The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-03-22
VISITING ALTON FARM
HOW WILD ANIMALS ARE REARED
4 FOR THE MENAeERIEs. 2

FOR THE MENAGERlES. Z
A Place Where Young Lions and Baboons
Play Like Dogs and Kittens-An AIge-
rian Lion Kennel Must BE an Interesting
Place For a Man In Armor. M
For the last Z, 900 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
to supervise the weekly shipments Of
wild beasts, and our menagerie owners
still import large percentage of their
live stock from Gran and Algiers. The
| latter city, especially, has become 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 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
French hotel Captain Ellard saw ma
tive Arab with a dozen young lions, va
rying in price from 10 to 10 francs, but
learning that the trader was merely q
salesman of q 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. 81
| The captains guide conducted him
through rubbish heaps and bramble
patches to an inclosed garden, which at
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 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
ANY way you please. Is that the
owner of the placeS" pointing to an old
Arab. who was busy cleaning out bar
red den-apparently natural cave fitted
mp for the purpose Of kennel.
Eyes, that's the sheilxh; 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 Franlkistan buy
wood devils" lshat-el- Kamr--a generic
name for carnivorous animals, or ''ver-
mint as our trappers would call them).
The sheikh dropped his rake and wei
coined the captain, who stepped back *
save his clothes from two baby lions thai
had squeezed out or 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 talenl
by upsetting dish OF milk before the
loid Arai, co1,Id lxicjr them ont OF fbewav
Seeing one 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
Threatened IN nreveil against two na;rs n
immature claws. when Che old lioness IN
the cage rose mn with n menacino rrovv]
that sent the 4-handers scamnerino off
with screams Of dismav, One az the 40.
nior hahoona then anneared IN the scene
but vanished Iile = shot when tbe sheikb
made a crab fol: his rake. The CAPTAIN
burst ont LAUGHING.
rYou NAV believe Il keeps me busy tc
straipl,ten ont this mob az rascals. assaid
the Old Arah. .sbnt in the long RIM ~,
The cbeanest nlan IN Give them no mnci
freedom aa nossibIes They live iust
twice az long and are not SO ant to eel
| baIShea dad with bo,nesiclxness "
I aBut suppose those. Young scamps
sbonld RIM into n gang Of vonr iaclais.
would not some Of them be apt to get
badly burtT
III don,t think thew would ~ said the
sheikh. .sThev GET along In peace lust
the same aa out in the WILDERNESS. Jack
ais. Won know. live on meat and balloons
on berries and roots 40 thew do not In
terfere with each others business. Il
would be- different with some other crea,
lures / have q caqeful Of wildcats from
Mount Atlas and when one Of them got
out a few weeks AFRO yor, could hear my
dogs and iackala howl ali over the town
shin. A dog and all his cousins seem L
have, an idea that q snall sized cat ha,
rot no rirbt TO be alive ANYHOW. Abou1
Wy " s,t Hass, aaAo ..s IN, '' '' ''