Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-03-09
Ravaging the Jungle.

civilized world knows little That il is
a profitable business is common knowl-
edge. Wild animals of every kind are
in constant demand to FIJI the cages at
the zoos and circuses, museums and
menageries, and to supply the animal
"training schools" So long as the di-
rectOrs of amusement resorts such as
these stand ready to pay $4,000 for a
rhinoceros, $1,000 for a young orang-
outang, and $4,000 upwards for pair
Of full-grown orangs, and fabulous
prices for many other specimens, there
will be adventurous collectors who will
invade the haunts Of the widest ami
mails and secure those creatures upon
whose heads civilized man has put so
high price,
Mr.. Charles Mayer has been an ami
NAL hunter and capturer Of late years
who is widely known among the wild
life traffickers. Having obtained al
most unlimited concessions in Sum
atra, Borneo, and Siam, he was able,
through the help Of natives to take
a great toll from the iungles OF these
regions which the white man seldom
penetrates. Some of his major ey-
perences are presented in his recent
work, Trapping Wild Animals in Ma
lay Jungles," from which the facts rs
herein stated are taken.
A common method of capturing
tigers and leopards is by the use of
birdlime. This substance makes a
most effective trap. 1t is spread where
the animals are wont to pass and COW
cred with leaves. The cat animals
walk into the sticky stuff which clings
to their feet. They become excited
and enraged. They try to bite and rub
OF the pitch, and in doing so plaster
it over their eyes. Finally when they
are thoroughly covered they are so
helpless that with little danger they
can be put into cages, there to spend
weeks in removing the gum from their
fur.
Birds and small MONKEYS are also
captured with birdlime, which is smear
ed on the limbs OF trees. They stick
to it until someone goes up and pulls
them out.
Pit-traps are employed in catching
many kinds of animals, but elephants
so captured are liable to serious in
jury by the fall, Some times the pit
- dug V.shaped, so that a heavy an
imal like the rhinoceros may not be in
iured in falling, and once in the trap
is held as securely as in a wise.
Mayer, who earned the name of
"Sir Elephant" from the natives for
having corralled some sixty elephants,
whole herd, in one drive used the
stockade in capturing those animals,
though single elephants are caught by
their legs tied together by men under
cover Of couple Of tame elephants.
After capture, elephants are kept in
an enclosure for long time and given
no food. They are half-starved be-
fore the "breaking" commences. In
this weakened condition there is a
little danger in handling them. The
"tuskers" are killed solely for their
ivory, which is worth as much as the
wild elephant
Mayer describes the "breakine" pro-
cess as follows: "After two or three
weeks, according to the disposition of
the elephant, ropes are again attached
to his feet, and he is led out of the
stocks. This time he wears only the
knee-hobbles, which allow him more
play. Eight or ten men hold each of
the ropes; his keeper sits on his head
with prod; another crew holds the
ropes attached to his trunk; and six
or eight men follow with rattan whips
The men with the whips beat him con.
tinually. AT first, in the excitement, he
does not mind the whipping; then he
finds the pain unbearabIe. The men on
the trunkropes lead him about from
right to left, while the men on the
foot-ropes stand ready to trip him il
he tries to bolt. At last he gives a
below Of pain and the whipping stops
This one below marks a surprising
change in the animal. His spirit is
broken and he acknowledges that man
is his master"
or all the iungle-dwelling animals
the orang-outang resists capture and
caging with the greatest furv. His
strength is enormous, his swiftness
incalcu'aole, the prospect of capture
throws him into paroxvsms of FRENZY
he would kill himself rather than be