Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of AnimalsLee, R., Mrs.
General
Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
Lee, R., Mrs.
Animal behavior -- Juvenile literature
The remarkable escape of Lieut. Moodie is one of the most extraordinary
encounters on record. A servant informed him that a large troop of
elephants was in the vicinity, and that a party had gone out to attack
them, so he started to join in the hunt; but losing his way in the
jungle, he did not overtake them till they had driven the elephants from
their first station. On leaving the jungle, he was going through a
meadow on the banks of the Gualana, to the spot where the firing had
begun, when he was suddenly warned of some danger, by the cry of "Take
care" both in Dutch and English. He heard a crackling behind him,
occasioned by the elephants breaking through the wood, which was
accompanied by their screams. A large female elephant, and three of a
smaller size, departed from the rest, and came towards him; but not
being in a good position for firing, Mr. Moodie retreated from their
direct path, to get a better place from which to take aim, and hoped
they would not observe him. They, however, rapidly pursued him; he
reserved his fire as a last resource, and turning off at a right angle,
made for the banks of the river, intending to take refuge among the
rocks on the other side. Before this, however, they were close upon him,
screaming so tremendously that he was almost stunned by their noise. He
turned upon them, and fired at the head of the largest; the powder had
become damp, the gun hung fire, till he was in the act of taking it from
his shoulder, when it went off, and the ball grazed the side of the
large elephant's head. She stopped for an instant, and then rushed
furiously forward: whether struck down or not, he could never say; but
Lieut. Moodie fell. The animal had only one tusk, which missed him as
she rushed upon him; but it ploughed up the earth within an inch or two
of his body; she then caught him by the middle with her trunk, threw
him between her fore feet, and battered him with them for a short time;
one of these huge feet once pressed him so much, that his bones bent
under its weight. He did not lose his recollection, and he constantly
was able to twitch himself on one side, and so avoid several blows. Two
of his party came up and fired at her; one bullet alone touching her in
the shoulder; her young ones then retreated, and she left her victim,
finally knocking him with her hind feet as she went off. He got up,
picked up his gun, and staggered away as fast as he could. She turned
round, looked after him; and he then lay down in the long grass, and so
eluded her observation.
A soldier of the Royal African Corps did not escape as Mr. Moodie did,
for an elephant caught him with his trunk, carried him some distance,
threw him down, brought his four feet together and trod and stamped upon
him till he was dead. He left the body, then returned to it, knelt down
upon, crushed and kneaded it once more; then he seized it with his
trunk, bore it to the jungle, and threw it among the bushes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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