The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-31
1IeHrN1NG AMONG THE LIONS.
A Scene in q rsensgerie.

A correspondent OF the Chicago Inter Ocean
writes from Davenport, Iowa:
Adam Forepaugh is famous Snowman, but
he has never offered to the public 80 thrilling
and extraordinary an exhibition as that which
s'night have been seen" at point near
Pleasant Hill, about seven miles from Daven-
port, on Monday morning before daylight.
The scene was that Of menagerte attacked
by thunder storm OF unusual feroclty IN the
dead of night.
Mr. Forepaugh's establishment, consisting
of q mensgerie, museum and circus, exhibited
at Dewitt, Iowa, on Saturday, August IL, aud
at midnight started for Davenport, Wnere IL
was to exhibit on the 10Th. At Pleasan' Hill,
a small village, it encountered one OF the most
terrific storms of thudner, lightning and rain
ever experienced In this pert OF the country.
It was about two o'clock on Monday morning
when the storm broke upon the caravan.
There were one hundred and seventy-fve
dens or cages of wild beasts and birds,
museum equiPage, baggage wagons; Dc, &C.,
the great chariot. This, In turn, was preceded
bys dozen camels and the elephant Romeo, Jr.
AS tha storm increased In fury, the chariot
horses became unmanageable and started off
at q fearful speed. The camels, unable to
stand, cronehed down By the roadside, tremb-
the middle of the road and stuboornly refused
to rise, completely preventing the further
progress of the long train of cages. which
were scattered along the road TOR nearly Two
miles.
TERRIBLE SCENE
The animals, thcroughly frightened. min
gled their yels and ruurs with The deaitning
thunder aud bounded from side 10 side OF
their narrow cages with tremendous force.
This caused many OF the horses to follow the
example Of those before the chariot, and, Us
no further progress could be made, the whole
train soon became inextricably confused. To
make confusion worse confoundsd," the
driver OF the lion cage was hurled from his
seat by the falling OF bis wheel horses, and
over went the cage containing four large
lions.
The museum wagon, containing the "Lord's
Srpper," was struck by lightning, and tour of
the Twelve Apostles laid low. Aud yet the
worst had not come. The awful fury OF the
storm, and the terror of the scene, demoral-
lied about twenty drivers, who had been
hired q few days previous, and, In cowardly
manner, they deserted their horses and fed
to the woods. One OF these cages lett driver
less contained gnu or horned horse, most
vicious and untamable brute, and the horses,
plugging from one side Of the road to the
other, overturned the cage, causing the top
to break open. Instantly the brute leaped
with monkeys, darted off into the woods.
of the caravan at this juncture was very crti-
cal, az may be readily imagined. There was
the pitch-black darkness of the night con-
tending with the lurld glare OF the lightning |
There was the drenchlng rain pouring |
down In sheets. There was the almost con-
slant roar of thunder. The roar Of enraged |
tigers, the neigh OF frightened horses, the
wall of hundred animals, some to be feared |
and others to be pltled-all were concentra.
ted. Trees fell around. Horses dashed
hither and thither, crashing the vans which
they drew. and scattering their contents. One
of the drivers, who still remained faithfnl and
courageous, was killed In hls seat by shock OF
lightning. No wonder that mems hearts
qnailed, and that among the less bold OF them
panic and stampede set In, which promised
to end with the total ruin OF the caravan.
This was doubtless averted only BY the ap-
psaraDce at the front of Colonel FOrepaugh,
who had been following the train, and who
had come up ss rapidly as possible on reailz-
ing the danger OF the eitnation. He ordered
tho. horses TO be- detached from the animal
cages, and the wagons corralled. The lion
cage wns righted, and detail sent to recap
ture the escaped gnu.
Daylight daWned and the storm abated.
Ten horses had been killed by lightning, four
drivers we're injured seriously and one killed.
With the assistance OF the farmers IN the
vicinity the menagerie people soon put mat
ters In q presentable shape, Including even
the surviving apostles, eight In number.