The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-10
Terrific Combat between a Male and
Female RhinOcerOs.
The Fright of the Lions and Tigers and
Leopard and Bears.

| Leopard and Bears.
Among the animals in the Hippodrome ar
male and female rhinoceros. The female i.
about two-thirds the size OF the male, and wa.
put in the Hippodrcme about month ago
when Mr. Barnum's big show returned from
the South. The male, monster Of strength
and ugliness, is kept in pen, surrounded by
iron bars, in the east end of the menagerie
and next to the four elephants The female
was confined until yesterday in the cage in
| in which she has travelled for a number OF
years.
About week ago Mr.. Hurd instructed the
carpenters to enlarge the pen OF the male ami
NAL to double its original size SO that the
female might be admitted Yesterday morn
| lug at , o'clock the work of transferring the
animals was begun. The elephants were
driven into one OF the large dressing rooms,
and then the male rhinoceros was driven into
the elephant pen. The cage containing the
female was Drawn up, and she was safely
landed in the large pen. Then the male was
driven back to his old home. He waddled in,
passed the door, and then suddenly stopped.
He had just caught sight of the female as she
calmly eyed him from the other side of the
pen.
THE ATTACK.
The monster paused only moment. Then
with roar OF rage he started for the intruder.
She was in no mood to play the coward. She
firmly braced herself against the solid planks
of the pen, and awaited the collision. The
hard, horny noses Of the two animals clashed.
The male drew back again, and eyed his I'M
welcome visitor. Then, his mouth foaming,
with loud roar, he rushed forward again.
He struck the female with his horn on the left
side, cutting deep cash, lifted her about six
feet from the ground, and nearly threw her
over ahe wall of the pen.
TIE 4isht was getting desperate, and Mr.
Costello and his aids fastened to rescue the
fem lie. Pitchtorks, wagon bars, and every
weapon that was attainable was used upon the
infatuated monster. He was held at bay for a
time, and large planks were showed through
The bars to form fence between the beasts.
BARRIERS BROKEN DOWN.
The male made one furious dash, carried the
barricade away in an instant, and again the poor
female was raised upon his horny nose, and
thrown into the Dir. The be]lowings of the
combatants were echoed by the roar of the
lions, and the fearful laugh of the hyenas.
The wild beasts scented blood, and every cage
in the great menagerie was scene Of wild ex-
element. The lions and the tigers, the Loop
ards and the bears, jumped and howled and
roared, and above all arose the dismal wall of
the frightened elephants.
For over an hour the combat lasted, and the
male rhinoceros, being the larger Of the two,
was rapidly using up the weaker female. At
one time the two huge bodies came together,
with a crash against the iron bars of the pen,
bending them like SO many wires, and the
heavy planking of the framework cracked and
broke like reeds. The beasts were frothing at
the mouth, and the COW was bleeding. At
length, just as the male was preparing for an
other attack, one of the employees thrust
pitchfork into his mouth, the only vulnerable
point that could be reached from the outside,
and with a roar of
MINGLED PAIN AND RAGE,
the brute drew back, and for few moments
stood in his corner cycling his antagonist. Adj
vantage was taken OF this lull in the fight, aud
the two were separated by a fence of planks
and wagon bars, which were thrust across the
pen from the outside and securely lashed to
the bars. Over this was thrown a piece of
canvass, and the beasts were thus shut from
each others view.
1t required two hours more of coaxing to
get the COW back to her old cage. Notwith-
standing the thickness of her hide, which is
like iron, the horn of her antagonist had
gored her frightfully. On the left side were
two deep gashes. from which the blood was
flowing freely. The male was uninjured, hav-
ing only slight wound back OF the ear. He
ran as nimbly as a rhinocerous can run around
his pen, and seemed to glory in his victory.
A. soon as the COW was removed he became as
gentle to his keepers as ever.
One Of the most touching incidents of this
remarkable battle was furnished by the large
elephant, "Betsy." A large dog is always in
the corner of the elephants pen, near Betsy.
This is "Carlo, prime favorite of everybody
connected with the Hippodrome. Carlo and
Betsy are much attached, and when Betsy was
taken to the dressing room Carlo followed. The
door was left open, and Carlo, hearing the
noise, ran to the door, peeped out, and then
stepped out. Betsy followed him to the door,
stretched out her trunk, seized him and drew
him out of the reach OF danger. This was
done four times, and then Carlo Welded to
the force of circumstances. and lay down
beside his protector.
Though badly hurt it is thought that the
female rhinoceros will ive.~-N. J. Sun. 5ht