Elephant Runs Away.

Franklin Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 20, 19 February 1934, Page 6

Elephant Runs Away.

DASH INTO TUNNEL MOUTH. SHIPPING A CIRCUS. About ten or twelve years ago, when Wirth’s Circus was being shipped from Lyttelton, much amusement was caused by tlie antics of a baby elephant, Jessie, standing only about four feet high. The youngster resolutely refused to walk up the special gangway on to the ship, and time and again broke loose and. dashed ashore, to the distress of her mother, who was doing her best to persuade her offspring that everything was quite safe. At Lyttel - ton recently, Jessie, now almost fully grown, but still decidedly skittish, evidently remembered her childhood escape and decided to repeat it. The circus arrived by train early in the morning, and the elephants were walked on board while the tide was low enough to permit the gangway being placed level from the wharf to the steamer Waimarino. Jessie approached the gangway and then, after trumpet-

ing shrilly, dashed away from the wharf. Her course took her across the railway yard and she made for the entrance of the tunnel. Railwaymen had an anxious minute or two —a train was in the tunnel —until Jessie emerged and made her way up the bank to Norwich Quay.

A gateway leading from the railway yard to the quay proved a little narrow, but the elephant used her weighi, to advantage and left the two posts well out of the perpendicular. Continuing up. Dublin Street, Jessie sought a hiding place in the cutting at the rear of the Lyttelton Club premises. Here the attendants found her, and in a moment she had been secured with heavy chains. Then one of the old - est and largest elephants, Prince, reputed to be 150 years oid, was brought up from the wharf and shackled on to the flighty youngster. Against her elder Jessie had no chance, and she was pushed and dragged, protesting shrilly, down to the wharf again and on to the deck of the Waimarino. The remainder of the circus was loaded expeditiously and the Waimarino sailed at 10.45 a.m. for Wellington.