Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-08-29
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From the New York Mail.
tanned WILD BEASTS.
There are at present in the United States
about dozen so-called menageries. Ofthem
but three or four possess really good collec-
tions of animals, and in no single one are GER
tain of tie rarer beasts to be found at all.
One solitary specimen of the giraffe is living
in this country, and the only hippopotamus
ever brought alive to America died ten years
ago, and his stuffed skin now ornaments a
New York museum. 1t may be interesting to
know that no less than three showmen were
made rich by the exhibition of this one huge,
unwieldly brute, and so convinced are all men
in the business of the sure and certain return
of huge profits from an investment in "Hip'
po," that for years there has been g. standing
offer for one of these monsters living and in
good health, sum which any one of half a
dozen responsible men stand ready to pay on
the very day that Mr.. H. is introduced
1t is asserted, however, that with the ex-
ception of this individual specimen, all other
importations of the more delicate animals have
proved disastrous failures.
Several hippopotami, score of girafes,
and hundreds of the more rare and fragile
antelopes and other animals most susceptible
to the influences of climate have been brought
from their native wilds to this country, but
the keen cold of our inhospitable climate has
ruthlessly slaughtered them so speedily that
it is asserted that no manager ever has got
back full return of his money thus invested.
ELEPHANTS.
An elephant costs from $4,000 to $4,000
for what are called small ones, up to $4,000
for very large one. The price is, however,
naturally somewhat affected by the age, do
cility, and education of the specimen. An
animal that has been taught to 60 through an
interesting series Of tricks may, though small,
be more valuable than a much larger one
whose early education has been neglected. A
very large one was sold for $4,000 few years
since, but the lowness Of the price was in a
great measure due to the fact that for certain
disabilities ofage, etc., he was considered una
BILE to bear the fatigues of constant travel.
LIONS.
There are but few specimens of fine lions in
the country, probably the largest pair being
two that were at one time said to be the finest
in all Europe, but which were secured by an
American manager and brought to this coun-
try. The price was $1,000 in gold. Single
animals bring from $1,000 to $4,000 each,
according to age, size, and education. Those
born in the cage have formerly been consid-
cred more docile and tractable than those re-
claimed from their native plains, but certain
occurrences of late years have led showmen
to distrust them as being almost beyond belief
tee, the wretched man who, few months ago,
was literally torn to pieces and almost de-
voured alive in the very presence of an audi.
encein England by his own troupe of "tamed
and trained animals" the original attack was
made on him and the first blood drawn by a
lion that had been born in the show, drought
up by hand" and fed from the day of its birth
by the very man whom it was afterward the
first to strike and slay.
THE RHINocERos.
A rhinoceros costs from $4,000 to $4,000,
and is always a most attractive feature of the
exhibition. At the Geological Gardens, Lon
don, has lately been received what is known
as the "double-horned Sumatran" rhinoceros,
the great popularity of which is that it is COW
cred with hair instead Of having the usual
sole-leather trunk look of the more familiar
species. This particular specimen, the like of
which was never seen before in England, cost
in Calcutta FL 900, or $4,000 in gold, to which
must be added the cost of transportation, at
tendants, food on shipboard, before the sum
at which the ugly beast is valued can be ar
rived at.
OTHER ANIMALS.
A fine pair of royal Bengal tigers, fresh
from the Indian Jungle, we're sold lately for
$1,000. The royal tiger, be it known, is a
very rare and beautiful animal, always ad-
vertised, though seldom seen, some inferior
one of the huge felines, generally panther,
being made to personate the noblest beast.
A panther, young and healthy, will COM
mand about $4,000 to $4,000, and pair,
male and female, if they agree, and can be
exhibited in the same cage, are worth proba-
bly, $4,000.
|. Ieopards though very beautiful and grace
full, have not the large size and formidable
look of the larger confreres, the lion and the
tiger, and consequently not so attractive a
feature in the exhibition, can be bought for
much less money, being worth about $1,000
to $4,000 pair.
Ordinary camels are worth about $500 each,
if young, strong, and in good health. -Four
years ago pair of very fine white camels
we're imported, being the first of that breed
ever seen in this country. After having trav-
elled through the country for single season,
they were purchased for the manager to whom
they now belong for the handsome sum Of
$4,000.
The smaller animals, especially the mon
keys, are very expensive Monkeys from
Africa are by far the most valuable, those
from South America not bearing acclimatiza-
ton we'll, but soon dying Of consumption.
Monkeys have no fixed price, but cost accord
ing to the species (of which there are many,)
the age, size, state of health, and scarcity of
them in the market. Hundreds of thera are,
like parrots, brought from foreign lands by
sailors as forecastle pets.
Others of the smaller animals, such as opos-
sums, raccoons, squirrels, peccaries, marmets,
and ant eaters, together with paroquets, cranes,
ibises, owls, eagles, vultures, hawks, etc., have
no fixed market price, but are usually picked
up singly as chance bargains, or "thrown in