The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-17
The Latest Learned Wonder,

Whoever has seen q series of the vol
umes of the old London "Penny Maya
zine"--the delight of boys of a generation
ago in both hemispheres--will remember
picture of an Ibex standing on the top of
tripod of sticks, which the animal set I'D
for himself. This wonderful performance
was in Egypt, thirty or forty years ago
and DR.. Clark sent the account to London
for the amazement as well as amusement
of English readers everywhere. The great
wonder of the feat lies in the fact that tho
hex is one of the least tractable, and so of
course, would be considered one of the
least intelligent Of animals. The goat
species are playful enough in their own
way, but are dull scholars, and the wonder
is not that the performance of this Ibex
should be so excellent, but, as DR.. John
son said Of the execution of a difficult pas
sage in music, possible at all.
Learned pigs, dogs, horses, monkeys,
and cynocephali have been common enough
on both sides of the Atlantic; but, till
about two years ago, since the days of DIR.
Clark's hex, nothing has been heard of a
performing animal of the goat kind, and of
course when one did appear it was in the
far East. During the past eighteen months,
from time to time have appeared in the
London papers, and once or twice in letters
published in this city, some account of an
extraordinary goat, occasionally on exhi-
biton in Alexandra and elsewhere in Egypt,
that rode on horseback, did the general
routine of bare back tricks and Jumped
through hoops, and off the horse, walked
on his knees, walked the wire, and spelled
out words as Victor Hugo makes Esmer-
al y, M ttNo@,o - i Il
and American managers were on the alert
to secure this prodigy. Sums ranging
from $500 to $4,000 were offered for it.
Finally, it was reported that the goat had
gone to London in exchange for given
number of guineas-sum not stated, but
supposed to be enormous-and shortly
thereafter such goat did appear in one of
the London theatres, and for several months
created Juror commensurate with his ac-
complshments.
Whether this was the Egyptian goat, or
one of home growth and education, the
London papers and managers never told.
500, too, when it was whispered here,
some weeks ago, that such goat had ar
rived, or was to arrive, it was not known,
but was presumed that the prodigy trans
lated from Egypt to London had, in due
course, followed the track Of other stars
Westward. AT all events learned goat is
here !; and there can be no doubt of its be-
ing the learned goat, because no other per-
forming animal Of its species is or has been
known for the past two years. The matter
has been kept very quiet; but finally Prof.
Samwells, who appears with the trained
dogs in the ''Black Crook" at Niblo's, has
exhibited to select audience of showmen,
at the training ring in Twenty-ninth street,
the great groat himself, prior to his appear
ance Sin the ring" at Niblo's.
For an hour or more his goatship as
tonished and delighted the experts-every-
thing that boy can do on horseback--first
in the art of "sticking on" and preserving
a perpendicular the horse go his
fastest-and next in leaping the bars,
jumping the ribbons, flags, hoops, &c.,
this goat does with grace equalled only
by the imperturbable gravity with which
the animal goes through its various per-
Torrance. Its other accomplishments, in
the way of wire walking, &C., will doubt
less be exhibited in the s. Black Crook"
and the goat will be an enormous draw
ing card" besides doing something in that
way on its own account.
These performances are extraordinary,
not in themselves as done by a trained ami
mal-such as dog or monkey-but be-
cause that supposed-to-be stupid animal,
the common goat does them. Or rather,
since hundreds of goats have been tried in
training, and only one, at the most two,
have ever been heard Of as amounting to
anything" this is very uncommon goat !;
and hence the extraordinary sum which
rumor says he cost his owner twhoeyer he
may bel, and the equally extraordinary in-
terest attaching to the performances of the
highly-trained animal.