The times., 1901-05-26
A NIGHT VISIT TO THE zoo
Nocturnal Scenes in the Reserva-
tiOn on Rock Creek.
Waking Up Animals From Their
Slumbers - BengnPs Royal Beast
in Shnft of ight-RiotinG
in the Monkey Cage The owl.

The Zoo at night is a spectacle ordinari-
ly witnessed by but one individual-the
keeper-whose duty it is to make his
rounds at certain intervals to see that
the animals are resting well. But few
nights ago a Times reporter was enabled
TO visit his four-footed and feathered
biped friends at the national menagerie
by the light of the moon-the only light
admitted on the occasion, for artificial
illumination is dispensed with at the Zoo
out of consideration for the animals, who
would be disturbed thereby.
Now for it." said the keeper, as he
emerged with the reporter from the sup
erintendent's office, and both, in the Ian
guage of the romantic novelist, "wended
their way" down the path that leads to
the confines of the Zoo proper.
The track led down to the valley of
Rock Creek, which was crossed by a rus
tic bridge, and keeper and visitor emerg-
ed at length upon the roadway that is
familiar to the public. Following this
across another bridge over a bend in the
creek, the abodes of the seals, sea-lions,
and bears were reached. A deeper shad-
ow, cast by the towering cliff against
which these dens are built. rendered the
occupants discernible only as black, in
ert objects.
The keeper shook the barred gates, and
was greeted by a series of ringing barks
from within, while a slight commotion
was visible among the black objects and
a splash was heard, as of a body falling
suddenly into water. the bears might
have been observed to uncurl themselves
from the comfortable balls into which
they had rolled themselves, and then,
probably realizing the cause of the intru-
slumbers, which were accompanied with
a deep breathing and occasional chokes
and snores. Leaving this extremity of the
grounds, and following the roadway, the
keeper proceeded to the animal house,
which, on its sloping eminence, was bath
ed in moonlight. Nearing this structure
a confused murmur of sounds, impossible
to describe, became audible. Suddenly,
above them all, there resounded terri
bic roar. which seemed 10 arouse the
echoes in all parts of the enormous park.
1t was the signal for the strangest babel
of frightful sounds that ever burst upon
the ears of the visitor outside of a mad
house Shrill demoniac laughs, deep toned
bayings, and louder and more command
ing still, the reverberating roar of the
king Of beasts" The terrors of a night
in the jungle, or-the emotions of a slave
confined in the dungeons of the Coliseum
awaiting his doom upon the following
day, could family be conceived. one felt
inclined to forgive the cats, who give
nocturnal concerts upon his back fence
The keeper unlocked the heavy door OF
the animal house, and entered, followed
by the visitor.
Are they as noisy as this as general
thing?" queried the latter
iY,c or I
suppose one of them has had bad dream
and woke up all the rest in consequence"
Looking in at the dens of the larger
beasts, one sees what appears to be yell
low Jewels with dull scintillant radiance
cleaning from a dark mass that now is
motionIess. and now moves deftly and
almost noiselessly about the cage. This
is the panther Next are the dens of the
lions, who are quiet now, and appear to
have settled themselves again to repose
Farther from the door is the abode OF
the royal Bengal tiger. He is slowly pac-
ing the confined area. A shaft of moon
light falls into his cage from window
above and as the magnificent animal
comes within this light it is impossible
not to admire his graceful and muscular
proportions which show almost gigantic
in the mysterious play Of light and shad-
ow. His eyes glow with terrible ferocity
as he gazes upon his visitors for mo-
ment, and then resumes his slow move
rnent. He is by III odds, says the keeper,
the most formidable animal in the Zoo
and no one Of the attendants dares ap-
proach his den.
The reptile contingency, the snakes,
lizards, alligators. etc, are torpid elon-
gated masses. The parrots, who have
been rudely awakened, are evidently too
sleepy to make any verbal protest, and
already have their heads under their
wings. The same may be said of all the
other birds with the exception of the owls.
who are evidently engaged in scandalous
gossip concerning their neighbors and a
peculiarly unhappy looking member OF the
feathered species who seems eternally con-
tenplating the hoIlowness Of life and the
disproportionate length of his legs. The
hyenas are if anything, more furtively
active than they are in the daytime, and
4 certain species of monkey Is performing
evmnastic feats on his trapeze, which
seems to ''rile" his neighbor monkeys
one of the latter evidently cannot stand
it any longer, and he somewhat irration-
ally. it must be confessed. proceeds to
pitch In" to the nearest monkey in his
vicinity. when there is, in an incredibly
motion among all the simians. The
keeper using his rod with vigor and dis
cretion. Gains the tumult, and things
gradually settle down to their accustomed
serenity. although the monkey who was
originally the cause of the disturbance
declines to go to bed and makes. if pos
sihle. more noise than ever Most of the |
inhabitants of the animal house are in |
the Land Of Nod" and their deep |
breathings are very perceptible.
The occasional bark of wolf is heard |
in the open outside the building, and on
proceeding to the dens of these animals, |
they are found trotting up and down their |
wired Enclosures with nimble restlessnoss. |
The eagles are at roost, and the wild boar |
is asleep The progress of the keeper |
from now on is rapid. The moon, throw
ing its radiance on the dead branches of |
the tree in the racOons' inclOsure, dis
closes those little animals sleeping along |
the limbs. A rapid tour of inspection is |
taken of the bird house. where the pei- |
cans look ghostly in the moonlight, and |
fitting of some winged creature en- |
hances this uucanny effect Then down |
to the grizzly bears and his black rcla- |
tions both gentlemen being found wrap
ped In slumbcr and the former snoring. !
And so on to the elephant house. inside |
of which the great black mass looks es- |
pcciully imposing. lie IS q light sleeper, |
is the elephant, and he slowly rises from |
a recumbent position TO his full height. |
swinging his trunk ominously- He is said |
to be a dangerous animal and to have |
killed everal men. Let not this however, |
excite prejudice against the elephant, who |
is as Sersible 90 kindness as to brutality, |
nd FKb a