CIRCUS DAYS aI 
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 
