Court-Martialling an Elephant.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1922, Page 4

Court-Martialling an Elephant.

“To-day,” said my brother, “I am going to show you something that you have never seen before and probably will never see again.” I was on a visit to the wonderful city of Hyderabad, in the vast State of the same name, ruled by the well-known Nizam. My brother, who was on the staff of the British Resident, knew of Everythin'*' interesting that was happening there, and had already given me a week of most extraordinary sightseeing.

We set off, ami soon reached the Elephant Battery Lines. This section of the State “gunners” is composed of field guns, each drawn by a single elephant in place of the usual team of horses or mules.

Soon the call of a shrill trumpet summoned the elephants, some eighty in number, whose mahouts (drivers) quickly marshalled them to form three sides of a large square. After a few minutes of tense expectation, an elephant was marched into the square. He was riderless and obviously in disgrace, being securely fastened to two huge elephants, who marched one on either side of him. He showed the greatest uneasiness, swilling to realise that lie was “in for it.’ A battery officer now stepped forward with a charge sheet and, to my amazement, proceeded to read it in a loud voice to the trembling delinquent. A free translation would run something like this:— “ No. 37, Military Elephant Suleiman, you fiave, in a moment of wicked and uncontrolled temper, cruelly slain your estimable and kind mahout, Mohammed Ali, thus causing grief to his family, loss to the State, disgrace to the battery, and vexation to our Most August Ruler, whose name he blessed.

“ For this thy sin thou art sentenced to receive ten strokes of the chain ami to forfeit thine arrack for seven days.” The “ prisoner ” now began to evince signs of more and more nervousness, shuffling about, quivering, and giving little shrill trumpetings of distress. One would have thought he had understood every word of the charge and sentence, and was shaken with remorse and terror.

The sentence was carried out immediately. The culprit was led unwillingly to the whipping-post, or rather four whipping-posts, of enormous thickness and strength, to which he was firmly fastened by is legs. The two “police” elephants took up a position a little to the rear, facing each other, and each holding with his trunk one of the ends of a long iron chain. This they swung simultaneously while tlie mahouts counted.

“Ek, Do, Thecn, MARO!” (Strike)

Then the chain was brought with a resounding thwack against the hindquarters of the offender, who shook the square with his screams and heavy struggles. However, there was no escape for him, and he had to go through “ten of the best.” He was then led away, looking very rejected and sorry for himself.

My brother told me that the loss of the arrack (a very potent liquor distilled from rice) would hit poor old Suleiman very hard, as every elephant dearly loves his evening tot of grog. It is verv rarely that an elephant who has been conrt-martialled and punished has been known to repeat his offence, even under the greatest provocation.