TOM, THE DUKE OF EDIN BURGH’S ELEPHANT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 523, 26 April 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOM, THE DUKE OF EDIN BURGH’S ELEPHANT.

This elephant* which was presentedto His Royal Highness by Kir Jungh Bahadoor, joined the Galatea in Calcutta, He was lodged in a house on the upper deck abatt all, and was accompanied by a native mahout, with whom he had lived, slept, and eaten since his birth. The mahout seemed never tired of petting and cleaning his charge, and day after day Tom’s broad forehead was decorated with “ caste ” marks in yellow, white, or red. At Madras the mahout, much to his sorrow, was discharged, a new keeper was appointed, to whom Tom became speedily accustomed; while the blue jackets used to imitate the “ caste ” marks by chalking “ Tom, ” “ Elefant, ” or the broad arrow on the forehead of their pet. However rough the weather, Tom never lost his equilibrium, and he was so good tempered and amusing that be became a prime favorite of the ship’s company. After evening quarters were over he would march to the forecastle for a skylark. There he was hailed with delight, and pampered wi.h biscuits, pea soup and tobacco. Of the latter he war very fond, and would search the deck diligently for a stray quid. He was omnivorous in his diet, eating with equal relish hay, corn, r: ss, wood shavings, rice, paper, straw, tea leaves, and blacking: while he would drink beer, champagne, and spirits freely without ever appearing the worse for liquor. One night he drank up a saucepanful of hot cocoa which had been placed to cool outside his house. The angry cook beat him with the saucepan. Tom resented the indignity by crushing the utensil under foot. \Vhen playing with the men he Was most careful not to hurt them, letting them pile them selves on his back, trying to rub them off under the 'stays or against the ropes, hoisting them on to his back with his trunk, or rolling about on the deck with all the abandon of a young kitten. He could be as mischievous, too, as a kitten, on occasions. One Sunday, at divisions, the sentry ordered Tom lack into his hut. The crafty animal waited till the marine had to repass the doorway on his beat, and then sent a shower of small biscuit,. like ?hail. Perhaps Tom had been reading in the “ Arabian Nights, ” how his kinsman punished the tailor who pricked his trunk. Tom is of a dark slate color, is covered with hair, and on May 1,1871, was six feet four inches high, and weighed one ton and a half. When the Galatea lay in Plymouth Sound awaiting inspection, and the ship’s company were anxious that the vessel should look as smart as possible, Tom found a can of red ochre, in powder, besmeared himself with it, and rouged everything within reach. We now come to a tragical incident in his career. Being about to proceed by rail from Plymouth to London, Tom walked quietly into the horse-box prepared for his reception. There were three men with him— Messrs. Bartlett and Smart, from the Zoological Gardens, and William Paton, a corporal of the Marine Artillery, who had been keeper ever since the capture in the Rajah’s preserve in Nepaul. As soon as the train got into full speed the elephant began to plunge about, blow his trumpet, and shriek violently. He reared (n his hindlegs, broke down a bar and the ventilator door in the horse-box. By aid ofthe driving pole, and of leather thongs attached to his ears, he was quieted down, but in his first struggles he had crushed Paton against the side of the horse box, and the poor fellow died before a station could be reached. Tom was safely housed at the Zoological Gardens, but has since been removed to Dublin. Leisure Hour.