ELEPHANTS 
“ J umbo had been for nearly sixteen years quiet, gentle, 
and tractable, and had been daily in the habit of carrying 
hundreds of visitors about the gardens. Finding that he, 
at the end of this period, was likely to do some fatal 
mischief I made an application to the Council to be 
supplied with a sufficiently powerful rifle in the event 
of finding it necessary to kill him. Strange to say also 
about this time I received a letter from the late Mr. 
Barnum, asking if the Society would sell the big African 
elephant, and, if so, at what price. I submitted Mr. 
Barnum s letter to the Council, and was instructed to 
dispose of the animal for £2000. I wrote immediately to 
Mr. Barnum telling him that he could have “Jumbo” 
for £2000 “as he stands,” my object being to save the 
Society the expense of packing and forwarding this huge 
animal to America. Mr. Barnum replied by telegram — 
“ I accept your offer ; my agents will be with you in a few 
days.” 
The following appeared in the Times, January 25, 
1882 
“THE GREAT AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 
“ Barnum, the American showman, has bought for the 
sum of £2000, the large male African Elephant, which 
has for many years formed one of the principal attractions 
in the Gardens of the Zoological Society in the Kegent’s 
Park. 
“ The purchase has been made upon the understanding 
that the animal is to be removed and shipped to America 
entirely new arrangement has been adopted, by the sale of 
riding tickets at 2d each, the men taking a share. The result 
has been to produce an income to the Society of about £800 per 
annum. 
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