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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India |
| Subject: |
Captivity |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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Baroda 10 June 1875. Last evening - rhinoceros fight.
The rhinoceros fight followed the wrestlers. The two monsters entered through opposite doors, and were goaded by their keepers to face each other. This they did, and both cautiously advanced, but when within a couple of inches, their behaviour must have astonished their respective backers, for instead of any hostile action, the huge brutes appeared to kiss each other and their mute glances seemed to enquire the cause of their being disturbed from their comfortable stables. The opportunity, however, was not to be lost, and while in such friendly intercourse, their cruel tormentors speared both the beasts simultaneously, and each one, I sippose, imagining the other to be the cause of the pain suffered, the two animals tested their horns. They rubbed these together and then tried their strength. With their mouths sunk into the earth they pressed against each other with their powerful necks, for several minutes with indifferent results, till at last the horns slipped, and one of the animals fell on his knees with the tusk of the other stuck under his large jaw. With shrieks and groans he tried his best to extricate himself, but for every movement of his the other was prepared. All this time it must not be forgotten that the brutes were being goaded to fury to annihilate the friendly feeling which at their first meeting they appeared to manifest, and the keepers succeeded in infuriating the monsters to such a state as alarmed even themselves. They then has recourse to cold water to cool the ardour of the animals. They were separated at last, but not before blood was drawn, so it can well be understood how cruel the trial must have been, as the rhinoceros is covered with a skin like iron, and to pierce through it, strength of the mightiest description is necessary. One of the brutes fairly turned tail and ran. Their legs were then chained and they were taken out through opposite gates.
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Sports at Baroda
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