Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-11
Instantaneous
A Bath in Salt Water.
BARNUM's EIGHTEEN ELEPHANTS ENJOY
SWIM IN THE SOUND.

The regular season at Seaside Perk. a:
Bridgeport, which closed some weeks ago.
had brief and highly unique revival
Thursday afternoon, when eighteen ele'
plants belonging TO the Barnum-London
show enioyed swim off the beach. in the
presence of several thousand spectators.
Jumbo did not participate in the aquatic
festivities, but with the exception OF HIM
self and Queen, the mother of the latest
baby elephant, the entire herd were out
for an airing and bath. One OF the cir
Gus men gravely explained to an inquir-
ing spectator that Jumbo's absence was
owing to the fact that no bathing
suit could be found large enough
for him to get into. The reason was
that Mr.. Barnum thought it more
prudent to keep the giant OF the herd at
home During the travels Of the show
the past Summer Mr.. Arstinsgall has given
the elephants number of baths in fresh
water, and when the circus arrived home
it was proposed that they should be per-
mitted TO indulge in the same kind Of a
treat in salt water.
As it was the first time the elephants
were ever taken out for swim here, the
event excited among the citizens a won
derfu interest. The children were espec-
ially capaivated and the elders hardly less
80. The hour for the affair was set for
three o'clock, because it was then high
tide and the elephant requires good
depth of water to enable him to enjoy
satisfactory sport in the water, not to men
ton actual swimming. to which exercise
he takes hardly less naturally than the
duck. At that time about 5000 people
were assembled 10 witness the sport.
When way was cleared for the elephants
tlfey marched down to the water and en-
tered it in the most matter of fact way.
uttering grunts and snorts expressive of
their satisfaction as they did 80. They
plainly approved Of the condition OF the
water as we'll as of the proceedings in
general.
For few minutes there was queer,
very much mixed and hardly describable
babel of elephant language. Whistling,
saueaIng, grunting and snorting sounds,
sometimes short and again long drawn
out. came from the group Of bathers. In
two or three minutes they were fairly into
the sport. The elephants capacity for
playfulness and sociability never finds full
expression until he goes into the water.
men lneN ACT NtIN Iuuth lihc EiouP vi
jolly human bathers. At least elephants
in the herd which went in yesterday did
They laid down and partly rolled over,
They filled their trunks with water and
squrted it around promise Lously. They
twisted their trunks together, butted each
other portively-sometimes completely
overland INDUCED in all manner of an
tics. Nearly all the time they were in
the water the whole herd kept together in
a compact group, the larger elephants
always on the outside.
One or two of the larger animals struck
out from the group several time with the
evd, Mt desire of finding water deep
enough to swim in. but where called back
by Arstingstall. At no time did the herd
get into the water more than eight or nine
feet deep, and they would have had to go
some distance from shore to have found
it materially deeper. While the herd
were in front of the bathing house one OF
them lifted foot upon floating platform,
and finding it did not have firm founda-
ton, quickly abandoned an apparent pur-
pose to climb upon it. Then he took the
rope attached to it in his trunk and started
off. But the float stage was firmly secured.
and he abandoned the job ftrying to tow
it of. The herd came out of the water ut
five O'Clock. their bathing having lasted
more than an hour.