Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-08-25

get her safely into the box the last
python in the cage, a tremendous
giant, also tried to attack me- As
soon as | saw this l called out to my
assistant to throw a blanket over her
This he managed to do. At the same
moment l moved backwards out Of
the cage and got free Of it altogether
and then had little rest. Ny men
tried TO dissuade me from going back,
each OF them saying they would not
do it, felt very exhausted, but my
temper was fairly up and determin-
ed wouldn't be beaten. So, after
few moments, | stepped again into
the cage, caught them both round
the backs uf their neckS, dragged
them as quickly as | could to the edge
Of the cage and then between Us We
flung them into the box. Had not
my assistants been near me nothing
could have saved me from being
squeezed 10 death. All, it was ter
rible adventure. continued Mr. Ha-
genbeck, and don't want similar
experience again. Now come and
look at my alligators and | will tell
you of anadventure had with them.
Passing by an enormous aviary, in
which fluttered and screamed thous-
snds of beautiful parrots, we came at
last to IA large tank in which were
padding round some spiteful looking
allisators. There, said Mr.. Hagen
beck, as he pointed to the cruel look
Ing beasts, Il had a ghaSty adventure
with them once | had to pack six
teen Of them up for the Dusseldorf
Geological Gardens. Srappled hold
hold of the first one and was pulling
him ashore. when he gave u frightfuI
blow with his tail and knocked me in
to the tank. where for a brief moment
| was alone with fifteen alligatorS.
Those who were standing by told me
that a soon "a SplaShed in a mum
ber of them made a rush. However,
| was out again like an India rubber
ball; but the whirl of the water and
the open jaws of the disappointed
beasts told me that | had not been
one second too smart. This was IA
very narrow escape, aS if one OF the
crocodies had happened TO get hold
of me. all the rest would have at
tackled me, swapping and biting at me
at one and at the same moment, un-
til there would have been nothing
left Of me at all.
'Alligators are the most determined
fighters even amongst themselves.
Six Of them. each about fourteen feet
long, had frightful fight amongst
themselves once. and so desperately
did they fight that within fourteen
davs they were all dead. Three OF
them had their jaws broken, and in
some cases their legs were torn right
out of their bodies. This occurred at
night. and one Of the keepers, happen
ing TO hear the frightful noise which
was made by the clashing oftheir jaws,
rushed off to tell me what was hap
pening. We lit our lanterns and hur-
ried to the scene of action, but be-
yond trying to separate them with
long poles it was little we could do.
They would only renew the fight with
greater ferceness than ever, and so
terribly were they wounded that, as
said. they were all dead in fortnight.
Now, when l get n new consignment
of alligators | always muzzle them for
four days with rope; they then calm
down and cut the rope off; other
wise, if did not do that they would
begin fighting as soon as they came
out of the box, for the first sight Of
daylight after the long journey al
ways seems to excite them.
a fight amongst the snakes, also, Is
a terrible thing. ! had once five big
pythons, each over sixteen feet long,
in one cage. One Of the keepers flung
in a dead rabbit amongst them, and
two of them, being very hungry, at
tackled it at once. At the same mo-
ment the other four flew at them and
in one moment all the six were in one
writhing lump. The keeper fetched
me and ] at once attempted TO uncoil
II 4 ho haI |
done so when the fight began be-
tween the first two. The larger one
threw his tail round the small ones
neck and squeezed it with such force
against the wall that it lost all power,
then the bigger snake got hold Of the
rabbit and swallowed it, after which
it gradually loosened its hold OF the
smaller snake. Then came revenge:
the small snake flew at the big one,
which was rendered almost helpless
bv its huge meal, bit it in the back,
coiled round and round II, and
squeezed it till it could hardly breathe,
although it screamed rs | had never
heard any living creature scream be
fore. When | went to see them next
morning they were all right and per
fectly good friends.
Il was once turned out Of bed at l
o'clock in the morning by one OF my
keepers, who came in with the news
that the Dig kangaroo had jumped
six-foot fence into the next stable, in
which was large hippopottamus.
When | came down there was most
wonderful fight going on. The kan
garoo stood up TO his belly IN water,
whilst the hippopotamus, with wide,
open jaws, snapped at him right and
left. However, the kangaroo man
aged to get in good right and left
with his front legs, and scratched the
hippopotamus in the face tremendous
rrrl-.. -. IipnouotamuG cama 70