Care of Young Elephants.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 282, 18 July 1888, Page 3

Care of Young Elephants.

How fcho young elephants in tho largo herds oscapo from boing crashed is something of a mystory, as they are almost continually in motion. A close observer would see that each baby was trotting along directly boneath its mother, sometimes between her forelegs. On the march whon a little elephant is born iv a herd, they &top_ a day or two to allow it time to o.verciso its limbs and gain strength, and then they press on, the mothers and babies in front, and the old tuskers following in the rear, bat ready to rush forward at tho (ir&t alarm. When rocky or hilly places arc reached, tho little ones are helped up by tho mothers, who push them from behind and in various ways ; bub when a river has to be forded or swum a comical sight ensues. The stream may bo very rapid and rough, as the Indian rivers often are after a rain, and at such a placo the babies would hardly bo able to keep up with the rest ; so Ihe mofche and father help them. At firat all plunge boldly in — both young and old — and when the old elephants roach deep water, where they have to swim, the young scramble upon their sides and sit astride, bomctimes two being: seen in this position. But the very young elephants often require a little moro care and attention, so they are held either upon the tusks of tho father or grasped in the trunk of tho mothor,, and held over or just at tho surface of the water. Such a sight is a curious one, to say the least — the great elephants almost hidden beneath tho water, here and there a young one seemingly walking on the wator, resting upon a &übmeigod back, or held aloft while tho dark waters roar below.