The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-09-11
Lightning Among the Lions.
4 SCENE IN A MENAGERIE

A correspondent of the Chicago
Inter Ocean writes from DaVen-
port, Iowa:
Adam Forepaugh is a famous
Snowman, but he has never offered
to the public so thrilling and ex-
traordinary an exhibition as that
which "might have been seen" at
point near Pleasant Hill, about
seven miles from Davenport, on
Monday morning before daylight.
The scene was that of a menagcrie
attacked by a thunder storm of
unusual ferocity in the dead Of
night.
Mr.. Forepaugh's establishment,
consisting OF q menagerie, museum
and circus, exhibited at Dewitt,
Iowa, on Saturday, August II,
and at midnight startedfo for Daven-
port, where it was 10 exhibit on
the 10Th. At Pleasant Hill, a
small village, it encountered one
Of the most terrific storms Of
thunder, lightning and rain ever
experienced in this part of the
country. Itwas 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, a museum equip
age, baggage wagons, &C., drawn
by five hundred horses, and fol-
lowing the great chariot. This,
in turn, was preceded by q dozen
camels and the elephant Romeo,
Jr.
AS the storm increased in fury,
the chariot horses became un-
manageable and started off at q
fearful speed. The camels, unable
to stand, crouched down by the
roadside, trembling with fear, and
the elephant lay down in the
middle Of the road and stubbornly
refused to rise, completely pre-
venting the further progress of
the long train Of cages, which
were scattered along the road for
nearly two miles.
a TERRIBLE SCENE.
The animals, thoroughly fright
ened, mingled their yells and roars
with the deafening thunder and
bounded from side to side of their
narrow cages with tremendous
force. This caused many of the
horses to follow the example Of
those before the chariot, and, as
no further progress could be made,
the whole train soon became in
extricably confused. To make
"confuslon worse confounded,"
the driver Of the lion cage
was hurled from his seat by the
falling of his wheel horses, and
over went the cage containing tour
large lions.
The museum wagon, containing
the Lords Supper" was struck
by lightning and four ofthe twelve
| Apostles laid low. And yet the
worst had not come. The awful
fury of the storm, and the terror
Of the scene. demoralized about
twenty drivers, who had been
| hired a few days previous, and, in
cowardly manner: they deserted
their horses and fed to the woods.
| One of these cages left driverless
contained a gnu or horned horse,
most vicious and untamable
brute. and the horses, plunging
from one side Of the road to the
other, overturned the cage, causing
the top to break open. Instantly the
brute leapcd into the road, and, over
turning a cage filled with monkeys:
darted off into the woods.
THE SITUATION
of the caravan at this juncturc was
very critical, as may be readily i'm
agircd. There was the pitch
black darkness Of the night con-
tending with the lurid glare of the
lightning. There was the drench-
ing rain pouring down in sheets.
There was the almost constant
roar of thunder. The roar of en-
ragged tigers, the neigh of fright
ened horses, the wall of hundred
animals, some to be feared and
| Others to be pitied-all were con-
centrated. Trees fell around.
Horses dashed hither and thither,
crashing the vans which they
drew, and scattering their contents.
One of the drivers, who still re,
NAMED faithful and courageous.
was killed in his seat by shock
of lightning. No wonder that
mems hearts quailed, and that
among the less Dold OF tnem q
panic and stampede set in, which
promised to end with the total
| ruin Of the caravan.
| This was doubtless averted on
Iy by the appear nee at the front
of Colonel Forepaugh, who had
been following the train, and who
had come up as rapidly as possible
on realizing the danger Of the
situation. he ordered the horses
to be detached from the anima
cages, and the wagons corralled
The lion cage was righted, and {
detail sent to recapture the escaped
gnu.