Adventure, July 1, 1928 — page 55: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE WHITE ELEPHANT "today. He roared and bellowed all night ‘and at dawn became even more angry. Maa! he pulled and snorted and puffed like one of the fire wagons at Chiengmai. He broke first one of the ropes holding his hind legs, and then, after much jerking and pulling, broke the other. I did not become worried until he started to break the hob- bles. I have never seen an elephant break a! six ply rattan hobble; but see, two of the strands have been broken.” While Red Moon was speaking, Father Eclipse of the Moon was milling around the tree, snorting, trumpeting and bellow- ing. He was fighting desperately for free- dom. He was moving so continuously that it was with difficulty that Sommer- field was able to keep his eye on the hobbles. Father Eclipse of the Moon had jerked and twisted his feet so viciously that the links of the chain had worn through two tough pieces of rattan and it was only a matter of time before the others would be broken and then there would be trouble. The nine foot tusker was normally gentle and docile, but demented by the pressure of the must glands on his brain, he would kill any one in his path. SSOMMERFIELD watched, the big elephant jerked back on his bonds until the chain was taut. He bellowed, slapped the ground with his trunk and curled the tip around the stray ends of rattan. He twisted and pulled so viciously that the tough plaited hobbles were wrenched almost out of shape. Another strand broke. “Ropes,” ordered Sommerfield. “Here, sir,” said Red Moon. Sommerfield tied a running noose on the end, drew out a big loop and handed it to Red Moon. “Lay that on the ground there beside his back feet. If he steps in it, jerk up- wards and pull quickly.” Without hesitation Red Moon ran in close to the animal’s feet and dropped his rope. Father Eclipse of the Moon kicked viciously, missing him by-inches. With a stick Red Moon straightened out the 49 noose, so as to give plenty of room for the big feet. “Get poles and beat him on ‘this side. Force his rump around over the noose,” ordered Sommerfield. : The men obeyed eagerly. They pound- ed, beat, and jabbed his hind quarters with anything they could lay hold of. Father Eclipse of the Moon reacted to the punishment by bellowing the louder, kick- ing more viciously and straining to get loose. He was stepping on the edge of the loop time and time again. The men became excited and a little careless. One of them, with a light bam- boo, got his pole too near the elephant’s head. Father Eclipse of the Moon lurched suddenly, extended his trunk, wrapped it around the stick and twisted it from the man’s hand. “Jump!” shouted Sommerfield, but it was too late. Although the pole was wielded awk- wardly, it descended on the man’s back and knocked him to the ground. In a second the great foot was over his pros- trate form ready to crush out a life and grind a body toa pulp. Sommerfield was among the men before the foot could de- scend, and he broke his heavy walking stick on the animal’s toes. The move- ment of the foot was delayed a fraction of asecond. During that moment, Nai Kow, who had caught the man’s foot, jerked him out to safety. Father Eclipse of the Moon, robbed of his prey, became more violent, and slashed madly with his pole. The men were al- ready out of range. Bellowing and roar- ing, he whirled the pole above his head and hurled it at the group. His aim was bad and the pole missed the men byseveral feet. He was still as far from the noose as ever, and another strand had been broken. Sommerfield ordered the men to try again, and Red Moon moved the noose closer. Father Eclipse of the Moon lunged backward again. The fifth strand gave way under the tremendous pressure. “Run for your lives!” shouted Sommer- field. comnlicloooks.com