WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



is every reason to lead us to believe, as the larger part of 

 the domestic animals now known were domesticated long 

 before our race became in any way civilized. Have not 

 the various races of men that we please to call savages, at 

 the present time, pets and domestic animals about them ? 

 And do they not in many countries keep large numbers of 

 them as a means for subsistence and for trading? Animals, 

 such as deer or antelopes, that are bred in confinement, 

 are, of all creatures, the wildest should anything cause them 

 to be alarmed. It is a well-known and authenticated fact 

 to all who have had experience in the breeding and rear- 

 ing of animals, not domesticated, that they are in their 

 houses or paddocks perfectly tame, and that they will come 

 even to a call, feed out of a person's hand, and will 

 probably allow themselves to be stroked by those whom 

 they know. Should, however, anything new or strange 

 be placed near one of these animals, or an attempt be 

 made to remove one to another locality, the animal in an 

 instant becomes alarmed, its fear knows no bounds, its 

 whole strength and determination exhibit themselves, and 

 its wild disposition at once returns ; in a word, it is trans- 

 formed from an apparently perfectly tame beast, into one 

 of the most uncontrollable of wild animals. 



The difficulties and dangers attendant upon the catch- 

 ing and transporting wild animals of this class are known 

 but to few persons. The cause is, however, by no means 

 beyond comprehension. We will assume, as an instance, 

 that a pair of antelopes are imported from Africa. Before 

 they were shipped for this country they had been caught and 

 tamed. Large numbers die in the process, and it is only 

 occasionally that the people who attempt or undertake to 

 tame them succeed. The animals are then confined in a 

 small space and sent on board ship. Out of a large number 

 shipped but few survive the voyage, and those that reach 



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