Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Animal behavior; Hunting
No time was lost in repairing to the spot with three highly-trained
elephants, two of which were females; the third was a well-known
fighting male, a tusker named Moota Gutche, who was usually employed to
dominate the obstreperous wild elephants when refractory in the keddah
enclosures. The necessary ropes and chains were prepared, and the small
but experienced party started, Mr. Sanderson being armed only with a
long spear, and riding on the pad, well girthed upon the back of Moota
Gutche.
A short hour's march brought them in sight of a ruined village on a
level plain, which skirted a dense forest. When within a quarter of a
mile, a large male elephant was discovered restlessly walking to and fro
as though keeping guard over the ruins he had made. This was the culprit
taken in the act.
Leaving the two females in the rear, with instructions to follow upon a
given signal, Mr. Sanderson on Moota Gutche advanced slowly to the
encounter. The rogue elephant did not appear to notice them until within
about 200 yards; it then suddenly halted, and turning round, it faced
them as though in astonishment at being disturbed. This attitude did not
last very long, as Moota Gutche still advanced until within ninety or a
hundred paces. The elephants now faced each other, and Moota Gutche
began to lower his head when he observed his antagonist backing a few
paces, which he well knew was the customary preparation for a charge.
"Reculez pour mieux sauter" was well exemplified when in another moment
the vagrant elephant dashed forward at great speed to the attack,
trumpeting and screaming with mad fury. In the meantime Moota Gutche
coolly advanced at a moderate pace. The shock of the encounter was
tremendous. The spear flew out of the rider's hands with the collision,
but Moota Gutche was a trained fighter, and having lowered his head,
which had for the moment exposed his mahout, he quickly caught his
opponent under the throat with its neck between his tusks, and then
bearing upwards, he forced the head of his adversary high in the air;
now driving forwards with all his strength, he hurled the other
backwards, and with a dexterous twist he threw it upon its side and
pinned it to the ground. In an instant Mr. Sanderson slipped off and
secured the hind legs with a strong rope. The two females quickly
arrived, and within a few minutes the late terror of the neighbourhood
was helplessly fettered, and was led captive between the females towards
the camp from which it had escaped, assisted, when obstreperous, by the
tusks of Moota Gutche applied behind.
This elephant completely recovered from its temporary madness, and
became a useful animal, affording a striking example of the passing
insanity of the male passion, and the power of careful management in
subduing a brute of such stupendous force.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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