FRENCH CLUB

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2884, 23 September 1916, Page 13

FRENCH CLUB

-, At the French Club's meeting on Wednesday night the principal-item was a lecture - by Mr. Lattey on "Elephant Hunting in India." He described his iournev to Asaain, travelling m a nativo vessel up the Brahmaputra Kiyer, and being in somo danger from river pirate* His account of the trapping of elephants was obtained from a Government official, who superintended the trapping. No private persons in,lndia ■ are allowed to ongago m this pursuit, ; or to hunt elephants in any way. the ; Government keeps the largest of these animals for its own i-eqmrements especially for the artillery; the smaller ones thevj sell to tho public at .£2OO or -UOO n-pieco. The wild elephants are trapped by being driven into a large' enclosure, the noise of cymbals,-of men shout.ng, i and of tho discharge of guns bemg mado use of to' drive tho. animals in. Atlei somo days of semi-starvation, the animals are visited by men on. tame oplmnts, and are gradually tamed. Al-thou-h the wild elephants would soon rumple to death any man who yenu "d among tbem on foot, they never venture to attack a man on an olenliant The tame elephants ■ help in taming- their wild brethren, and- .he hitter "soon become reconciled to caplijtv During tho evening MadcnioiscHo du'Bosson gave a recitation,-iUr. Hegin'botham ii piano polo, and Mi'.-Whelton recited. The lecturer was given, a hearty vote of thanks. >