Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-08-25
CATCHING WILD BEASTS.

the New York Express
Dropping in yesterday to see tho wild AMI
mails, just imported from Africa and ). America,
by Mr.. p. IT, BarEum, we were quite as much
amused with the history of their capture, as with
their interesting habits and neat appearance
"A very intelligent gentleman, who seemed to
be i'm attendance upon them, kindly furnished
us with all the particulars Of their pursuit.
Mr.. Barnum who is enterprise itself persona
fed, sent out in February of 1851, a ship called
the Juno, chartered for the purpose, fitted and
manned to suit, in order to obtain rare and Gu
rious wild animals, birds, reptiles &c. for exhi-
bition in his museum. Its mission and destina-
ton, at the time, were kept profound secret ;
and it was only after the vessel got to sea, that
on opening his dispatches, the Captain discov-
cred that his first point of direction was the
Island of Borneo in the Indian Ocean.
Next to New Holland this is the largest island
in the world but the climate is so insalubrious
and the inhabitants so treacherous, that little is
known of its interior Some of the natives ex-
tract their own teeth, and insert Jumps of gold
instead, by way of ornament; for gold is found
there in abundance. Diamonds, too are plenti-
full on the South and West coasts, of large size
and great beauty, the petty prince OF Maltan
wearing one worth a million and a quarter OF
dollars Four of the men deserted here from
the ship to make fortune by gathering gold
and diamonds, and three died from exposure on
two weeks exploration of the island. A large,
and remarkably handsome ourang outang, was
all that the party were able to capture on this
occasion; and with this prize they set sail with
a determination to return few months later in
the season.
The ourang outang in question, is the one at
the Museum. 1t is large, comical, sprightly
animal, full of humorous tricks, and already tam
ed to perfect gentleness. He is eminently socia-
BILE in his disposition, fond Of caresses, very at-
fectonate towards his keeper, and easily won by
any little acts of kindness. He is capital bur-
lesque on humanity.
After leaving Borneo, the good ship Juno pur-
sued direct course for the North Western
coast of Africa where upwards of three months
were passed by the hunters in securing ten i'm
mense ostriches These colossal birds inhabit
the sandy and burning deserts, and as they are
fleeter than the fastest Arabian horse, are most
difficult to catch, and when caught, they some-
times kill their captor with single blow.
The high value placed on the feathers of the
ostrich, however, makes them an object OF
search, even among their arid homes. In the
earliest ages the ostrich was an article of COM
merce and ostrich meat is one of the forbidden
articles of food to the Jews. Holiogobalus, that
prince of gourmands, once boasted that he serv-
ed up the brains of six hundred of them at one
meal-their brains being considered, in that day
a regal luxury. The eggs, too, are said to be a
great decacy, and are prepared for the table in
various ways.
In capturing these ten ostrches, Mr.. Barnums
party pursued nine of them with fleet horses,
taking fresh horse as rapidly as one got tired,
and thus running the birds down. They never
pursue straight course, but run in somewhat
of circle; this plan therefore, was not so diff
cult and succeeded Every one of the nine,
however, ultimately died from the fatigue and
exhaustion. The tenth was caught by Yam
kee hunter, who, clothed in the skin of one of
the birds, approached closely enough to entrap
the one alluded to- This is the bird now at the
Museum, which is of vast size and we'll proper
toned 1t has been made very tame and docle,
and has an eye of the most gentle description.
1t would look well on the race course with those
extraordinary instruments of locomotion.
The two Anacondas and the two Boa Con-
strictors, which measure, together, over 100 feet
in length, are serpents of the largest kind in the
world. They were taken in Guiana in tropical
South America. They fold themselves around
the trunk of tree, and then drop and swing
about like dead branch, until their prey APP
proaches to pasture or get water. At such a
time they fling themselves upon him, encirce
his body in their deadly folds and crush him to
death, even if it be bullock. The serpent next
covers him with saliva, gorges the animals head
in it's mouth, and little by litle with its wonder
ful muscular force, swallows him whole.
Two of these serpents in the Museum were
captured without serious danger. One of the
Anacondas, however, crushed native hunters
leg in his fury, and the other Boa Constructor
was discovered by q still more serious calamity.
One of the party was discovered to be missing
and for two days his companions hunted for him
in vain, in every direction. On the third day,
thicket of the most entangled kind
they observed huge Boa, and the leg of a hu-
man body protruding from his mouth. 1t was
their missing companion! He had evidently fall
en- asleep, after the noon-time meal, beneath a
tree occupied by the Boa, and had become its
unconscious victim As the serpent was in this
gorged state, incapable of flight or resistance
he was easily captured. These serpents are
among the most interesting objects in the whole
collection. The cost of getting these creatures
must have been enormous, but they are very
valuable and pleasing addition to the other at
fractions of the Museum.
The ostrich is one of surprising size: the on
ly one it is said, in this country, and perhaps the
Il al. IA