VICEROY WATCHES WILD ELEPHANTS.

Western Star, 6 April 1939, Page 3

VICEROY WATCHES WILD ELEPHANTS.

From a natural grandstand , on a "river bank in tlie great bamboo forest of'Mysore State their Excellencies the Viceroy and Lady Linlithgow, their three daughters, Lord John Hope, the Governor of Madras. Lady Marjorie Erskine, and the Maharaja of Bikanee rrcently watched a thrilling' “khedda” —the. driving into stockades and roping of wild elephants. On the first day the Maharaja of Mysore’s distinguished guests, from behind a: camouflage of branches and gieen nutting, watched a herd, of wild elephants, headed by a magnificent tuskei, driven up-river past the “grandstand, in the water. The herd was then allowed to go back to the jungle. On the following day was seen tile still more thrilling' spectacle of roping the Avild beasts, which were driven into a stronglybuilt stockade of bamboos. A huge “tusker” made a titanic effort to avoid being roped by . fearless men, who dodged with reckless courage between the legs of the tame elephants. Skilled mahouts looped 3in ropes of coir round the legs and necks of the terrified and screaming wild beasts, which fought furiously foi liberty as-they wei'e slowly hemmed m and roped to the tame elephants. Two cow elephants tried to force a way out of the stockade, but were eventually checked with stones and spears. Six months will be needed for training these animals, which meanwhile are roped to stout trees in the jungle. The youngsters can lie taught in a 'month. Much of the “khedda’e” cost‘ will be met by ttie sale of the animals.