Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-11
HOWLS IN A RIPPODROME.
Terrible Combat Between q Male and
Female RhinOcer0s-
~ VI Cu-

I -
Female RhinOcer0s-
New York Sun.
Among the animals in the hipp0dromt
are a male and female rhinocerOs. The
female is about two-thirds the size OF the
male, and was put in the hippodrome about
a month ago, when Mr.. Barnum's big show
returned from the South. The male, a
monster of strength and ugliness, is kept
in pen, surrounded by iron bars, in the
east end of the menagerie, and next 10 the
four elephants. TIE female was confined
until yesterday in the cage in which she
she has travelled for number of years.
About a week ago MIR. Hurd instructed
the carpenters to enlarge the pen OF the
male animal to double its original size, so
that the female might be admitted. Yes
terday morning 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 rhinoce-
ros 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 a 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, thorny noses of
the two animals clashed. The male drew
back again, and eyed his unwelcome Wis
itor. Then, his mouth foaming, with loud
roar, he rushed forward again. He struck
the female with his horn on the left side,
cutting a deep cash, lifted her about six
feet from the ground, and nearly threw her
over the wall of the pen.
The fight was getting desperate, and Mr..
Costello and his aids fastened to rescue the
female. Pitchforks, 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 be-
tween the beasts.
BARRIERS BROKEN DOWN.
The male made one furious dash, car
ried the barricade away in an instant, and
again the poor female was raised upon his
horny nose and thrown into the air. The
bellowings 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 |
was scene of wild excitement. |
The lions and the tigers, the leopards 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 crash against the iron
bars of the pen, bending them like so many /
wires, and the heavy plankiDg of the frame
work 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 another attack, one
If the employees thrust pitchfork into his
mouth, the only vulnerable point that could
De reached from the outside, and with a
oar Of
MINGLED PAIN AND RAGE,
he brute drew back, and for a few
moments stood in his corner, cycling his
Advantage was taken of this
ull in the fight, and two were separated
" a fence of planks and wagon bars,
which were thrust across the pen from the
outside, and securely dashed TO the bars.
over this was thrown a piece of canvas,
nd the beasts were thus shut from each
'ther's view.
1t required two hours more of cOaxing to
et the COW back to her old cage. Not
the thickness of her hide,
which is like iron, the horn of her antago-
list had gored her frightfully. On the left
ide were two deep gashes, from which the
Hood was flowing freely. The male was
Ininjured, having only a slight wound
lack of the left ear. He ran as nimbly as
rhinOcerous can run around his pen, and
eemed to glory in his victory. As soon as
he COW was removed he became as gentle
} his keepers as eter.
One of the most OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
his remarkable battle was furnished by the
arge elephant, ''Betsy." A large dog is
lways in the corner Of the elephants pen,
lear Betsy. This is "Carlo,' prime IA
orite of Everybody connected with the
Carlo and Betsy are much
ttached, and when Betsy was taken to tie
Iressing room Carlo followed. The DOR
vas left open, and Carlo, hearing the noise,
an to the door, peeped out, and then
topped out. Betsy followed him to the
Oor, stretched out her trunk, seized him,
nd drew him in out Of the reach Of dan
er. This was done four times, and then
yarlo yielded to the force of circumstances,
nd lay down beside his protector.
Though badly hurt, it is thought that the
amale rhinoeeros will live.