The morning call., 1891-05-23
A CIRCUS AT SEA.
Incidents of a Trip With the
Coles Menagerie.
Havoc Created by Storm Of Hatteras-Cages
Break From Their Lashings-Pande-
monium in the Tween Decks.

"Were you ever at sea with circus z
Queried an old sea-horse yesterday.
"No ! Well, / was once, and don't care
tn reneat the experience. II was chief offl-
Ger of the Clio when she was chartered by
Cole Brothers to carry their menagerle and
circus from New York to Rio de Janelro
She was a vessel of $500 tons, and was built
for a cargo boat.
1.-THE menagerle consisted of thirty cages
of animals, in addition to four elephants,
some camels and about fifty horses. Inc
horses, camelS and elephants had stalls
built for them in the tween decks, ait.
while the cages were slowed forward. The
lower hold was filled with coal. hay and
provisions. as we expected to Visit all the
large ports in South America en- route.
1.-The steamer otaway from New York all
right, and everything went smoothly until
off Hatteras, where we were caught In
blow that raised a nasty sea. The gale be-
gan early in the morning, and was so severe
that before II o'clock several OF the cages
broke loose from their faStenings.
AN ALARM GIVEN.
"The whole crowd attached to the show
were called to secure them, but the men
were so seasick that they only did the work
in half-hearted way, and it was not long
before the cages broke adrift again, and
went smashing around from pillar to post
"rhis couldn't last long without making
trouble, so | called the port watch, ana
getting some rope we went below ana began
the work Of securing the cages. Ihere was
lots of noise on deck, but II was nothing IN
comUarSon with that below. The terrified
animals were all screaming with fear, and
above all could be heard the roaring OF a
couple of tigers which were IN one OF the
cages that had broken loose. Every time the
roll of the ship tipped over their cage the
striped beauties made ones hair stand on
end. with their unearthly screams. None OF
my men would go near that particular cage
to get a rope around il, and we tried the
plan of blocking it with sticks of wood,
without success, as the deck was wet
1--WE had been at work fully an hour be-
fore We got the tlger-cage secured when
the tumult came from a fresh quarter. BY
some means or other one of the elephants
broke out of its stall and with every roll OF
the steamer went crashing around in man
ner that threatened to knock out the ships
side.
THE ELEPHANT LOOSE
''No one dared to go near the animal, ana
most of the men ran on deck to arouse the
keeper. He was too sick to make an effort
to secure the monster, and in short time
it made its way forward, still Siding from
side to side, and smashing everything In It's
Way-amOng these hall dozen Stalls ID
which the horses were confined. Several OF
these were crushed to death, put one Oh
them escaped for the time and IN his mao
efforts to get away from the elephant leaped
upon aud smashed a large case III which
was big boa constructor.
ITO our horror, the immense serpent
awaited himself Of the opportunity to see
what was going on, aud he no sooner gained
his freedom than he began to make things
lively. The poor horse was the first to suffer,
and inside of three minutes was mass OF
crushed flesh and bones. The manager
himself was now thoroughly alarmed, and,
securing his rife, tried to shoot the reptile
before it could do any more harm; but al
though he fired several shots, did not sue
coed in hitting it.
A BOA CONSTRUCTOR TAKES A HAND.
THE elephant meanwhile continued slid
ing around, and at last brought up against
the carcass of the horse, when the snake at
once attacked him and a battle royal took
place between them.
"The captain on hearing Of the snakes es-
cape had ordered the matches battened down
In order TO prevent the reptile getting on
deck, and the only light we had was what
came through a small companion hatch.
This made matters worse below, and soon
the cages containing two bears, panther
and a family of monkeys were broken and
the animals turned loose. The bears at
the panther started to make meal OF the
monkeys, and before you could say Jack
| Robinson the little animals were flying in
all directions 20 escape their pursuer.
"At this junCture everybody below made
q rush for deck, aud the hatch was closed
in the hope that if left in the dark the ami
mails would become quiet. Things did quiet
down for a while, but the monkeys started
the trouble again and destroyed all hope of
saving the rest Of the menagerie, unless
prompt action was taken to secure or kill
those that were loose.
A DESPERATE REMEDY.
"The forward hatch was therefore taken
off and half dozen men belonging to tbs
outfit went down, armed to the teeth, and
at once began an attack on the snake, into
which they poured shot alter shot. The
men were so interested in the reptile that
they forgot the panther. and before hand
could be raised 1t dashed out from behind
n cage and with an awful scream threw 1T
self upon the men. II an instant two OF
| their number were struck TO the deck, and
| the rest made their escape up the ladder.
The manager and captain. with several
| others who had firearms, Immediately came
| 10 the rescue and poured vOlley into the
| fer0cious brute, which dropped dead across
! the body of one of the men.
"The captain then went below with half a
! dozen assistants and succeeded IN dispatch
| ing every animal that had broken loose.
| The big serpent required over MY SAotS 10
dispatch it, in spite of the fact that it had
| been badly wounded before. round Of
the cages was then made, and additional
lashings put on all Of them.
1--WE reached Rio without further acct
dent, and soon after getting there the show
was sold to a syndicate OF Brazllians and
we returned to the United States.
mo, sir; don't want any more circus in
mine. Yes, the two men were killed in
stantly, both having had their necks broken
The poor fellows were buried at sea next
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