The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-03-30
VISITING iiUA FARM
How WILD ANIMALS ARE REARED
FOR THE MENAGERIES.

Place For IA Man In Arnor.
For the last 1900 years TIE seaports of
northern Africa have been the principal
supply stations of the geological curiosity
market. During the palmy days of the
Circus Maximus the Roman proconsul
in Hippo Regius had special instructions
to supervise the weekly shipments of
wild beasts. and our menagerie owners
still import a large percentage of their
live stoc': from Gran and Algiers. The
latter c'ty. especially, has become a rem.
devious Of international pet dealers, and
OH my last visit to Ant erp Captain FL
lard. the travelling agent of the famous
Hagenb, q: sale m~enaserie. gave me an
interesting account Of a lion kennel in
the neighborhood of the ancient capital
Of the Algerian pirates.
In the arcades of the Palace Royale
and all along the steamboat wharves
strangers are troubled by the importu-
mites of beast dealers who bawl out the
merits of their pets. and in the ardor of
competition will not hesitate to thrust a
tame monkey into the arms of a possible
purchaser. At a tent near the piazza of
a French hotel Captain Ellard saw a ma
tive Arab with a dozen young lions, va
rylng in price from 10 to Is francs. but
learning that the trader was merely a
salesman OF Il wild beast farm in the
outskirts of the Carbah, the hill suburb
OF Algiers. he resolved to apply at head
quarters. knowing from experience that
stock breeders are apt to keep their best
specimens at home.
The captains guide conducted him
through rubbish heaps and bramble
patches to an inclosed garden, which al
first look might have been mistaken for
one of the numerous yesiras, or orchard
farms, in the n~eighborhood of the al
gerian coast towns. But when they en-
tered the gate a Young baboon leaped
down from the low stone wall and raced
toward his mother. who snatched him up
in her arms and hurried off with cough
ing barks OF alarm.
Please keep on this side of the road
said the guide. There's a she jackal
with pups under that bush oyer yonder.
and she's very apt to fly at a stranger"
Amy way you please. Is that the
owner of the placer pointing to an old
Arab, who was busy cleaning ont a bar
red den-apparentlya natural cave fitted
up for the purpose of IL kennel.
Yes, that's the sheikh: that's Ben
Kotfa, said the guide. He used to be
chief OF a little mountain tribe. but the
war ruined them. He's all right now
They can't break up his present business
as long as the people in Frankistan buy
wood devils" tshat-ei-kamr-a generic
mama tor ,.,y ~, ~ ,.a,,- .,in,,l 10. -, ..-,r |
mint. us our trappers would call them
The sheikh dropped his rake and wei
coined the captain, who stepped back to
save his clothes from two baby lions that
had squeezed ont of their cage and began
to play with his trousers.
Some half grown brethren of the young
baboon had emerged from their hiding
place under the house and at once pro-
ceeded to illustrate their peculiar talent
by upsetting a dish OF milk before the
old Arab could kick them out of the way.
Seeing n OF the young lions help him
self to the spilled milk. they grabbed
him by the tail and got their faces
scratched for their trouble, but in the
ensuing scri1nniage four pairs of fists
Threatened to prevail against two pairs of
claws. when the old lioness in
the age rose up with ii menacing growl
sent the flinders scampering off
with screams of DISNEY. One of the So
nior balloons then appeared on the scene.
but vanished like IA shot when the sheihh
made IL grab for his rake. The captain
burst ont laughing. :.
you may believe it keeps me busy to
straighten ont this mol of rascals," said
old Arab, but III the long run its
freedom as possible. They live just
twice as long and are not so apt to get
baidheaded with Inconsistencies"
But suppose those young scamps
should u into a gang of your jackals,
would not some of them be apt t get
badly hurt?
i don't think they would" said the
sheikh. They get along in peace just
the same as u in the wilderness. Jack.
AIS. you know, live on meat and balloons
berries and roots, so they do not in
terfere with each others business. II
would he different with some other crea-
.ures. have a cageful of wildcats from
Alta, and when one of them got
tut a few weeks ago you could hear my
and jackals howl all uver the town
hip. A dog and all his cousins seem to
lave an idea that a small sized cat has
got no right to be alive anyhow. About ,
he big cats. like lions and leopards. they :
re a little more careful
How many of the big kind have you .
Iltogether:" !;
Five leoparas and % lions" said the !,
They are in the main kennel !
II the other side Of the wall. but it's :
afer to keep the younger ones near the :,
/.
1T must cost you a pretty penny to ,
all those boardersT' !
''Yes, but scrap meat is cheap in q ,
like this. Why. do you know that :
can get some Of it for less than moth :
og? The city several times paid me 5 ;
rancs a haul for carting off dead horses :