
Elephants are full-grown when about
25 years Of age, and are mature be
TWEEN the ages Of 30 and IS. These
mammoth beasts live to a ripe old age
while In a Wild and natural state, Oft
zen attaining to as much as $50 years,
but when In captivity, owing to the
constrained habits, hard work, ETC.,
their life Ii shortened and seldom do
they exceed the 100 wears limit.
Elephants are not, by any means, In.
expensive to keep, as healthy one
Will consume as much as 900 to 700
pounds Of fodder per diem. In North.
ern Bengal and Assam, the working
elephant's Keep can be considerably
reduced, especially in the tea:produc-
Hing DISTRICTS Of those provinces, which
c0ntain Thousands Of square miles Of
virgin forests. hence affording an
abundance Of fodder, whereby the
cost and labor of feeding elephants is
greatly diminished. y" N
n an elsphsst is doing estate work.
such AZ hauling timber, or carrying
heavy loads, something more sub.
i stantial than psre green food muat
be given, nhAp (unhusked rice) u Q
livery valuable DC and 10 well adapted
to this end An elephant as rule
has two Attendants, q mahout (driver)
and q grass-cut About 4 p m. these
two men march the elephant to the
nearests Jungle. whore he begins to
pull and pluck that fodder which most
appeals to him. This he losses up to
the mahout, who stacks It. When
sufncient has ben collected, the NAH
out ropes this down and the elephant
10 marphed to his tree where he 10
hobbled. o.
While the elephant and mahout are
engaged Collecting and stacking fod.
der, the grnBs-cut IL busy cutting
bundles Of broad pladed grass. On ar
rival at the tree these are placed ON
the ground In front of.him. When the
| Sahib white mani has first Inspected
the fodder and had bean greeted by
the elephant. who had been trained to
90 down on his knees and trumpet,
Ethis being his method Of salutation.
some 40 pounds Of Dhan was measured
out and placed alongside the bundle
Iof broad bladed grass.
The object OF cutting this grass will
inow be apparent: Elephants could not
Ipick up In comfort the grains OF Dhan,
which are rough and somewhat RIB
bed. lts trunk would soon become
stopped up and cause Irritation. The
grass-cut therefore sits at the ele-
phant's head. and by doubling over a
wisp Of grass. and ct the same time
Emaking p hollow In the center Of this.
khe ,dlls It With three or four handfulls
lot phan, wraps few blades OF grass
lover this. and presents this package
Ito the elephant In what I can best de-
scribe asa "tamale," computed Of
Dhan and grass. y "
4 The natives Of India. for the most
part. 10 barefoot. Hhhouts always. BY
sitting straddlevays upan the ele.
phant's neck he places his feet one
behind each other -u
behind each ear Of the elephant. At
the place where the lobe Joints the
neck Is a sort OF cushion. The mahout
4 places his toes upon these and com
mences TO pedal after the manner OF a
pianist when modulating the tones OF
his instrument. II the beast IL to go
forward. the mahout pedals with both
feet; II to the right, the right foot
only pedals, and II to the left, the lefs
foot pedals. II the elephant Is desired
to stop. the mahOut stops pedaling al
together. Certain words OF command
are given u II IL desired that the elc.
plant ;shduld knel or rise, such as:
Bhaito, or Ootow.
II would be impossible for mahout
to lead HIS charge In any other way
as the tungles are dense, and infested
with lecches, snakes. and wild ant.
mals. ~ z
| Male elephants when mature. attain
to height Of some 3 feet inches at
1.-THE shoulder, and females to some 8
feet. They are capable Of carrying
immense loads for quite q long dis.
lance, provided the LOADS are properly
adjusted. Cuddies or Heshian cloth
|stuffeii with straw. IL the most popular
forn Of pack saddle. These are made
$50 that the animals spine Ia perfectly
free from all pressure. and the load
held In place by means OF ropes and
chains. A4Fes
During the MONDAY hours. elephants
should be hpbbled and allowed to rest
They should always be taken to water
at sunrise and sunset and given bath
daily.
There are several peculiarities In
elephants. such as; Mackpas. Or ,tuak-