Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-02-02
A BIG THING ON ICE.
The Troubles of a Rhinoceros {.

Mr.. Frank Buckland writes to
Land and Water an account of a
''strange ice accident to the rhi-
noceros at the Geological Gardens,
London, recently. The animal had
been turned out as usual into the
paddock behind the elephant house
while the dens were being cleaned.
The snow had fallen thickly during
the night, SO that the pond was not
to be distinguished from the ground.
The rhinoceros,not seeing the pond,
put her fore feet on the ice, which
Immediately gave way, and in she
went head over heels with crash.
The keepers ran for Mr.. Bartlett, the
resident superintendent. When he
came, in few minutes, he found the
poor rhinoceros in great danger of
drowning, as she was floundering
about among great sheets of ice,
under which she had probably been
kept down till her great strength
enabled her to break up the whole
mass. Here. then, was most awk-
ward accident under unexpected
and novel circumstances. Mr.. Bart
lett, with his usual courage, quick
ness and readiness of his recourse,
was quite equal to the occasion. He
Immediately let the water off the
pond by knocking away large
plug, which he has thoughtfully fix
ed instead Of tap, which is liable
to get out of order. In the mean
time, the poor rhinoceros was in
great danger of drowning. the pond
being nine feet deep; so, while the
water was running off, Mr.. Bartlett,
losing no time, sent for all the avail
able keepers and long and strong
rope; barrow loads of gravel were
at the same time strewed on the
slopipg sides of the pond to give
the exhausted animal a foothold.
The rope was then tossed round the
launches of the rhinoceros, like the
kicking strap Of a horse in harness,
and twenty-six men, one-half at one
end of the rope and the other half
at the other, pulled hard on the rhi-
noceros; SO, that in her struggles to
get up the bank she would not only
be supported, but pulled forcibly
forward. After much hauling on
the part of the men and much
plunging on the slippery bank of
the pond, the rhinoceros was at last
landed on terra .fgmaa. The salVors
of this valuable property had then
to look out for themselves. Mr..
Bartlett had anticipated this, for he
had left the sliding gate Of the en-
closure open just wide enough to
let out one man at time, but not a
rhinoceros. An absurd scene then
ensued; everybody rushed to the
gate, but the first of the fugitives
from the rhinoceros, naturally stout,
and possibly stouter at Christmas
time than usual, jammed fast in the
open gate, so that the other twenty
five men were in the paddock with
the rhinoceros. The poor frighten-
ed and half frozen beast luckily be-
hayed very well; she did not rush
after the men, but stood still, prick
ed her ears and snorted, giving the
keepers time to get out as fast as
they could, and, how they could
through the ingenious ''man-hole, y
or guard, in the railing, made in case
Of emergencies. Neither the rhi
noceros nor the men received the
slightest injury, Shortly after the
accident Mr.. Buckland saw the rhi
noceros munching her breakfast a;
if nothing had happened. The fhi
noceros was the big female; she il
about ten feet six inches long anG
about FIVE feet high at the shoulder
and she weighs, at a guess, between
three and four tons. The ice was
fnur inchaS thialy