The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-21
rection and it is a hundred to one that

~ - 10 W SA At0
they will locate the person.
If 1t happens that a hunter can get
near enough to shoot a bull elephant
the cows gather around the bull and
Try to carry him away. I saw several
cows vainly try to carry off a big bull
elephant that I had shot.
If he had been able to make any
effort himself they would have suc-
ceeded, but the bullet from my rifle
had finished him, and. after trying for
several minutes to lift him up and get
him in motion the COWS ran OFF and
left him.
The elephant is theb est known and
signals which they use to communicate
among themselves: for instance. when
a COW gets the wind of a hunter, she
signals ION guard" and Immediately
every elephant in the herd stops graz
ing and listens with trunk to the
ground. They r as silent as the
grave.
Even when a shot among them
causes a stampede and the forest re-
sounds with the first crash Of their
moving. they can disappear without
making the slightest noise. They can
move so silently that I have often
come within fifteen or twenty yards of
a big beast. installing his trunk and
forefeet for trees in the jungle.
On several occasions the beasts re.
coded so quickly and so quietly that
l lost them altogether.
When they want to they can make
more noise than any animals in the
world. A hero of 200 or 900 will tram.
pie down an entire native village and
all the farms around 1t with such
noises that can only be compared to
on earthquake.
Again a herd will slide through the
forest so quietly that you can't hear
them ten yards away. AS their senses
Of smell and hearing are acute. they
rarely fall into the elephant pits which
the natives dig to capture them. 1
don't suppose n pit in a hundred
accomplishes its mission. When the
elephants 60 through the forests they
hold their trunks close to the ground,
and by tapping every now and then
they can detect any pit. no matter how
skillfully concealed, before stepping
into 1t.
The moment they strike any ground
that is the least bit suspicious they
tap 1t carefully and make wide de-
tours. OF course, when a herd is STAN
peded they haven't time to investigate
the ground, and then they sometimes
fall into the pits.
The generally accepted theory that
h calves are only to be found with
COWS is also a fallacy. The cows are
the leaders and the fighters of the
herds. 80 it is only natural that they
should turn over their offsprings to be
cared for by the bulls when they them.
selves r busy. And that 10 exactly
the case.
I have seen bull elephants playing
with the calves and looking after them
on numerous occasions. The fact that
you see a c~uple Of calves does not in
dicate that a COW is close by. Their
papa may be in charge of them.
II 10 only a matter of a few years
until the African elephant will be az.
tinct. Most Of the fine specimens have
been killed off already. The herds
that are roaming the jungles have lit
tie ivory, and are, therefore, immune
from elephant hunters. However, as
civilization spreads the herds are de-
stroyed. for the reaso that they are
a menace to the safety Of the natives,
besides being the destroyers Of much
property.
Now that they are suspected Of car.
rying sleeping sickness. their doom is
sealed. For this reason I am anxious
to return to Africa AZ soon as possible
to complete the specimens for my
group. Unless I do SO NJ museum
will be able to group elephants as they
are in all their glory.
inspected hundred OF elephants
without finding any really fine speci-
mems. Mrs. Akeley and I shot three
bulls having tusks, each Weighing over
100 pounds. But what I am after par
ticulaly is q bull with tusks. weighing
zoo pounds. a full grown animal.
Many elephant hunters have killed
500 and 400 animals without finding
as large tusks as We did, but we were
on the lookout only for the finest
specimens. These fine specimens arc
very rare. for the reason that when
a bull develops tusks of fifty pounds,
which is quite an early age. perhaps
twenty-five years. he becomes the tar
get of every hunter, black or white,
who sets eyes on him.
Thus 1t IL only the more crafty bull
elephants that. seeking the protection
OF large herds or clinging to the more
inaccessible regions such az dense for
ests, manage to survive to a ripe old
age and develop a growth Of ivory.
There Is one old bull. perhaps the
most splendid specimen In Africa, well
known in Uganda, who has been seer
by many hunters. He Is so we'll pro-
tected by h large herd Of aggressive
cows. who charge on the slightest in.
timation Of danger. that no one has
been able to ranch them.
On my return to Uganda I intend
to find him and eventually install hin,
In the museum of natural history.
Take it from n who has livsd