EDMOND'S MENAGERIE
Edmonds's, late Wombell's (sic), Royal Windsor
Castle Menagerie, has taken up convenient quarters at the Agricultural Hall, in
Westwell-street, Plymouth, where it will be on full view for the next nine days.
A wild beast show has always been a favoured exhibition
with Plymouthians (sic), and therefore it was not surprising that the
thoroughfares were yesterday morning thronged with crowds anxious to witness the entrance
into the town, and thronged too by persons who could afford to wait two or three hours for
the gratification of their curiosity.
In coming from Modbury yesterday morning, the menagerie
unaccountably missed the right road, and instead of coming to Plymouth by way of
Yealmpton, made a detour through Plympton. In consequence of this its arrival in the
town was delayed for nearly three hours.
The procession entered the town by way of South
Devon-place, where a confused mass of thousands, including nearly all the youthful
scoundreldom of the town, were congregated to meet it. The handsome band carriage,
drawn by four graceful camels, driven by Delmonico, the Arabian lion tamer, headed the
procession, and then followed a long string of massive caravans, drawn by from six to
eight powerful horses, which were in themselves a sight to see.
Down Jubilee-street the band carriage was preceded by
some two thousand small boys, and as the mass narrowed in the limited width of
Exeter-street and Briton-side the crush was something to remember, and the wonder was that
many were not pushed under the wheels of the carriages. Relief was, however, found
for the crowd in the more roomy thoroughfare of Treville-street, and except at the corners
the mob suffered little during the perambulation of the menagerie, which took its way
through Old Town, Bedford, Frankfort streets, Stonehouse Lane, Fore Street, Stonehouse,
and in through Union-street to the Agricultural Hall.
An extra force of police was on duty at the points
where there were the largest crowds, and to them, in some measure, is to be attributed the
absence of accidents of any kind. Each of the waggons was also well attended by Mr
Edmonds's men (sic), who took every precaution throughout the route.
Having perambulated the town, every haste was made to
get the caravans in order in the hall, but so large was the establishment, and so anxious
was the proprietor that the public should not be admitted until everything was in proper
order, that the menagerie was not opened last evening at all. To-day, however, it
will open at noon and continue open until 9.30, when the feeding will take place.
The Agricultural Hall is well adapted for such an
exhibition, and the arrangements for ventilation, etc., are such as to make the visit most
pleasant. Although the exhibition has not been regularly opened, enough has been
seen of it to fully establish its claim to be considered the A1 menagerie. It is a
wild beast show of most substantial attractions, since it includes the late King
Theodore's charger "Hammel", a large troupe of performing lions, the only tamed
group of hyenas in the world, a huge black or clouded tiger, a fine specimen of the great
bonassus, four camels, a waggon load of monkeys, the umbrella elephants, and a host of
other minor attractions.
Delmonico, the lion tamer, in his performances with
lions and leopards, with hyenas, and with a pair of zebras, also forms a principal feature
of attraction at the show. Judging from the large crowd that assembled around the
doors last evening eager for admittance, there is little reason to doubt that it will be
patronised by large assemblies.
