Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-08-20
HUNTING ELEPHANTS
is DANGEROUS SPORT
Writer Tells Hosu Herd of
Animals Were Captured.

Capturing wild elephants requires
steady nerves, continual alertness and
a great deal of experience. Moreover
It is easy to Imagine from the follow
ing account by Mr.. Charles Mayer in
Asia, the disaster that may follow If
the tame elephants on which the hunt
ers ride are not handled skilfully Mr.
Mayors task was to obtain herd
for the sultan of Trenggau
When our fifty men had surrounded
the wild creatures, he writes, | gave
the signal, and we started forward.
Our eight tame elephants were spread
out nearly ten feet apart, pretty much
in a straight line, and we presented
front of some eighty feet. In that for
nation we came upon the herd;
counted twelve full-grown elephants
and five young ones, sucking among
them.
AS we advanced an old bull faced
us. The rest of the herd stood per-
fectly still, waiting for him TO make
the first move; there was no sound
either from him or from them. Slow
~ w puoAiNd III atilbli5 lilIIli' L iC
drivers had had their instructions to
work first toward the females and
the young, for in nine cases out of
ten it is the young that start STAN
pede.
motiOned the driver next me to
close up on the old bull, which now
stood with head up and ears cooked,
grumblng hoarsely. He was enraged
His head began to move from side to
side. He raped his trunk sharply on
the ground and trumpeted shrilly. We
worked our way through the rest Of
the herd. | spoke distinctly, giving
orders in low tone to the driver of
the elephant that was to work with
the one | was on. Gradually we man
aged to get on either side of the bull.
| gave low call to the drivers who
were nearest us: ''Jaga; dia mau ber-
prang (Take care; he wants to
fight y"
AS we closed in on the old bull he
turned suddenly and tried to lab his
tusks into the elephant on my left,
but quick as a flash the tame elephant
met him with smashing blow from
his trunk. Instantly the elephant l
was riding jabbed him in the fore
quarter. | called to the, other driver
to bring his elephants head round and
to have him butt and prod.
The old bull, enraged and fearful
was now venting his hoarse groWl and
Shrill trumpet cry at the same time.
The two tame beasts butted and
jabbed without stopping. Realizing
that he was now too much excited to
notice what took place on the ground,
l said to the men behind me, quick,
get down. tie his two feet; tie tight to
the trees"
The two tame elephants with their
heads pressed against his neck held
him one on either side while the men
got down and slipped moose on each
hind leg and fastened each rope to a
separate tree-dangerous work, but
a matter of few minutes only. First
one and then the other called, "Habis,
tuan (Finished, master y"
The tame elephants gave the bull
last squeeze and then drew away. AS
they did so he lunged forward and went
to his knees believing with rage and
terror and straining at the ropes.
l could give thought then to the
rest of the herd. The bull was the
only one that had shown fight The
others had huddled together in COM
plete bewilderment, and it had been
easy to capture them. The drivers and
tie-up men had done their work well
and quickly. Our bag consisted Of
three males apd nine females fully
grown, one baby one fve-year-old and
two somewhat younger. The females
were seven and a half feet in height
on the average. The big bull was the
prize; his tusks were about four feet
long.