New-York tribune., 1921-06-19

~ ee@' Heio ehat any OF Us had ever SEEN
much less driven. 4s
AT nightfall each day the men wera ay.,, ..
position, waiting for my signal. and tbrss
uIgnts later we approached the stockada. m.
men went wild with delight. And abova Il.
uproar l could hear the calls of the e,,,d.. =
the trees, telling us oGr distance from chs
trap. S
The big beasts jammed in the runway y.
tween the wings, heaving and STRUGGLING and
forcing those ahead Of them into the t,,n
The walls of the wings groaned as thev threw
their bodies against the posts. The elenb.r+.
beloved and the natives kept up a confirms,
pandemoniun. I mounted the platform sns
looked down; / could see nothing but to,,-
ing flood of black that poured SLOWLY fror
the runway into the trap.
When the last elephant was inside the roo.s
that held the gate were cut. The gate crssbed
down, bars were run through the sockets: the
elephants were trapped.
On my platform I shouted as loudly az sny
OF the Malays. Torches were lighted and the
men began dancing. I slipped to the ground
and warned them against climbing I'D on ths
walls OF the stockade, for was fearful that
the sight Of men might enrage the elephants.
II the beasts suddenly took it into their heads
TO charge the wall in a body some of the posts
might give way. | could hear them milling
around inside the trap, believing and tearing
up the jungle in an effort to find way ont.
Through the remainder Of the night the na.
tives danced, ate and drank. Then, when daws
was beginning to light up the sky, / climbed
to the platform again and looked down into the
trap. There were sixty elephantsi
The men, armed with long, spiked poles
mounted to the running platform on the too Of
the posts and the celebration was renewed
stood there, breathless, wondering how nans
or them IN their excitement would fall off tbs
platform into the trap. But none fell, and
they tended off the charges Of the elephants
by sticking them in the heads and bodies With
their spikes.
Omar Immediately sent q messenger ID
the Sultar with the good news, and the word
passed from village to village. Natives poured
IN to inspect the catch, and the messenger rex
turned with the news that the Sultan was on
his way. 1t was an historic occasion in Trengs
ganu. The Sultan had never been in the in4
terror OF his own country before, and neyes
had there been such an elephant hunt in the
state. Omar busted himself with the details
Of the royal reception while cared for tho .
catch.
We cut holes in the rattan webbing betvees
the posts and enticed the small elephants ts
come out. There were several babies in tho
lot, and they soon became playful and afec.
tlonate. Baby elephants are just three feet
q JrSh oY,I Il.
pounds. They grow an inch each month. We
made pets of them and amused ourselves WITH
Weanlng them. We did this by taking a pail Of
warm milk and dipping the babies trunks into
IL then doubling the trunks up and putting
them into their owners mouths and finally
squirting milk in with a squirt gun. The
babies soon learned to initiate this procedure.
Ihey were mischevious little animals full o.
fun and lnqulsitiveness. Hour after hour
played with them and laughed until ached.
The Sultan arrived with his retinue, and wt
gave him ceremonial greeting Deputationt
from all the villages were present and 0mas
requlsltloned food for great feast. The Sula
tan had little to say about the elephants until
TOOK HIM up on the platform, where he coule
count them himself. For moment he looked
at them, wide eyed; then he repeated, "Slr
you spoke the TRUTH
Il always speak the truth" replied and Z
could see by his expression that he believed MS
tie was convinced that was honest. knew
that had his protection for any expeditionsa
might undertake in Trengganu. His friend
snip had been difficult to win, but it was worts
the trouble-auite aside from the value of the
elephants. Trengganu was virgin country
hlled with animals that my customers wanted
to buy and had the exclusive privileges
TAR as foreigners were concerned-of hunting
there. And since the Sultan received bonus
on the animals captured he provided me with
labor.
The Sultan remained several days and ws
spent much of our time in talking over the
problems of government. These conversations
ended by my becoming sort of foreigner aS
wiser IN all dealings with European countries.
Later, before Trengganu was made British
he awarded me some valuable TN
The new arrangement under ths
British government was made satisfactorily.
he received suitable pension and he paSsee
happily into purely honorary position IN nh
state, relieved of all the complexities of po
'7hcal administration. When | last saw him
ne was living in indolent comfort, surroundes
by his wivesand his two-story brick palaS
was at last completed