CIRCUS DAYS 21 



London. "Now, Mayer," he said, "I want you to 

 get to India as soon as possible. Can you start 

 tomorrow?" Tomorrow being a Saturday, I told 

 him no, and then asked why the hurry. What was 

 there in India that was wanted. He then told me 

 that he had reliable information of a huge elephant, 

 one standing fourteen to fourteen and a half feet 

 high, in Bombay. I laughed, saying, "Mr. Bailey, 

 your informant must be mistaken, there are no 

 elephants in Bombay outside of government ele- 

 phants, and I am sure none of them equal or come 

 near that size." I assured him that I was fairly 

 posted on the size of elephants in captivity through- 

 out India, and reminded him of my standing order 

 from him to secure if possible any elephant of 

 twelve feet or over. 



Now the elephant Jumbo was an African ele- 

 phant and stood eleven feet two inches, and he 

 was thought to be the tallest elephant in captivity, 

 and when Mr. Bailey told me of an Asiatic elephant 

 fourteen to fourteen and a half feet in height, I 

 could not help smiling. "Mr. Bailey," I said, "why 

 not cable to the American Consul at Bombay and 

 have him secure it for you while your representa- 

 tive is on his way." No, he wanted me to start at 

 once, as he said the Ringling Brothers and several 

 others had heard of it and were sending men out, 

 so he wanted me to beat them to it if possible. 

 Money was no object as long as I was able to 

 secure it, and as he was absolutely in earnest, I 



