The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-08
VISITING LION FARM
HOW WILD ANIMALS ARE REARED
FOR THE MENAGERIES.

Play Like Dogs and Kittens-An Algs-
Place For q Man In Armor.
For the last 1000 years the 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
10 supervis, the weekly shipments of
wild beasts. and our menagerie owners
still import a large percentage of their
live stock from Oran and Algiers. The
latter city, especially, has become a rem
devious Of international pet dealers, and
ON my last visit to Antwerp Captain FL
lard. the travelling agent of the famous
Hagenbeck sale. ~menagerie, gave me ar
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 win not hesitate to thrust q
tame monkey into the arms Of q possible
purchaser. At a tent near the piazza Of
a French hotel Captain EIlard saw q ma
tive Arab with a dozen young lions, va
rying in price from 10 to Is francs, but
learning that the trader was merely q
salesman of q wild beast farm In the
outskirts of the Carbah, the hin suburb
Ut Algiers, he resolved to apply at head
quarters. knowing from experience that
stock breeders are apt to keep their best
specimens ut home.
The captains guide conducted him
through rubbish heaps and bramble
patches to an inclosed garden, which at
first look might have been mistaken for
n of the numerous yesiras, or orchard
farms, IN the neighborhood 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 over yonder,
and she's very apt to Fly at q stranger"
Amy way you please. Is that the
owner Of the placer pointing to an old
Arab. who vas busy cleaning out q bar
red den-apparentlya natural cave fitted
mp for the purpose of a kennel
Yes. that's the sheikh; that's Ben
Kofa." said the guide. He used to be
chief of a little mountain tribe, but the
WAL ruined them He's all right now
They can't break up his present business
rs long as the people in Frankistan buy
name for c~arnivorous animals, or ''ver-
mint" "a our trappers would can theml
The sheikh dropped his rake and well
coined the captain, who stepped back to
save his clothes from two baby lions that
mad squeezed ont of their cage and began
TO play with his trousers.
Some half grown brethren of the young
oaboon 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 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 a menacing growl
that sent the 4-handers scampering eff
with screams of dismay. One of the Sc
nior balloons then appeared on the scene,
tut vanished like a shot when the sheikh
made a grab for his rake. The captain
burst out laughing.
You may believe it keeps me busy to
straighten u this mob of rascals," said
the old Arab, but in the long run it's
the cheapest plan to give them as much
freedom as possible. They live just
twice as long and are not so apt to get
b~aldheaded with homesickness."
But suppose those young scamps
should run into a gang of your jackals,
would not some of them be apt to get
badly hurt?
Il don't think they would" said the
sheikh. They get along in peace just
the same as out in the wilderness. Jack
hdS, you KNOW, AF6 Oh ul6aL anu DaDOOnS
on berries and roots, SO they do not in
eerfere with each others business. 1t
would be different with some other crea-
lures. have q cageful of wildcats from
Mount Atlas, and when one of them got
out a few weeks ago you could hear my
dogs and jackals howl all over the town
ship. A dog and all his cousins seem to
have an idea that q small sized cat has
got no right to be alive anyhow. About
the big cats, like lions and leopards. they
are a little more careful"
How many Of the big kind have you
altogether
Five leopards and 90 lions," said the
sheikh. They are Ia the main kennel
On the other side Of the wall, but it's
safer to keep the younger ones near the
house"
1T must cost You a pretty penny to
feed all those boarders?'
yes, but scrap meat is cheap in a
place like this. Why. do you know that
you can get some of it for less than moth
mgr The city several times paid me !
$1,000 a no..f Fcr on~4;n. aH 1nal L-x