Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-20

rTOn the Carmel NOnlOJ courier.
On Monday last, while the keer
4 ers employed in the care of th
large collection of animals compris
ing Van Amburg's great Golde-
Menagerie were engaged in takin,
q the beasts from the permanent dem
5 and cages in which they had beel
s confined during the winter months
: within the large and substantial
building on the Star Ridge farm
situated on the hill west of Brew
ster's station, and were placing then
in the new and elegant cages pre-.
pared for their summer tour, q
scene took place, which, for time,
struck CONSERVATION, if not terror,
in the hearts ofall who witnessed it.
1t appears that the rhinorceros,
which is the only one in the United
States, and which forms one of the
unique attractions of the menagerie,
has been allowed to disport himself
in large box stall, some fourteen
feet square, formed of double
thickness of four-inch oak plank.
He liked his quarters, which were
roomy, warm and comfortable, and,
enjoying himself, he had contrived
to wax fat and increase his already
enormous proportions, the natural
results of tranquil mind, good
grub and clear conscience. 1t be-
came necessary, however, to remove
him from his snuggery to the close
confines of his travelling palace, and
preparations were made accord
ingly.
The portable den was dragged in
front OF his winter quarters, which
stands On the left of the building;
just beyond is large door, twelve
feet wide, leading out into the stack
yard, and at the extreme end of
the building there is another door,
opening on field, and from which
there is a fine view of Peach
pond, about q quarter of a mile
away. After the den had been
placed in the proper position, the
keepers commenced stirring up
the huge beast with goads, etc, with
the view of making him "get up
and get" into it. 1t was some time
before he could be prevailed upon
to stir, for, as the good book says,
she regardeth iron as straw" but
at last he made a sudden dive
through the entrance, with his
enormous snout, pushing the cage
several feet from him and making a
rush out of his den into the floor of
the building. He paused moment
and looked about him. He plainly
saw that he was master of the situa-
ton and monarch of all he sur
veyed,' but hesitated how to avail
himself of his newly acquired lib
erty. He did not pause long; his
bright eye caught a glimpse of the
shining waters of Peach pond, upon
which the bright beams of the April
sun were playing, and without fur
ther hesitation ho girded up his
loins and, with loud below, "made
for it."
Out of the door, through the
field, over the fence he went like an
immense India rubber, steel-plated
monster, knocking fences into splin-
ters, and spreading terror among
the cows, calves and other peaceful
bOvines which were pastured near,
and made straight streak" for the
pond. The keepers stood for n
moment aghast. There were twenty |
thousand dollars cutting across the
lots at full speed, and where he |
would bring up or how they should
secure him or bring him back was
a puzzle they could not solve. And
then the mischief he might do
Langworthy, the lion king, was first |
to recover his presence of mind,
and rushing to the elephants room,
he called the dog "Jack"-ever near
his companion, Tippoo Sahib, and
pointed out the truant brute.
Jack comprehended what was re-
quired of him instantly, and giving
a hoarse bark started off in full
chase, followed by keepers, grooms
and stable boys, and all hands. By
this time Mr. Rhinoceros had
reached the pond, and was already
laving his huge sides in its placid
water, and disporting himself in a
most joyous and demonstrative
manner. AS soon as the dog had
reached the lake the rhinoceros
made for deeper water, which he
gained soon, and then, taking a
dive, was lost to view beneath the
surface. For several minutes moth
ing was seen of him. The men
stood on the banks with despairing
looks, and the dog circled round
and round, searching for him in
vain. At last his gigantic head
came spouting up some two hun
dred yards off, and Jack, with
loud yelp, padded after him.
The rhinoceros remained still
until Jack arrived within a few feet
of him, and then event for him."
intending, no doubt, to finish him
with his horn, but Jack stood his
ground-Or his water-and as the
beast came close to him, he dexter
ously got out of the way and swing
ing round got Mr.. Rhino by the ear.
This was piece of strategy en-
tirely unanticipated by the animal,
and he did not seem to know what
to make of it; he tried to shake the
dog of, but without success, nor
could he get at him with his horn,
or ponderous jaws, and after a vain
struggle to get rid of his per
sistent enemy, at last allowed him.
self to be persuaded to take the back
track, and was thus, after consid
cradle time, gently led to the shore,
a sadder if not a wiser beast. By
this time the men had supplied them
selves with strong ropes, with which
they succeeded in trammeling him
in such a manner that they were at
last enabled to get the animal back
to the building, and finally, by
tempting him with a savory dish of
some two bushels of turnips and
meal, induced him to enter his den,
the ponderous bars of which were
secured, and he was made fast for
summer When next he runs away
we hope we may be there to see, for