ELEPHANT KRAALS.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 143, 14 December 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

ELEPHANT KRAALS.

I have the greatest attachment to elephants, and have in consequence seen much of them — or rather I should say, having seen much of them, I have conceived a great attachment to them. Some of tnem, I acknow- > ledge, are like some of our friends — not quite as easy going as they ought to be ; somewhat capricious in temper and too easily provoked. But I will venture to say if you take the first ten men you meet, and if you take the first ten elephants, and inquire carefully into the dispositions of each batch, you will find far more cantankerousness among the men than among the beasts. Now, I have no particular sentimentality for big beast — a hippopotamus is a sensual, unattractive brute without affection ; a rhinoceros is a malignant wretch, monstrum nulla virtute redemption, who hunts, and would gladly kill the keeper who feeds him daily ; and it is impossible to conceive a more supercilious, dissatisfied, ever-grum-bling, unlovable, and unloving croature than the camel I acknowledge that the way to an elephant's heart is through his stomach, but once touch that chord by means of your fruitleavings — mango stones, pineapple rinds, over-ripe oranges, etc. — and you will see his little pig eyes gleaming on you with melting affection. There was an elephant named Bombera, who was employed constructing a stone dam, intended to close up a river, and thereby form a lake at Newera Eliya in Ceylon. To watch this elephant working was one of the Bights of the place. He first of all drew down from the quarry the huge stone that was to be used ; he then undid the chain by which he had drawn it. He next proceeded to roll it with his forehead along the narrow stone embankment, or rather wall, till he fitted it exactly into its place. On one side of the wall was a precipice, on the other a deep lake. As the stone was being pushed by his forehead, it would at one time incline to the lake, at another over the precipice; but he immediately made it straight again with his foot. He was doing as much work as ten men, far more quickly and with the accuracy of a skilled mason. On one occasion several friends were present watching the proceedings. There was a heavy sledge hammer lying on the ground, and someone asked if he would take it up and break a very large rock close to it. The officer in charge of the work said we were asking too much, but the mahout, who heard the conversation, replied gravely " Bombera can do and will do everything he is asked ;" and he said something to the elephant, who took up the sledge hammer as if it were a feather, and knocked the stone to pieces in a few minutes. " Now take your pipe and smoke it," said the mahout ; upon which the animal stuck the hammer in his mouth and walked off with it as if he were enjoying a morning smoke. My acquaintance with him soon ripened into deep affection on both sides. When he was first introduced to me he was ordered to kneel and salaam by rubbing his forehead in the dust, and then to rise and trumpet his greeting. After he had got through his salutations I gave him a basketful of fruit-leavings. The same proceedings took place for tho next two or three days, and after that the moment he heard the bells of my ponies nothing would restrain him. Off he came to greet me, prostrated himself at my feet, rubbed his forehead in the dust, and trumpeted vigorously for his fruit. It was at first rather formidable, the charge of such a hmge monster right down upon one ; but there was no danger. He used generally to remain by my side while I was looking at the work, and more than once I have felt something like a leaf touching my ear, and on looking up found that Bombera had advanced quite noiselessly, and was gently holding it in his trunk as a token of his love. One of the first questions I asked on arriving subsequently in Ceylon was about my dear friend Bombera, and I heard with" much regret that he died of some internal complaint at the early age of thirty-five universally loved and regretted. On another occasion I was down in the eastern province, and was delighted with the intelligence and gentleness of a huge female elephant who waß working at a new bridgeShe really seemed able to do everything but speak, and was a thorough favourite of the whole pioneer force stationed on the spot. The officer in charge of the work told me a curious story. Some three or four years previously this elephant had a young one — a very rare occurrence among elephants in captivity. She was perfectly devoted to her calf ; but it died, and she was inconsolable, and from being the gentlest creature she became irritable, and even dangerous. One morning it was announced to the young officer that she had broken the chain which had confined her, and had escaped into the forest. Trackers were sent out in every direction, but as wild elephants were in abundance all around it was impossible to trace her. The loss of such an animal was a heavy one, the works were much retarded, and there was general tribulation in consequence, ne night, about ten days after the escape, the officer in question went out to lie in wait for bears at a pond in the jungle some distance off. As he and his native attendant were returning early in the morning the native silently nudged him, and they saw in the dim grey light an elephant with her calf making her way along the newly-formed road towards the camp. They both sprang behind trees, and when the elephants passed the native insisted that it was their old friend. They hurried back as fast as they could and found the camp in a ferment. Sure enough the truant had returned, and she appeared to be quite as joyful as the rest of the assemblage, going from to another and touching them with her trunk, as if she were exhibiting her adopted child. Her good temper and usual docility completely returned at once.