ELEPHANTS. 303 



England by the sale of the African elepliant named " Jambo " to 

 Barnum by the Zoological Society is fresh in the memory of most 

 people, and it has been revived by the news of his tragic fate 

 on a railway in Canada some few months ago. While being led 

 along the line, an engine ran into him, and striking him on the 

 skull, killed him. 



This animal was of the African species, and was received from 

 the Jardin des Plants in Paris, in exchange for a rhinoceros, when 

 he was about five years old. As before stated, he was the first 

 African elephant that had ever been seen in England since the 

 Roman conquest, and in consequence his arrival created consider- 

 able curiosity. In 1865 another one, a female, still in the gardens, 

 called " Alice," was purchased as a mate for Jumbo, from Mr. Rice, 

 the animal dealer, for 500Z., who had imported her from Nubia.^ 

 She is now a few inches above nine feet high, but was then only a 

 little thing of four feet. " Jumbo " thrived so well that he grew 

 to be nearly eleven feet before he left England, and afterwards 

 added some seven or eight inches to his stature in America. He 

 was the largest known elephant in existence, and was a most 

 popular favourite in England, especially among the children, whom 

 he carried about daily in the gardens to their great delight. 

 In consequence of the authorities of the gardens thinking he 

 had exhibited signs of must, and might become dangerous, the 

 Society reluctantly resolved to sell him. Barnum stepped in as 

 a purchaser, and offered 2000L for the animal, and when the fact 

 became known an extraordinary outcry was raised, and the most 

 absurd and fantastic exhibitions made of sorrow. Children 

 poured in their pence as subscriptions towards a fund to compen- 

 sate the Society for the loss of the purchase-money if they would 

 keep him, and some grown-up children tried to invoke the law to 

 their aid, and compel the Zoological Society to retain the animal 

 in their possession. Barnum had better facilities for securing 

 elephants; and as many animals during the paroxysms become 

 man-slayers, the council deemed it prudent, in their own interest 

 and for the safety of the visitors to the gardens, to part with 



» " Alice " has, since this was written, been also purchased by Barnum to replace 

 " Jumbo " in his menagerie and circus, the price paid for her being. 200Z. 



