Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-03-04
A RHINoCERos ON THE ICE.

Mr.. Frank Buckland writes to Land
and Wafer an account of " strange
ice accident to the rhinoceros at the
geological Gardens, London, recently.
The animal had been turned out into
the paddock behind the elephant house,
while the deus were being cleaned.
The snow had fallen thick during the
night, so that the pond could not be
distinguished from the ground. The
rhinoceros, not seeing the pond, put her
fore feet on the ice, which Immediately
gave way, aud in she went head over
heels with crash. The keepers ran
Tor Mr. Bartlett, the resident Superiu
tendent When he came in few min
utes, he found the poor rhinoceros in
great danger OK drowning, as she was
floundering about among great sheets of
ice, under which she had been probably
kept down till her great strength en-
abled her to break up the whole mass.
Here, then, was most awkward acci~
dent under unexpected aud novel cir
cumstances. Mr.. Bartlett, with his
usual courage, was quite equal to the
occasion He Immediately let the water
off the poud by knocUing away large
plug which he has thoughtfuIly fixed
instead of tap, which is liable to get
out of order. Ia the meantime, the poor
rhinoceros was in danger of drowning,
as the pond is nine feet deep so while
the water was running off, Mr.. Bartlett,
losing no time, sent for all the available
keepers and long, strong rope; barrow
loads of gravel were at the same time
strewed on the sloping sides of the
pond. to give the exhausted animal a
foothold The rope was then tossed
around the launches of the rhinoceros,
like the kicking strap of horse in har-
ness, and twenty~six men, one half at
one end of the rope and the other halt
at the other, pulled hard on the rhino.
ceros; so that in her struggles to get
up the bank she wonld not only be
supported, bat pulled forcibly forward.
After much hauling on the part of the
men, aud much plungipg on the slip
perry bank of the pond, the rh;noceros
was at last landed on terra firma. The
salvors of this valuable living property
had then to look after themselves.
Mr.. Bartlett had anticipated this, for
he had left the sliding gate of the en-
closure open just wide enough to let ont
one man at time, but not a rhinoceros.
An absurd scene then ensued- every
body rushed to the gate. but the fret of
the fugitives from the rhinoceros, natu-
rally stout, aud posi- ly stouter at
Christmas time than usual, jammed
fast in the open gate, so that the other
twenty five men were ia the paddock
with the rhinoceros The poor fright
ened and half frozen beast luckily be-
haved very well, she did not rush after
the men, but stood still, prieked up her
ears and snorted, giving the keepers
time to get out as fast as they could and
how they could through the man-
hole, or guard, in the railing made in
case of emergencies. Neither the rhi-
noceros or the men received the slight
est injury. Shortly after the accident,
Mr.. Buckland saw the rhinoceros
munching her breakfast as if nothing
had happened. The rhinoceros was the
big female; she is about ten feet six
inches long, and about five feet high at
the shoulder, and she weighs, at q guess,
between three and four tons. The ice
Was four inches thick.