Punch (10.1846)

282 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

THE PIMLICO MENAGERIE.

Foreign Powers have got into a very inconvenient habit of sending
wild beasts as a present to Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen
Victoria, who not knowing what to do with the brutes, has been in
the habit of packing them off at once to the Surrey Zoological. The
Parcels Delivery seldom passes the Palace door without leaving some-
thing directed to the British Sovereign ; and frequently when the
hamper, or whatever it may be, is opened in the hall, a cassowary, a
coatimundi, or some animal with a name that no one can pronounce,
crawls or springs out among the spectators assembled round the basket.
Hitherto the Queen has found in Mr. Tyler a ready recipient of every
living creature that has been forwarded as a present to Buckingham
Palace, but the obliging and enterprising proprietor of the Gardens
has been compelled to announce most respectfully, that his establish-
ment is full, and that there are really no more vacancies.

It is no joke to get an extra cassowary coming down upon the

allowance of the animals every afternoon at feeding time, or a fine
polar or other bear, looking out for his daily grub at the hands of the
keepers of the Surrey Zoological. The result will be that Her Majesty
will be compelled either to reject the presents sent her from abroad, 01
start a menagerie in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The question
" Is it alive ? " will have to be asked of every one coming with a parcel
to the Palace ; and word will have to be left with the sentinel on duty,
that " the nasty live thing is to go back again."

We suggest, therefore, that Buckingham Palace should be fitted up
with a menagerie and wild beast ground, together with spots apportioned
to the giraffes for air and exercise. The effect would be pleasing to
such of the public as cannot afford to pay to see a collection of wild
beasts, for most of the animals are on a sufficiently large scale to be
visible over the top of the wall to persons walking on the outside of the
gardens.

METROPOLITAN SPORTING. MRS. GAMP SUGGESTS SUICIDE.

Mrs. Gamp, of Shoe Lane, mumbles as follows in the Herald of the
17th inst. :—

" What can possess him [Sib Robert Peel] to persist in the endeavour to clear up
the doubtful passages of 1827, 1828, and 1829? Has he no friend to remind him of a
very old proverb CTlie more you stir it,' &c), or to drag him away from an inves-
tigation which, if his heart were like those of other men, would assuredly end in a coro-

The sportsmen in the neighbourhood of Lambeth had an opportunity
of gratifying their taste for the chase by the escape of a fox from an
adjacent menagerie. Reynard went away in fine style over the wall of
a back yard, and was soon joined by a miscellaneous party of hounds,
who went after him as far as the Borough Road, while the view halloo
was given by a milkman, who was the first to catch a glimpse of the ; ncr's inquest

enterprising animal. In a few minutes Lambeth became the field of a ■ ,__-,,_•„ . ,__ ___,> . „. A-

vigorous fox-hunt, the pack being supported by voluntary contributions Thus, according to Mr.. Gampthe Prime Miniser would best ian J-
from any stray dog whochose to join in the exciting pastime. As even- ^ate ^ common humanity by killing himself Under he same err-
ing drew in, the dogs fell off one by one from the pursuit, and Reynard cumstances, Mrs. Gamp would try to blow ou^ bmins-that she
took up his quarters for the night in a water butt. Our sporting cor- wou!A H™ev£' 1 71S a ^ t ^t ™ ^

respondent has not sent us an/particulars of the fox-hunt Saving* been ^L^tJ^lX ™^?J\L^Z% Z

resumed, and we must therefore presume that the " varmint is still
concealed in the place he so cunningly selected for shelter from the
vigilance of his pursuers.

Curious Sights.

There are many curious sights yet in store for Ibrahim Pacha. If
he stops a little longer in England, he may see how a minister goes
out of office, and in how short time a Cabinet can be constructed.
Should he protract his stay a day or two after this, he may also have
an opportunity of seeing how very quickly that Cabinet can be taken
to pieces again, and constructed as it was before.

would suggest that it should immediately cause to be inscribed over the

office-door the lines of Borneo:—

" And if a Peel have need of poison now,
Here lives a caitiff wTetch will sell it him."

The poison would, no doubt, be Mrs. Gamp's " own extract of leaders,
which, taken in a very moderate dose, would act like the subtlest
laudanum.

INTENSITY OF THE HEAT.
A Limerick correspondent assures us that so sweltering is the heat,
that the Shannon, after simmering for some weeks, has begun to boil,
and that all the salmon fished out about dinner time can be immediately
dished up, ready boiled.