Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1893-03-09

sOW WILD ANIMALS ARE REARED
FOR THE MENACERlES.

VI tIl0 idSG S,OOU ytdlS lIc ctiIOI vi
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 large percentage of their
live stock from Oran and Algiers The
latter city especially. has become rem
devious Of international pet dealers, and
on my last visit to Antwerp Captain Ell
lard. the travelling agent of the famous
Hagenbeck sale menagerie, gave me an
interesting account of 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
tame monkey into the arms of possible
purchaser AT tent near the piazza of
a French hotel Captain Ellard saw a ma
tive Arab with dozen young lions, va
rying in price from 10 to Is francs, but
learning that the trader was merely
salesman of 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 neighborhood Of the AL
gerian coast towns. But when they en-
tered the gate young bab0on 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 banks of alarm.
Please keep on this side OF the road,
said the guide There's she jackal
with pups under that bush over yonder
and she's very apt to fly at stranger
Any way you please. Is that the
owner of the place. pointing to an old
Arab who was busy cleaning ont bar
red den-apparentlya natural cave fitted
up for the purpose of a kennel
Yes that's the sheikh; that's Ben
Koffa. said the guide. He used to be
chief OF 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 Franciscan buy
Il
name for carnivorous animals, or yer
mint as our trappers would call them).
The sheikh dropped his rake and well
coined the captain, who stepped back to
save his clothes from two baby lions that
ma squeezed out of their cage and began
to liay with his trousers.
Some half grown brethren of the young
Daboon had emerged from their hiding
place under the house and at once pro-
ceeded to illustrate their peculiar talent
by upsetting dish of milk before the
old Arab could kick them out of the way.
Seeing one of the young lions help him
self to the spilled milk they grabbed
MIN by the tail and got their faces
scratched for their trouble. but in the
ensuing scrimmage four pairs of fists
threatened to prevail against two pairs of
immature claws, when the old lioness in
the cage rose up with menacing growl
that sent the Islanders scampering off
with screams of dismay One of the Sc
NOR balloons then appeared on the scene,
out vanished like shot when the sheikh
made grab for his rake The captain
burst ont laughing.
"You may believe it keeps me busy to