Evening star., 1939-05-12


early morning at sea. Only the
monitor lizard was lost-a 4-foot
veteran traveller which DR.. Mann
had transported to Washington from
Sumatra, on the other side OF the
world.
The bald eagles came through in
great shape-even the wild one
which thrashed its wings against the
cage each time member OF the
crew or curious passenger stopped
to peer in at it. The prairie dogs,
the civet cats, the East Indian
bingurang (or bear cat'D and the
Emperor geese from Alaska stood
the 65OO-mile journey very well.
The Uruguay arrived here last
night after dark and moved up to
freight wharf this morning. DR..
Mann had arranged in advance
through the consular service to ex-
pedite the passage Of the animals
through quarantine, customs and
port authorities. Two big. horse
drawn drays awaited the crates on
the wharf this morning, but some
hitch developed.
Each Crate Handled Carefully.
It was not until this afternoon
that the crates went over the side.
In some ports an animal shipment
gets rough handling-boxes are
slammed about and dropped on the
wharf. But today Tex Wyly the
bos'ns mate who helped care for
the animals on the way south. was
experimenting the job. The ship
ment was handled gently as it came
of in cargo sings.
It was dusk today before the two
buffalo were turned into their pad
dock at the ZOO. DR.. Mann was
eager to see them outside their
crates. For weeks he couldn't be
sure, peering in at the buffalo in
their dark quarters, how they had
Jared.
The female emerged bit wobbly
on her pins, but Wild Bill charged
out on all fours and tried to horn
q buffalo bull twice his weight-it
was lucky for him that fence sep
arated them. The newcomers will
occupy their own paddock until they
get better acquainted with the herd
whose blood they are supposed to
improve.
Shortly before the S. S. Uruguay
reached Rio, Wild Bill managed, in
some incredible manner, to turn
completely around in crate de-
signed to give him just enough room
to lie down, but no extra space in
which to gather force to hurt him.
self. He defied the laws of gravity
and probability with great clatter
that brought members of the crew
on deck before daylight.
A Kicking, Bucking Demon.
Then Ferdinand-as he had been
called up to that time-went ber-
serk. He became an 800-pound
bucking, kicking, butting demon.
His crate began to splinter. It
broke at the top and front broke
and bulged with each shock. The
crate shifted aft and almost rolled
over on the fitting deck.
DR.. Mann's face was white and
drawn-not with fear or anger, but
with pain. Poor buff" he ex-
claimed, while the crate rocked al
most on top of him, Il hope we won't
have to destroy him!" An officer
was standing by with gun.
With the aid of Tex, Chips" the
ships carpenter, and various sailors
lines were passed about the crate
and tied forward to hold it upright.
Then the case was hauled back in
place with block and tackle, re-
inforced with heavy planking and
shored up. top and sides.
Wild Bill, having reversed him
self, was standing in his feed box -.
kicking, rather. He was in momen-
tary peril of breaking a leg. He
also was almost certain to inf1{ct a
fracture on any person reaching in
side the crate to pry loose the feed
box Tex managed this somehow,
with the aid of crowbar, without
hurting himself or the bull.
Didn't Miss Any Meals.
Thereafter Bill was fed and wa
tered through a slot designed for
cleaning his crate For days on end
there was a great laundering and
rafting of hooves and horns.
Il wonder" DR.. Mann said, IF
Bill, the buff, would feel any better
If he knew he was practically spoil
ing my trip"
Through all this Wild Bill never
missed any rations.
When he charged out Of his irk-
some crate here tonight, with
wounds on hooks and back nicely
healing and obviously feeling his
oats, DR.. Mann said:
Maybe he was just having his