A JEALOUS ELEPHANT.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 98, 23 November 1878, Page 3

A JEALOUS ELEPHANT.

The f*lLwing aumsing account of the pranks of a jealous eh-phant is taken from the correspondcm e of an Eng ish merchant in Rangoon ; “Some male elephants have no tusks. These are cdled ‘ Junes ’ hy the Burmes n . The most powerful animal I ever liad was one of them. He was very tall, and in strength a perfect Samson among elephants. An incident in his his'ory is worth relating. Samson had fallen into a capricious mood, under the influence of a little syren b longing to ihe herd, and in a fit of jealousy he frightened all the others so thoroughly one night that they broke their fetters and made a bolt of it out of the timber-yard with S mson in pursuit. One unfortunate member, who was on the sick-list at the time, and had an impediment in his walk, was bowled over ami trampled on sever::! tim s, and was never fit for anything but the hospital afterwards. The ethers took to the jungle, and it cost some money to recover them.

Samson remained in possession of the timber-yard for three whole days, no living thing daring to venture near him. At the end of that time he walked off with his companion one night to the jungle, and selected a spot for his future residence close to a mud pool. For some nays he made raids upon the adjoining gardens, eating up the fruit trees without compunction ; and in revenge for some opposition he met wit!i from a market-gardener who did not appreciate his new neighbor’s high-handed way of doing things, levelled his lint to the ground. Tilings were beginning to get serious. Claims for damages became unpleasantly frequent, and it was absolutely necessary to put u stop to bis depredations. Accordingly, I sent out a deputation of elephants to wait upon him. with picked men as drivers and attendants, for the purpose of bringing him to reason. There were ten elephants altogether, the senior member being a very patriarchal-looking animal, with an immense pair of tusks—the one, in fact, who was always employed to settle difficulties among the juniors, and in this capa ity he had been uniformI}' 1 }' successful. Wi en the deputation arrived at the spot Samson -was enjoying his morningbath in the mud, and they surrounded him. The patriarch, with the chief mahout driving, and another goi.d mao and true behind him. for the purpos'* of s;jf>”lvi'ig any lack of m-wal courage that manifest itself under trying ctcuuiJ w :s tiken nearest to the renegade. H : s sweetheart was qni -tly bi'owsing among the bamboos Hos-* by. The moment Samson realised the situation he made a rush from the Until at the patiiarch, who. forg-tting his wonted >»- dignity of manner turned t-.iil and bo’ted. The hook and tite s->ear with which the drivers were armed alike failed to restore Courage to the lead r. On he went, tearing through the jungle, the branci cs

of trees and thorny creepers making sad h woe with the persons on his hack. 11 is 1, rl example demoralised the whole force, t:.;-y fl-d for their lives, every one of time). At las ii came to be a race h.-iwee i Samson and the patriarch, Ihe other e ephant- having made lateral tracks for f hem-elves, md got clear of danger. When it came to close quarters between the two, the mahout, thinking discretion the better part of valor, laid hold of the brand) of a tree as he passed, and held on, leaving the other man to his fate. In a very short time he too was unseated, but in an involuntary manner ; the elephant siiot under the branch of a tree which did not afford space for the man to pass under as well, and he was swept to the ground. He was able, however, to elude ihe pursuer, who was so eager to get at the four-footed fugitive that he took no notice of the fallen rider as he craw’ed along into the thick jungle. Fortunately no life was lost in this most exciting adventure. Even the patriarch' got off scot-free. When tired of the pursuit, Samson returned to his rural retreat.

ihe deputation got home in the evening more frightened than hurt. I administered chlorodyue with much success to those whose bruises and lacerations bespoke a sleepless night; and it lias since been regarded as a specific for patients stiff-ring from cutaneous diseases and nervous excitement. ”