ANR | An Elephant in Long Island Sound

New York World
Monday August 3, 1903, p.3

ELEPHANT OUT
FOR SWIM IN SOUND

Basil Gives Keepers the Slip
and Goes Cruising--Pursuers
Drenched.

An elephant at large, swimming in Long Island Sound, was a sight that startled passengers on steamers and numerous fisherman in small boats yesterday. The big beast was some distance from shore, and swam apparently with the ease, if not the grace, of a seal. There were several rowboats in pursuit and many attempts were made to capture him without avail. That the small boats were not overturned was due entirely to the docile disposition of the beast. The elephant was Basil, the largest of the herd in the "zoo" at Glen Island, which early in the day took into his mammoth head the idea of crossing over to the Long Island shore.
Basil has probably the best disposition of any elephant in captivity. He delights in children, and is apparently more contented with half a dozen of them on his back than he is in his stall munching hay. He is used about the "zoo" for motive power when any of the large cages are to be moved. His strength is something marvellous.
He was tied to a stake outside the elephant sheds while his stall was being cleaned early yesterday. He amused himself by affectionately encircling the stake with his trunk. Then he gave it a quick jerk and the stake travelled high in the air. Basil did not move for an instant or two. Then he looked toward the Sound. The water looked cool and tempting and he started in the direction of it. There were a couple of rail fences between him and the water, and it was necessary to pass through part of the island where vegetables are grown. He did not jump the fences, but just pushed through. They offered about as much resistance as a handful of straw before a moving locomotive.
When he reached the vegetable patch he stopped. The sight of growing cabbages was too tempting to be resisted. He devoured half a dozen. By this time his absence had been noticed and a number of keepers were after him. He made direct for the water and waded in. The keepers came at him with hooks and spears. Basil filled his trunk with water and drenched them time and time again. They prodded him with hooks, but their labor was futile. Finally ropes were secured, but when the men endeavored to throw them over his head the elepant struck out into the deep water of the Sound.
A telephone message was sent to the Glen Island office in town to despatch a tugboat. It was argued that when Basil became tired and hungry he would return, but it was necessary that he be followed to prevent harm from befalling him.
Off David's Island a steamer passed. The passengers were greatly interested in the novel scene. A steam launch then joined in the chase. There were two keepers in it and they managed to get ahead of him, and by waving their arms in front of him got him to turn and head for shore. His strength was apparently not failing, for twice he turned and circled about. When the elephant reached shore he came up and shook himself after the fashion of a dog and then started for his stall in the elephant sheds.