The daily gazette., 1879-07-28
FIRST EDITION
ON AN ELEpmANT's BACK.

zoo.
The lady stood gazing thOughtfully in
to the lake at the Philadelphia Zoo, and
then exclaimed:
"Oh my, 1 don't know what to do"
Afler a moments cont tinplation the
die was cast. 81 never rode OIL an ele-
phant in my life, and I'm going to dc II
now" said the heroic madame, and i'm
mediately bevy of little ones exclaim-
ed:
"Mamma, take me !! take me wait
to go, too"
'Can he carry all Of us ?" inqu red the
considerable dame.
ayes, madame; shc has carried four
men with perfect cas-, SD ~ he alarm
ed. just get aboard, and you'll see how
pleasant IL Is 10 ride OH an elephant.
Beats riding camel all To nothing"
With all the Care that one would nat
| urally exercise in attempting to step OH
q huge soup bubble without bursting II
the lair adver turess and her little flock
seated themselves In the capaciOus how
dah. Immed ately the conductor" took
his seat in the car, and the bulky form
of the elephant began TO swing himself
around the circle. The journey having
been completed, the elephant iders dis
mounted and drc'aIed: "It was real
funny riding up there"
"Like to take ride p inquired super
inlendent Brown Of the news cleaner,
and the scribe got aboard. The elephant
started. Not being perfectly accustomed
to o iental modes OF convey ancr, the uI.-
i'iated reporter at once began TO realize
| lha f,,c Of tho la.I ,;.,f; ;r, hot
''it was real funny" First something
gave way OH The ri hit hi d quarter, and
a corresponding elevation took place on
the left front flank. This action was :
lltved Of its mono, ony by sudden sink
ing OH the left rear AND heaving up OF
the right trout. by the time this action
had been con pleted the elephant wa. so
far from the "depot" that it was useless
to think of disembarking.
"Better hang on the railing" suggest
ed the conductor; and at once the scribe
clutched the rail which had been pro
viled to add to the security and safe y OF
the passengers.
allow do you like it ?" inquired the
conductor.
| "Capital ~
The reporter went down behind and
the conductor rose up in front. Then a
real "funny" feeling began to take pos
session of the s0ribe-a kind of cross
between sea sickness, dizziness from
waltzing, ard the description man
gives of himself when half drunk.
The length OF the howdah precludes
the possibility of seeing the animal while
seated OH his back. One is rocked in the
air. Curious 10 see the gentle beast
| plodding along under his burden, the re-
porter took d peep over the front of tn,
hOwdah, but all he could see Was a tail
looked over the sides, and saw nothing
but the ground.
This pleasure the managers of the
Geological garden are now prepared tO
furnish to their visitors. For two months
or more Mr.. Pendegas', the gentleman
in charge of the ell plant, has been rain
ing ''Jenne'' for the duty she will now
pc form daily. "J-nnie" was originally
from Kobinson's circus, and had been
thoroughly trained for the ring. She is
accustomed to carry ing children and men,
but hitherto has been Instructed TO give
heI passengers short rides and then pre-
| cpitale them into one common heap by
suddenly lying down and shaking her
self like an eartl quake. Ii she knows
what is wanted of her she is perfectly
willing to obey; but 1t was tedious
task for Mr.. Pendegast to teach her that
she was not TO lie down and consign heI
riders 10 the dust. More than one of the
empl yees OF the Zoo are ready to t, stily
of her proneness 10 lie down while being
ridden. She is now entirely educated in
this particular, and does not even Oflel
to repeat her first lessons in the art o
elephant-ridln ing.
Another serious problem to be solved
was how TO contrive a gearing that would
keep the howdath safe and secure from
turning. This has at least been success.
fully accomplished by network of strap:
placed around and under and over the
elephant in such manner as to render
lhe seat safe and firm.
The hOWdath is rather a primitive
looking arrangement, aud may be dc
scribed as . platform about four fee
square, with sides about two feet il
height. To tie sides is attached al
iron railing, from which are hung RET
cambric curtains, SO as to- completed
hide the exterior of the car. A wide
seat extends through the centre of tht
no dah, so that the passengers sit witt
their backs TO each other and are carried
sideways. The course over which thu
elephant makes her trips is around th'
lake, at tie lower end of which stair
way with platform has been erected
where the passengers mount and dis
mount.
The howdah can easily hold six chill
dren, besides one of the employees, wht
also takes a seat with the passengers tt
keep order. "Jennie's" keeper alway
accompanies her on her trips, keepin,
close by her head, with his hook in hand
Elephant riding is novelty furnished
by 10 other Zool gical garden in thi
country, and from the general desire yes
: terday manifested by the older people a
we'll as the children to experience til
sensation Of riding the elephant it is al
enterprise which Is likely to prove popu
lar with the visitors to the Zoo.