Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-06-13
The Chase of the Rogue"

SOMETIMES an elephant goes mad and
turns man-kiler Full of rancor against
everything and everybody, he lies in
wait in the jungle, near road, and gives
chase to any one who passes. The
"rogue," as he is called, will sometimes
have many human lives TO his account
before some daring native, or more prob
ably sahib with an rifle, sue
ceeds in killing him. In big Game
Shooting in Upper Cunma" Major Evans
tells his experience with famous rogue.
My trackers got the trail in the morn
ing, but we so timed our advance as TO
come up with the beast in the evening,
when he would be feeding. We found
him at four O'Clock. The first intimation
that had of his presence was short
rush through a patch OF thick scrub.
Both trackerS took 10 trees, and ! saw
nothing of them till the elephant was
killed.
had gone into the patch distance OF
perhaps two hundred yards when, with
a fiendiSh scream, the elephant charged
at my orderly and myself from dense
cover on the right. AT first could see
only the bending foliage, as the huge
brute tore his way through; but presently
he burst out with his trunk tightly coiled,
his ears cooked, and his head held high.
| aimed low at the base OF his trunk, and
gave him the right barrel at fifteen yards.
The smoke hung round me like pail,
but STOPPING down, saw TO my dismay
that the elephant was not even checked.
had just time TO step aside, so as TO
clear the smoke and give him the other
barrel in the same place. That was
enough, and brought him up short when
he was all but on me. He slid for little
distance from the impetus of his charge,
with his great forefeet rammed out in
front OF him.
The next instant he wheeled and crash
ed back into the jungle. had just time
TO slip in another cartridge and give il TO
him in the ear as he vanished. After
waiting few moments TO compose my
nerves. ! explained matters to Allah Din,
my orderly, who was new TO the game,
but tull of pluck.
knew the rogue would not 90 far, but
would wait for us in the nastieSt bit OF
Jungle that he could find. II led, track
ing, there was every chance OF the ele-
phant taking us unawares and getting "a
bit OF his own back, and something over"
Aliah Din was game TO do the tracking
too game, in fact; for he wanted TO run
after the elephant.
After going some three hundred yards,
he stopped and held up his hand. Lis
tening intentIy, could hear the rogue
ahead OF us, kicking up clods OF earth, a
sure sign that he was badly wounded,
and bent on mischief. AT that mon ent |
stepped on dry twig, which snapped
beneath me. With Shrill scream, out
came the elephant.
The orderly lodged, caught his foot in
a creeper, and lay sprawling in front Of
the charging beast. As the elephant
emerged from the dense cover, | gave
him another bullet in the same spot as
before, and he rolled over TO the shot like
a rabbit. AS the smoke cleared away, |
saw his huge carcass lying before me,
motioDless, on its side.
He measured nine feet seven inches al
the shoulder, and had but one tusk.
That, however, was beauty and weighed
close to forty pounds. The other tusk
had been broken off at the root, probably
in fight ! took a bunch OF maggots as
big as football out OF the broken tusk.
The poor beast must have endured ago
nes similar TO toothache. No wonder
that he had turned roguel
believe that every rogue elephant is
suffering from some physical hurt or dis
ease that causes him constant pain. and
turns him from an inoffensive beast into
a savage man-hunter.