Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-03
WRITES Of ELEPHANTS
OFFERING FIRST AID
Females in Herd Always Give Sue
cor to Wounded, Says Carl
E. Akeley.
Describes in Communication to Ma.
tional Geographic Society Ex-
periences in Uganda.

Carl E. .Akeley. African explorer. In
communication to the National Geo
graphic Society tells of an elephant
"flst-aid brigade made up of the fe-
male elephants of herd. which not only
attempted to give succor to their wound
ed sultan" but went on patrol duty
in an effort to punish his assailant.
While hunting elephants in Uganda
Mr.. Akeley came upon a herd IN a
clearing, rounded up in close formation
conscious of the presence of an unseen
enemy. There were about twenty-five
elephants. mostly cows and Just as l
was on the point of backing off to safer
distance thinking there were no Dig
bulls in the lot fine pair of tusks ap-
peared on the near side he says. "A
cli,mp of bushes offered cover for near
approach, and | went in quickly to with
in twenty Yards of him. and as his front
leg was thrust forward offering good
opportunity for a heart SHOT. / fired both
barrels of the double rifle In quick sue
cession.
Search for Source of Trouble.
'A,l was connection as I seized my sec
ond rifle. and, seeing there was no direct
charge, retreated some fifty yards TO the
TOD Of an ant hill. from which could see
what was going on. / then witnessed a
scene such as ! had heard described. ana
which 7 had been keen to verify. num-
Der of COWS were clustered about the buli
for he had fallen thirty yards from where
he was shot, and with their tusks ana
trunks were doing their best to get MN
upon his feet; the remainder of cows
were doing patrol duty, rushing about IN
an increasing circle, searching for the
source of the trouble. That meant ihe,
so /. retired to safe distance and wa!ted
for the atmosphere to clear rms pun
stood II feet inches high at the Shout
ders. and the tusks weighed ninety-hve
and 10 pounds. respectively. while the
circumference of the front foot at the
sole was ST. inches. the largest record
ed. believe. ,r.
bu1l eIenhants are more frequently to be
found apart from the herds, but our eN-
nerience does not bear this out Ihree
bulls that we have shot. having tusks
each Weighing over 100 pounds, have oesh
herd bulls We found the large OLD o"ils
ENJOYING the society and protection Oh
large herds of cows and young ANIMALS
One splendid old bull, well known In
Uganda, who has been seen by many
hunters. is SO well protected by d iarse
herd of most aggressive cows VINO
charge at the slightest iisiii'neio'' ~ 49,
ger, that he still survives.
..These old bulls are very rare. for Wnen
one has developed tusks of fifty pounds
he becomes the target for every hunter
native or white. who sets eyes upon
him: thus 1t is only the more cralt! OF
tinaid individuals that. seeking the pro
lection of large herds or clingins TO the
moe inaccessible regions, such as dense
forests, manage to survive to ripe Oh
age and develop a full growth OF ivory
Charged Upon by Herd.
eat another time, | was watching a
herd from an ant hill, when from the
cows there was a low. ominous rumble
like distant thunder. which was plain
talk and meant trouble. A hasty glance
around convinced US that there was but
one ching to do. to stand and meet the
charge from the elevation where we were
and from which we could see. If we
tried TO escape TO one side or to the
forest we could not see them over the
high grass before they were upon us.
They charged toward US, came half way
and stopped. They had lost the wind.
but Immediately caught It again. and,
roaring and screaming with reduobied
energy. came into view over slight
rise.
ct was disconcertlng specatcie. lnelf
great ears at full spread, trunks thrash
ing wildly: a roaring. screaming mass
forty tons of frantic female elephant
vengeance / remember that felt home
sick, a rifle shot stopped the leader, but
encouraged by the others, she came on,
only to be knocked down by the second
shot. The others crowded about her,
shifted and-bolted. The old COW slow
ly regained her feet and staggered away.
while we. in deep gratitude, returned
to camp