Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-23
HANDLING 4 MENAGRRIE.
How Kicking GtFsTes and Elusive
Elephants are Brought AbhOre
New York World. July 16l

How Kicking Glrauea ana EiublVo
Elephants are Brought Ashore
New York World, July lo.l !
A brindle gnu from Cape Town, I
the only one Of that species that a
ever visited America, landed on the t
steamship Oder, foot of Third I
street, Hoboken, last Saturday, in a
company with four giraffes, two ele- t
plants and any number Of mon
keys and birds. This lot was an i
importation by Reiche & Bro, pro-
prietors Of the New York Aquar- {
ium. The landing was attended
with difficulty and attracted an i'm
mense crowd at the pier. The {
girafes rivaled Western mules in
kicking power, and the skirmishing
of able-bodied men around and be-
tween the heels Of the animals was
amusing to the bystanders if not to
the men. The brindle gnu came in
a box ten feet long, four feet high
and four feet wide, and there was
not much difficulty with him. AT
ter he had been hoisted ashore he
was placed lin his box) on a track
and carted to Reiche's stables, cor
ner of Hudson and Tenth streets,
Hoboken, where he was set free, to
await the time when he shall be
placed ON exhibition in some travel
ing menagerie. The gnu is valua-
blespecimen, and is said to be worth |
thousands of dollars to an enter
prising Snowman. When travelling
any distance, except for pleasure,
he is compelled to go in box like
common luggage. He is too
sprightly aud too full Of enthusiasm
to be allowed to roam at his own
will. The giraffes and the elephants,
however, are merely fastened in the
ship or vehicle, and are very mild
and modest in their conduct until
they are called upon to 60 ashore.
Then the giraffes kick and the
elephants walk over any obstacle
without looking at it.
One of the girafes, with meek
and interesting countenance, stood
in his stall on the steamer, Satur-
day afternoon, utterly unsuspicious,
when one of the men-a robust,
red.faced German-approached him
with canvas sling. In AN instant
all the rebellious impulses of the
giraffe were aroused. He would
not allow the sling to be taken near
him, and a PAIR of eyeglasses worn
by the German flew into the air,
and the owner went in search Of
them. This process was repeated
half q dozen times until the man
with the eyeglasses became tired.
Then he summoned to his aid a
number of men who had been ex-
perimenting with the other ami
mails, and they finally succeeded in
getting the sling placed under the
girafe's belly and attached to the
machinery on shore. Then the
animal was raised from off his feet,
and while he was suspended in the
air he kicked iuriously. AS soon
as he was lowered sufficiently he
was laid over on his side and left
in that position until the sling was
removed. Then lie became quiet
ed, and was finally allowed to get
up and go his way, or at least the
way the gun had gone before. The
same course was pursued with The
other giraffes. The elephants OBJ
lection to the sling was equally
strong, and they avoided it as Ions
as they could by walking about
and turning themselves around
with astonishing rapidity. Ele
plants have wonderfully quicl
perception and notice all at oncC
what is going on on all sides O.
them at many yards distance. Tht
only way to manage them is to ge
them bound up against a stake 81
tightly that they cannot turn. h
attempting this part Of the pro
gramme last Saturday one Of tn
men was nearly killed. The leg
of the elephants were tied, an,
they were landed in the same man
ner as the giraffes, except that the
did not require to be laid over, bu
were marched off as soon as the
landed.
These importations of animal
occur monthly, and Reiche
Brother have an annual arrange
ment with the Bremen Line fC
their transportation, special stal
being provided for the purpose.
is not unusual for dozens Of lionl
tigers, leoparIs and hyenas in cage
to be among the cargo. TheI
beasts are sold to exhibitors. Thel
are at present a number at the Cel
trail Park menagerie that Yer
among Messrs. Beiches' import
lions. Mr. Charles Reiche is at IL
Lead Of the firm in Aldfeldt, ne,