Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-12-25
Miscellaneous.
90
BATTLE BETWEEN BEASTS.
TERRIFIC COMBAT BETWEEN MAI.
AND FEMALE RHINOCEROs.

TERRIFIC COMBAT BETWEEN A MALE
AND FEMALE RHINOCEROS.
A desperate battle was taught on Friday
between two OF p. T. Barnum's rhinoce-
roses which had it not been for the success.
ful Intervention of the keepers, whould
have resulted in the death of one of the an
imals. One of the combatants was large
male, weighing $500 pounds, and the other
female, weighing $500 pounds. The
fight resulted from an atempt of the keep
ers to place the female in a pen with the
male. The cage containing the female was
wheeled near the entrance olhe pen, and
the animal driven from one - the other,
The male became furious at this intrusion,
and, laying aside all gsllrutry, charged Fur-
iously upon the object of his wrath. driving
her into one corner of the cage. The fe
male then faced her adversary and fought
bravly, and was able to defend herself so
long as she did not expose her TANKS to
the enemy. In her struggles however, she
was thrown crOsswise of the pen, whe n her
opponent gOred her fearfullyi in the side with
his tusk, actually lifting her from the floor.
The struggles of the huge animals was ac-
companied with loud roars, the tumult he
ing augmented by the affrigEted cries Of
the other animals composing the menage-
rie. The beasts threw their combined
weight against the bars of the cage, which
threatened to break under 80 much strain.
Atlength, after several desperate encoun-
ters, both brutes full back for fresh on
set, and then Mr.. Fuller and his assistants
flung in between the conbatants a huge
pile OF lumber which they had collected
and kept in waiting for this opportunity,
pushed broad board along the top of the
barricade and hung great piece of awning
over it. The effect Of this manHeyer was
miraculous. The moment ils enemy dis
appeared from sight each animal appeared
to utterly from sight each animal appeared
to utterly forget all about the late unplea-
santnesa, and quietly lay down in its i'm
prOvised compartment as though nothing
whatever had happened to irritate its
pachy ydermatous feelings. The female
which, by the way, was the aggressor, and
is held entirely responsible for the row
happened to lie down OH the sid Of the pen
near the door. The wheeled cage in which
she had Just completed trip through the
country, was soon rolled up to this door,
and, after much coaxing and pitch fork
parsuatiOn, she was induced to enter it, and
was driven Off to y different corner of the
building. 1t was found that her thick hide
had been penetrated by the horn of her an-
tagOnist in some twenty places, but none
of the wounds are likely 20 prove serious
She lay quietly in her ola cage for the re-
mainder of the day, and looked as if she
considered herself well out of Il disagreea-
bic business The male rhinoccros received
only two slight wounds, one under the ear
and another on the hip. He was sentenced
to be kept standing up all day-a punish
ment against which he demonstrated now
and then. but bore pretty philosophically
on the whole. While the combat lasted.
the anxiety Of the more intelligent keepers
was very great, though their presence OF
mind never deserted them for i moment.
The solid iron bars of the cage We're bent
and twisted like wire, and its thick parti-
ton of stout three-inch plank were parted
and nearly, the door on 1wenty-siXth street
would have been burst open, the great
elephant (which had already made several
angry demonstrations) would have taken
part in the fight and brought the other eie
phants in with it, and there is n0 telling
what the consequences might be. i single
one of those huge beasts in its fury could
have smashed the cages OF the other ami
mails all to pieces in few seconds, and the
result would be appalling. That the other
animals had thorough appreciation of
of what was 90 ng on in the cages Of the
rhinOceroses aud expected the war would
extend to their own premises, was pretty
clearly shown by the large elephant, whose
constant companion was setter dog. Dur
ing the fight this dog made several attempts
to take peep at the proceedings but on
every occasion the elephant lifted her pro-
tege on her trunk, tenderly dropped him
behind her, and stepped to the front her
self About one O'Clock the damaged cages
and pens were all refi.ted and strengthened,
the howlings had ceased, and the Hippo
drome and is attaches were ready to pro-
ceed with the afternoon performance.