Sport with Wild Elephants.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 951, 23 May 1890, Page 9

Sport with Wild Elephants.

A correspondent of the Pioneer Mail describes the capture last Christmastide 6f a large herd of wild elephants at Basan, in Central India. It appears that for years a district had been in sole possession of the wild elephants, who had frightened off all the inhabitants. The writer says that Maharajah Haghonath Saran Singh Deo Bahadur of Sirguja, had applied tor permission to capture the elephants of Mahtiu and Upiora under the Government’s rules, and the permission had been accorded. He had fo.und two herds, in all about thirty-five wild ilephants, at the Bahmani nuddi, about fifteen or twenty miles off. He ran up a light fence about six miles in circumference, enclosing a valley and part of two hills below Setgarh. Round this he had posted at iu’ervals eight or nine hundred men, mosfcty armed with matchlocks and provided with blank cartridges. Into this enclosure he had quietly driven all these elephants through fifteen miles of glen ; and there they were surrounded by watenfires and sentries constantly on duty. The wild elephants wandered about unmolested within the large inch sure, hut were not allowed to pass the guards. The Maharajah told us that one very large male elephant had been decoyedinto the stockade, and was there tied up and ready to be taken out. We seated ourselves on the top of the stockade and saw the huge tusker. His fore quarters were much heavier than in the tame elephant ; and his figure was so massive that we did not think he was so tall as we afterwards found him to be—namely, 9 feet 10 inches. They tied five Cables round his neck, fastening the other end of each cable round the body of one tame elephant. There wore thus five elephants in front. Similarly they fastened each hind-leg to two elephants. The hindlegs were also tied together by a short rope. Having thus securely bound him, they prepared to lead this forest freebooter away. When he found that he was not to be allowed to choose his own course he began to show fight. He halted. The five elephants in front put forth all their strength, but could not move him. Suddenly he swung his great body round and dragged back all five, roaring as they came With rage and perhaps fear. Then they recovered, and the tug of-war began again. A sharp discharge of blank cartridge behind him drove Jbim on a little way. This scene was repeated, several times. Occasionally the blank cartridge had to give way to a specially prepared cartridge with about a dozen SDipe shot, whioh acted as an unaccustomed spur in his fat flanks and sent him gaily along for a time. At last he was tied up to trees near the Maharajah’s tents, about 500 yards from the stockade. Next day, as there was nothing doing at the stockade, we determine 1 to have a look at the elephants in their own jungle haunts. We went on along the elephants’ tracks for a considerable distance. Suddenly we came to a glade, and as wo came across it we saw the tusks of a great monarch of the herd gleaming through the trees. We were on onr elephant; and as we saw the direction the herd seem to be taking we pushed across the glade to cut them off and get a nearer "dew. As we got to the centre of the glade, where stood a largo solitary tree, we saw the monarch come out and have a look at us. We halted in the shadow of the tree. He came along towards us, followed by fifteen elephants of all sizes. As he got near us he turned round and slowly crossed the glade to the other side; followed by the herd. Then, as they were about to disappear in the jungle, he suddenly changed his mind again. He turned, and slowly and solemnly marched past us with the herd. The herd thus passed twice across the open glade within about eighty yards of us ; a splendid spectacle. We shall not readily forget that majealic procession witnessed among the wild scenery of the forest-clad hills. One day we saw a beat which, though unsuccessful, was very exciting. We could hear the elephants crashing slowly through the jungle. Then matchlocks were fired, shouting began, and ten or twelve wild elephants rushed into view with as many trained ones behind them. They came on at the pace of racing ponies. They dashed towards one wing, then across to the other again and again. Two tame elephants near the stockade gate then ran in, but apparently the wild elephants had not seen them. They did not follow. The tame elephants came out again. The wild elephants apparently thought it was an attack in front. They faced about and made a dashing charge through their pursuers and rushed into the jungle.