The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-19
Baruum's Great ghow..-First Days
PeFfOrmance. ~


yesterday brought vast numbers OF persons
who came to the city to see the great show;
and the writer OF this notice ventures to as
sert that not one individual who went to
that circus yesterday afternoon or last night
was disappointed.
The entertainment really began with the,
grand parade In the morning. The streets
were thronged with old and young, little
and big, who wanted to see the renowned
Barnum and his wonderful street pageant,
and when they saw it they resolved to go to
the tents and see more.
It would be folly to enumerate all Of the
features OF the procession. Suffice it to say
that the whole was creditable exhibition
Of even the great Snowman. There were
some new features added that we never be-
fore noticed. Among others the mammoth
steam -calliope deserves mention. The music
Of the calliope is not so pleasant when close
at hand us at distance. The steam bell
ringer is another novel feature, and adds
materially to the attraction. The glass
wagon containing the snake-charmer and
his hideous pets, although not an attractive
picture, is worthy Of study as illustrating
! the power OF the mind Of man over all in
ferior creation. Taken as whole, the out
side show Of the great Barnum is in itself
worth the price OF admission. W.
There must have been seven thousand
persons at the afternoon performance. The
tentsIwill, we are toad, hold eight thousand
persons-crowded-an the canvass was
well filed. 1t would take visitor all day
to see all that is to be seen at this splendid
show, and it would fill half of the local OF the
Dispatch this morning to tell Of all the in
teresting features OF the entertainment.
This paper is not given to putting shows"
indiscriminately, but it is only Just to the
great Snowman to say that Banum's circus is
by long odds the best that has ever given
an exhibition in Richmond. Its appoint
ments are perfect; its menagerie the most
varied ever seen in q travelling show-cer-
tainly in the Southland the performances
are as entertaining and meritable as they
are unexceptionable.
AS the visitor goes in at the main en-
trance he beholds the automatical curiosi-
ties. These are arranged in circle around
the tent, and are conveniently placed for
close inspection. Here also is the portrait
gallery, containing well-executed ikenesses
Of the persons prominently identified with
the history Of the country ry-Presidents OF
the United States and Generals in the Fede-
raj army. After viewing the numerous at
fractions in this tent we pass to the second
tent, in which is located the menaserie.
Among the more prominent animals are the
hippopotamus. giraffe, zebra, wart hog'
tapir, horned horse, lions, rhinosceros, seal,
polar bear, royal Bengal tigers, elephants,
camels, etc. There is also fine collection
Of birds, monkeys, snakes, etc. q
One of the greatest attractions in this
tent, however, is Captain George Costente-
nus, the tattooed Greek. The tattooing was
done with indigo and cinnabar, producing
blue and red colors: and there is not sim,
gle point on his body which is not covered
with these colors, so that it is impossible to
discover what was the natural color OF the
skin, except by his ears and the soles OF his
feet, which are the only parts not tattooed.
He appeared at first sight as though he was
clothed with very close-ftting tights made
Of shawl or Of very soft, fine druggett.
Upon close inspection, however, 1t Is seen
that he is entirely naked, and that the appa-
rent tights are an illusion. Moreover his
whole person is found to be covered with
great variety Of animal figures with their
names most ingeniously and skilfully print
ed into the cutjcle. On the forehead are
animals and Inscriptions, and on the: face
star-like figures. On the hands are numer-
Gus red points and figures resembling sculp-
lures, as we'll Us .long-tailed, panther-like
shapes. ON the neck, chest, abdomen, back,
and eXtremities the skin is mass Of SYM
metricalIy arranged and admirably executed
figures Of monkeys, tigers, lions, elephants,
peacocks, storks, swans, snakes, crocodlles,
| lizards, mingled with bows, arrows, leaves,
flowers, and fruits; on the palms OF the
hands are indescribable figures, and little
figures on the inside Of the fingers. On the
back and sides Of both feet to the toes are
blue points, and from the toes to the
nails red lines. Altogether there are 1888
tattoed pictures on the entire body-on the
| forehead, q; neck, s.; chest, 90; back, 81;
abdomen, So; upper eXtremities, 101; lower
eXtremities, 1877. He is certainly one OF the
greatest human curiosities ever seen. He
is about five feet ten inches high, has SUI
perb physique; his hair is straight, jet
black, and glossy. To the touch the skin
has very soft, velvety feeling, and it has
so very much the appearance Of being
clothed that he might walk through the
public streets without any one suspecting
that he was not dressed in tights. Captain
Costentenus was tattoed in Chinese Tartary
as O punishment for attempting to create a
revolution.
In the same tent may be seen Admiral
Dot and the Circasslan girl.
In the next tent-the circus tent proper
the grand arenic performance was given.
The most striking features OF the entertain
ment were the introduction OF the living
curiosities by Professor Smith; perform
ances OF the hippopotamus, which is treated
and managed by DR.. Kohn trick ponies,
trained and performed by William Carlo ;
magic Japanese tub act, by Satsuma and
little ALI Right. Such astounding contra
dictions to the laws Of grayitation cannot be
performed by any other nation than the
\ Japanese; remarkable feats of the Carlos
Brothers, the comic fiddlers; the Carlo
midgets, youthful trapeze performers; Miss
| Amelia Carlos hoop and scarf act on horse
back; Jeannette Watson's daring pad act !;
Martino Lowande, Justly termed the worlds
champion bareback rider, who appeared in
two excellent acts Of daring and graceful
horsemanship. Then came remarkably
handsome and well-trained trick-horse. The
two clowns, Jerry Hopper and George
Clark, kept the audience in constant good
humor. Besides the above there were
numerous other acts Of absorbing interest.
One OF the most graceful and elegant
riders who has ever visited Richmond Is
Mr.. Charles Fish. His bareback riding
Yesterday fairly charmed his audience, and
| he was time and again applauded to the
echo. Heehas but lately Joined Mr.. Bar
NUNS company, and acts his part with
great ease and wonderful satisfaction to all.
Many amusing incidents occurred along
the line OF march, some of which are worth
telling.
An admiring countryman, when he saw
the handsomeIy-gilded car containing the
Goddess OF Liberty, wondered who the lady
representing that much-belored allegorical
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