The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-06-06
Anecdotes Of n Rhinoceros.

-.H"N~NAOc 0iSu SnCiC, uttCI d uCdItut
existence of fifteen years in the garden.
The cause of death, apparently, was
inflammation of the iungs-a disease
created by the damp and foggy atmo-
sphere arising from the undrained clay
soil-which carries of so many of the
animals confined there. On dissection
1t was manifest that the animal had
broken rib, probably in throwing itself
heavily down to rest in its uncouth
manner. This fracture might have in
jured the lungs at the moment, and the
subsequent anchylosis probably pro-
duced pressure which accelerated the
disease. Shortly before death, the ami
NAL strained to vomit without effect,
with the exception Of some froth tinged
with blood at the mouth; and soon after
wards bloody matter was discharged at
the nose. These are not pleasant par
ticulars; but these lines may meet the
eyes of some of those interested in the
management of animals, and may afford
hints for their future.
Poor fellow, he was stupidity good-na-
tured in the main, and would let the
visitors rub his nose or his horn--which,
by the way, he never permitted to grow,
but kept it constantly rubbed down--or
tickle him about the eye, or place their
hands in the folds of his stout mail-like
buff coat, where the skin, as we heard
an honest yeoman who was making the
experiment say, was 1" as soft as la
dy's" He was very good friends with
poor old Jack the elephant, now dead
and gone, Notwithstanding the stories of
the violent antipathy which the two huge
beasts bear to each other, and how the
rhinoceros runs his horn at last into the
elephants belly, and how the blood of
the elephant runs into the eyes Of the
rhinoceros and blinds him, when the roc,
or ruk, pounces upon the combatants,
and carries them both off in his claws.
The elephant used to tickle him with his
trunk, and stroke his cars, now and then
giving his tail sly pull; upon which
the rhinoceros would cut clumsy ca
per, wheel round, and nibble the ele-
plants trunk with his huge flexible lips.
He was fond of going into the capacious
tank, which served as bath for him and
the elephant, who were alternately let
out into the enclosure; the gambols be-
fore mentioned having been played
through the iron railing, when the ele-
plant was expatiatipg in the great encio-
sure, and the rhinoceros was out in the
small space before its apartment.
When the rhinoceros first took to the
water, there was a marked difference
between his obstinate stupidity and the
sagacity Of the elephant under the same
circumstances. The bottom of the tank,
which is surmounted by an elevated
coping, gradually inclines from the en-
trance, till, at the opposite extremity, it
is deep enough to permit an elephant Of
the full height, and of the massive pro-
portions of poor Jack, to submerge the
whole Of its gigantic body; and most
gratifying it was to see Jack enjoy the
cooling comforts of an entire submer-
sion, now dipping his huge head beneath
the surface, and presently raising it
again, again to plunge it out of sight.
The rhinoceros walked in well enough
down the gradual descent, and when he
got out of his depth, swan boldly to the
opposite extremity. Once there, how
ever, he seemed to have no idea of the
possibility of returning. but remained
plunging and making fruitless efforts to
get out over the raised coping while he
was in the deep water, where the wall
went sheer down and there was no foot
hold 1t was rather nervous time for
those who witnessed the violent and un-
gainly efforts Of the brute; for it was
feared that he would then and there tire
himself out and sink exhausted. AT
last, when almost overworn by his USE
less toll, he was half-forced, halfcoaxed
round, and when his head was turned
towards the entrance he swan thither
till he found footing, and then walked
out.
His muscular power was prodigious.
The iron railing Of the enclosure was
strengthened by great iron spurs at reg
ular distances. He would insert the
anterior part Of his enormous head be-
tween the spur and the upright, and
then give powerful lateral wrenches till
he fairly priced it off. Once he got out,
and, without doing further mischief, ter
minated his ramblings with pas seul in
a bed of scarlet geraniums-the condi-
ton of the pa,terre after the performance
may be imagined. He was then secured
and led back to his place of confine-
ment.
There was tortoise-like look about
him that was very striking. The Curl
ously-formed upper lip, the testudinous
look of his thick armor-like skin, his
legs and feet, all favored the notion of
a huge warm-blooded creature made
after the pattern of the cold-blooded
testudinafa, with mprovements-for he
was active in his way, and when excited
his rush was terrific. The noise of the
roller, when the gardeners were rolling
the gravel walk that ffanks the place
where he was suffered to go at large,
had the mos, exciting effect upon him.
Iie would be standing still at the further
end of the enclosure, and the moment
he heard the noise of the roller in mo-
ton. round he would turn, and rush
down towards it in a rampant state, till
he was brought up by the strong iron
railing, which those who saw these par
oxysms began to think must 60 down
like reeds before him.
Do as you would be done by