DASH FOR FREEDOM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 October 1924, Page 8

DASH FOR FREEDOM.

BY TWO ELEPHANTS. A NIGHT IN THE BUSH. . SYDNEY, Oct. 2. When the little daughter of Mr. Pope, the officer in charge of the Appiecross Wireless Station, near Perth (Western Australia) arose one morning last week she was amazed to see a great elephant quietly grazing on the glass in the backyard enclosure of the house. In great excitement the household was aroused, and when the zoo authorities in Perth were advised of the strange visitor they hurried to the scene and quickly put an end to what will probably be a memorable adventure for Poon, the eldest of three elephants that were recently brought to Australia from Siam by Mr. W. Leonard, one for the Perth Zoo, and the other two for a circus. It appears that Poon and her friend Chooni have been staying at the Perth Zoo for several weeks awaiting the completion of their journey to the Eastern States. The zoo is a number of miles from Fremantle, where it was necessary for them to embark, and they left the gardens in charge of Mr. Leonard between 3 and 4 o’clock in the afternoon. ft was intended that the two elephants should be at Fremantle by S o clock, so that they might be shipped on the Zealandia for transport to the Eastern States, where their engagement as circus performers had been booked. Everything went smoothly for the first few miles. Soon after the Chiming Bridge had been passed, however, Mr. Leonard and his companion were alarmed to find that their charges were becoming decidedly . restive. Poon trumpeted loud and long, switched her tail impatiently, and protruded her great ears. Choom did likewise. Suddenly, as if acting on some prearranged plan, they .both dashed into the bush skirting the left side of the road. They left a trail of broken shrubs and saplings behind mem, but the darkness was intense and their keepers, pursuing in hot haste, were soon forced to admit that the chase would be a long and difficult one. Choom made westward, but Poon went east, and thus it came about that just as the dawn was breaking she came in sight of the fence surrounding Mr. Pope’s house at the wireless station. The fence was a stout one, constructed of Jarrah and galvanised iron six feet in height. With a headlong charge she crashed right through it, doubling the iron, splintering a thick wooden rail, and tilting a post sideways. She then proceeded to make herself welcome on the lawn, where Miss Pope fo" ,-, d her shortly afterwards. Choom was recaptured at a spot about a mile west of the wireless station, and both reprobates, after many alarms and excursions, were at last ' fe!v miseon ed in the hold of the Zealandia. The process of embarkat:'m was on -miaous one. ' The elephants refused to submit to the indignity of being lifted on board in horse boxes, and had to be placed in slings. Their obstinate behaviour entertained a large crowd, who had gathered on the wharf.