AN UNOFFICIAL CIRCUS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 215, 30 May 1918, Page 5

AN UNOFFICIAL CIRCUS

EXCITEMENT IN A NEW SOUTH WALES SEASIDE TOWN. What would you do if you owned n seal and it got away? At once you must get rid of the idea that you would just "catch hold." No ono ever grabbed a seal yet and delivered the goods. If you can picture an attempt io hold n lively eel or an oyster en deshabille you will understand. It is much easier to pick up a handful of water and pile it in a pyramid on the mantelpiece than to grab ii seal anywhere with sufficient assurance to bo ablo to Bay, "Now, come along with mo, old chap." ' * It was only this week, relates a correspondent of the Sydney "Sun," that Wirth's circus came ft) Kiama.. Among the attractions are three seals. Kiama is right on the sea, and the seals heard about it directly the train stopped. They "did wilfully conspire together," and in due course escaped while the menagerie was being unloaded. When they reached firm ground they had an even break and 300 yards between them and the bluo Pacific. They stood not on tho order of their going, but "flopped off." Someone said "Shop," and someone said "Bliine/" and the circus etafV was galvanised to instant activity. Three men leaped on three seals, and three seals went on after a snaky wriggle or two. There was a frantic "5.0.5." for reserves, and three more stalwarts rushed in to arrest the runaways. These three ran to tho front and endeavoured to make a. noise like an inland town, but the seals went straight through. For a time there was a fierce melee, and when it' was all over tho seals were still plunging nearer to the 6ea. At this stage the sporting members of the community had become interested in the affair, and wagers of 2 to 1 were laid that the seals would reach their objective.

Once again in the history of British battles the cooks and batmen rushed to the breach and saved the line. The insistent call for men more men brought reinforcements of four to the hard-pressed six, and then a battle royal commenced. Had the circus hands observed strict Marquis of, Queensbury rules the seals would have won through. Thrco struggling groups of seal and man were distributed over the Kiama landscape. Occasionally a <<nake-like shape shot away from the pa.ck'and beat it for ■the line, but with a yell for rope a.nd ashes the attackers were on it again, and British tenacity was triumphant. Three quivering, wriggling escapees were bundled bac-k to captivity, and ten hardbreathing citizens stood around and told how the day was won.