The Osceola times., 1882-12-09
ELEPHANTS BATHING.
Twenty of Barnum's Animals splashing
Through the Salt Water of Long Island.
Bridgewater Cor Phlla. Times

of his elephants a swim in the salt water
the other day, Seaside Park, near the
showman's mansion, is a magnificent
area of tastefully improved land, reach
ing down TO the waters edge and fringed
with a gently sloping pebbly beach. To
this beach the elephants were marched
in stately procession, followed by an i'm
mense crowd, which seemed 10 embrace
half the people of Connecticut. Thou
sands of people were on hand to enjoy
the fun. AS soon as the elephants got
sight of the Sound they made break
for the water with expressions Of the
most stupendous joy. They showed no
desire to keep near the shore, but pushed
for deep water, where they began to
play with all the heartiness of lot of
school boys let loose in the surf Never
had elephants displayed to gaping
crowd their capacity for fun and frolic
in so pronounced a manner. They
frisked like puppies, tumbling each
other over in the water and performing
all sorts of wild gymnastic feats. Two
elephants would sportiyely go for third
and duck him under the water. Then
half dozen of them would fill their
trunks with water and squirt il at each
other as children in the surf splash water
in each others faces with their hands.
Sometimes an elephant would be missing
for several minutes and people would
get an idea that he had sunk to rise no
more But presently the round black
nozzle of his trunk would appear on the
surface, reminding the spectators that
beast with such long nose can remain
out of s'ght under water as long as he
keeps {. Of end his breathing apparat-
us within reach of the fresh air.
An UGLY MONSTER.
Emperor the large and unruly ee-
phant, who made such trouble last sum
mer, when he escaped at Troy and went
on a rampage through the streets of
that city at night, showed sportiyely
II us 'lSppNlAlDIs llt iAlfl us II ut
nk and wanted 10 get up a fight
amt ID, lie other elephants. He is next
to Jumbo in size and is ten times as
risky. He took several of the little ee-
plants one by one and tossed them over
and around as if they were cats. Two
or three of the little ones thought il was
too much Of good thing and seemed
to want to unite their efforts to play
trick on the monster and hold him under
the water This they tried for little
while, soon got enough of it, They knew
how ugly he could be when he felt like
it, and 80, after few weak trials, they
concluded to let him alone. After awhile
Emperor and another elephant nearly as
big as himself took notion 10 start off
toward the Long Island shore. Side by
side, a. if harnCssed together. they swan
malestically away,a if to return no more,
When they had gone several hundred
yards one Of the keepers put after them
in row-b1at and soon caught up with
them. He had a pole with a hook at
its end, such as is used among elephants
he bad given Emperor one punch with
this the beast turned and gave the boat
push with his shoulder, indicative of
what he might further do if annoyed.
The boat began 10 fiji and the frightened
Keeper headed for shore. As he turned
the other elephant gave the boat
whack with his trunk Just as little re-
mlnder. For few moments there was
deep excitement among the crowd, for
nobody knew but that the creatures
might take II into their heads to swim
the whole length of Long Island Sound
and thence out into the sea. Somebody
suggested sending steam tug after them,
and other- idioticallv proposed harpoons
and lasso-ropes. The venerable Barnum
sat on the pOrtico Of the bathing pavilion
near by and laughed like big boy,
heartily enjoying the fun, and knowing
that the voice Of Arstingstall. the chief
trainer, would in time avail - prevent
! he animals from being st at sea Ina
few minutes Arstingstal's word Of com
mand was heard from the beach In
stantly the swimmers turned and headed
Tor the shore, greeted by immense cheer
ing from the crowd.
A SWIM OF rwo HOURS.
The whole swim of the clephantine
party lasted about two hours. to the great
delight Of the beasts themselves and of
the Bridgeporters, who were assembled to
see them. Interest in the performance
dld not for a moment flag, though the
day was cold and drizzly. The elephants
would have stayed in the water all after
noon had they not been commanded TO
come out. When called to come to the
shore they obeyed very reluctantly, per-
forming all sorts of capers. One Inuscu-
lar elephant wound his trunk arounl
one OF the posts supporting the platform
which extends out from the bathing pa
WHOM over the water of the Sound. He
was about to pull this post up, the effect
OF which would have been to give large
party OF people an unexpected bath.
His keeper told him to stop it, With
the air of boy caught in the act of
stealing jaFa from his mothers pantry,
he LEI 60 of the post, tucked his truck
under his left fore leg and ambled
ashore.
Arrived on the pebbly beach the ele-
phants h"d to be chained or hobbled to
prevent EN- from doing mischief as
they para ed through the streets to their
winter quarters, which are about half
mile rom the shore. While the keepers
were adjusting the chains the beasts
made the most of their opportunity to
have some fun with soft mud at the
waters edge, in which they were stand
ing; Scooping up as much of it as they
'onid conveniently handle with their