Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-02-14
A College for Wild Beasts.

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Mr.. Jamraeh conducts it. Not long
since | determined to visit it.
Arrived at courtyard, found my
self between two rows of nearly empty
cages. Passing, on, we came to lad
der leading to loft. That ladder Mr..
Jamrach told me to mount, which led
me to ask whether the rhinoceros was
up there.
''She is not up there" replied he
'She is below in den. Youwill have
to see her through a hole in the floor
ing"
Down through the hole peeped,
and there she was nibbling hay. Mr..
Jamrach now went away, handing me
over to the guidance of the keeper
This keeper was man almost as wor-
thy of study as the animals under his
charge: very short, with muscular
chest and brawny arms, his eyes stead
lily fixed upon you, whether you or he
were speaking, communicative and full
of anecdote. [ had no sooner began to
ask him questions than the rhinoceros
had made herself invisible. .,er.
$50 no, Mouta," said he, calling her
by her Indian name. s'I'll teach you
better manners;" and down through
the floor he bobbed. Selling muir
|derous-looking weapon, half pike, half
hatchet, he began to bang away at the
creature, who, though with many snorts
and grunts she came out into the light,
could not have been hurt. [ now saw
that her nose-horn, from which the
name of the animal comes, was nearly
gone, and inquired the reason.
cit is the invariable result with all
the newcomers, he replied. "They
are in the habit of rubbing away the
point of their horn against the sides Of
their dens faster than it can be pro-
duced at the base." !.
He told me that it was easier to gain
the confidence of lion than tiger,
yet that tigers and tigresses would oc-
casionally have pretty ways.
GA tigress which once escaped" said
he, "knew me we'll, and seemed very
fond of me. Often when [ was pass
ing her den she would thrust out both
paws, and beckon me towards her."
"And did you accepther invitation?"
asked |.
"Often; and putting her paws on
either side of my neck, she would caress
me. Lions and tigers are gentle enough
when in their dens; but if they chance
to get loose, all their natural ferocity
returns, and friendships are forgotten.
You must show no mercy. There is
only one way then"
"And what is that?"
"Knock them on the head. That is
how l served the tigress. | felled her
with the blow of a crowbar."
"And did she ever forgive you?'
asked [. ''There was an end of caress-
ing, | fancy"
8Not bit of it," said the keeper
"She forgave me, and after few days
we were as good friends as ever"
"You must have a somewhat danger
Gus life of it, I think. Are you never
afraid?"
"Not of beasts and birds. But the
snakes-ugh! [ don't fancy them over
much"
"Mr. Jamrach deals in snakes too ?"
| asked.
"Of all sorts. I understood their
ways after a time-rattlesnakes and
cobrasAand am not averse to handling
them. Stand still before the former,
but retreat from the latter. In either
case you will not be bitten. The puff
adder is different from both. You
must seize him."
"How?' [ asked. "With tongs or
pincers?"
owe have not a pair of either on the
place."
"How do you catch them, then?" I
inquired.
''Seize them," he replied, "by the
neck, between finger and thumb, and
hold them fast. That's the only safe
way to deal with them"
"Do you wear gloves?"
eyes; very thin gloves. Thick clog
the fingers. Poison won't pass even
through kid. Then, you know what a
rattlesnake is going to do. He sounds
his rattle twice before he strikes. The
cobra, too, rises up to give you warn
ing. But puff-adder is as mean as
his looks.
Passing along between two rows of
cages, while listening attentively to my
informant, [ felt soft velvety touch
on the back of my hand. Looking
round, I perceived a creature-not
quite monkey, but a lemur--begging
something to eat.
"They are great gluttons,' he said;
"but nothing compared to these" open
ing door where half a hundred monk
'eys were grinning.
"Do you sell monkeys?' I asked.
'"That's large part of our trade
We imported over thousand monkeys
last year"
"And, pray, who buys them?'
"Organ-grinders and menageries.-
We sell a few as pets and many go to
the Continent"
"At what prices do you hold monk
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