ELEPHANT AND LION. A Terrific Encounter Between Two Mighty Beasts.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 142, 20 February 1886, Page 5

ELEPHANT AND LION. A Terrific Encounter Between Two Mighty Beasts.

A TERmi'iO encounter took placo ono day last week at the winter quarters of Forepaugh's rnenagerio, in Philadelphia, between tho elephant Bolivar and an untamed | Nubian lion named Prineo, resulting in tho | doath of tho latter. Tho lion was a splondid specimen of his species. Ho had been imported only a few weeks ago, and was worth §2,000. Ho was confinod in an unusually strong cage in the animal house, and four weeks ago tho courso of training began. The lion was of too ferocious a disposition to permit of the entrance of the trainer into the cage until the animal had been sufficiently subdued with tho prod and lash. In tho afternoon tho trainor unlocked tho door for the first time and cntored. For a fow minutes all went well. Piince gro%vled ominously, how over, when the pistol was iired ovor his hoad, and tho trainer kept himself on tho alert anticipating an attack. At last he struck the lion with his whip, and the enraged beast raised his powerful paw and struck at him. The man jumped aside, and perhaps escaped disombow elment, but sustained a fearful laceration of the thigh and leg. Then the lion prepared to spring at him. And the trainer jumped backward with such foice as to break the bars of tho cago from their fastenings. He fell out backward on the tan-covered ground, and for a moment was stunned. This proved to be a fortunato accident, for the lion pounced through tho open cage door, and alighting a considerable distance beyond where the man lay, did not turn back, but rushed out of the building. He pursued his way through tho ring barn and entered the open doov of tho elephant house. Bolivar stood nodding whero ho was chained to a stako near tho door. Princo hesitated for a moment, and then lay back on his haunches, Ho crept slowly forward until he was within reach of tho elephant. Then he raised his paw and struck at the supine trunk. Tho tough skin was somowhat torn and the pachyderm became instantly fully aware, and, raising his trunk, rnado a blow afc tho lion ; but the latter escaped it by springing backward. Vainly did Bolivar endeavour to break away from his fastenings. All his strength was insufficient to tear up the stake, and it was too short to break. Ho bellowed with rage, and his shrill shrieks w ero taken up by twenty of his fellows. The combined roar made it sound as though pandemonium had broken loose. Prince crouched again and prepared to spring. Quick as a lightning flash was tho movement which landed him on the elephant's head. But he had to deal with a power greater than his own, over which his only advantage was his agility. Bolivar easily shook him of! and tossed him to Eome distance. The excitement at this point became intense. Both tho elephant and tho lion woro fearfully enraged. Bolivar trumpeted loudly and Prince roared like thunder in anger and pain. Again the twenty other elephants in the stable added to tho excitemont, and trumpeted in chorus. The sound was terriblo, and it was this that first attracted tho attention of the few men who were at the time around the grounds, Armed with pitchforks and such other weapons as they could find, they rushed to the elephant house, keeping a sharp lookout, fearing lest a stampede of tho elephants had taken placo, or that one by some means had broken loose and was on a rampage. One man of greater temerity than the rest made his way to tho door. As if spellbound the wounded trainer, who had limped his way to tho door, stood there watching the contest and unconscious of the danger to which his position exposed him. Tho contest was quickly decided. The lion prepared for another spring. Ke lay back on his haunchep, and with oars flat tened against his head and oyes gleaming like balls of fire, crept forward stealthily, cautiously measuring tho distance With a suppressed growl the lithe, tawny form shot through the air. The elephant's trunk was then turned over his back, and his little black eyes were snapping viciously. With a motion so quick as to be almost imperceptiblo the proboscis was lowered and elovated twice, and then came down with torrific forco, striking the lion as he was in midair, and he fell to the ground somewhat stunned. Before he could recover the elephant dealt him a terrific bl jW on the side, and reaching forward the full length of his chain he drew the lion toward him, and lifting his free foot he leaned his whole weight on his fallen foe. The effect was to crush tho ribs of the conquorod monarch of tho forest. In this mannor he trampled all over the lion and pierced him with his tusks until life was gone. Even then ho did not cease, but continued to tramplo the body until it was crushed almost to a jelly. Then he raised it with his trunk and tossed it to the other end of the stable. In half an hour all the elephants had bocome pacified. Their keepers had been sent for, and succeeded in quieting them. Tho dead lion's body was removed. Bolivar sustained no serious injury, except a slight contusion on tho head and the trunk. He was unusually vicious that day and had to be hobbled with a couble chain.

Temperance candidates in Wellington are pledged to close two or threo publichouses in each ward. Justice Molesworth said the othor day that the Victorian statutes had been put together by a lot of old women. The members of Greymouth Harbour Board will have to pay out of their own pockets a sum of £60 spent in feasting the Premier and Minister of Mines. They charged it to the Board, but the AuditorGoneral has disallowed it,