"WHAT IS IT?"

Otago Witness, Issue 1754, 4 July 1885, Page 26

"WHAT IS IT?"

Some forty years ago, there was performed at the Adelphi Theatre, London, a piece called the " Gnome Fly," a kind of fairy spectacle, the part of the Gnome Fly being sustained by a gentleman who rejoiced in the name of Signor Herviq Nano. And really his performance was very extraordinary. To describe the plot of the piece — if plot it had— would be quite unnecessary ; enough to say that the signor was " made up " as an enormous blue-bottle fly, and in that disguise performed many wonderful feats. Tho piece was written expressly for him, by that well-known stage, caterer, Mr Fitzball. This Signor llervio Kami's re;d name was Harvey Leech. He was very singularly formed, being only about three feet five inches in height, with a chest of enormous capacity— long muscular arms, and legs so short that they were, scarce worth calling limbs at all. So lengthy, on the contrary, were his upper extremities, that as he walked or waddled his hands touched the ground. His head was like that of Sir Walter Sqott's Black Dwarf. Owing to the immense development of Ihe mu.se > les of his chest and arms, he' possessed gigaiitic strength, and being of a rather malicious disposition, he wa« somewhat dangerous. " Made up " as an enormous fly — his wings

covering his stumpy legs, and his body of a shining blue, he slid down an almost invisible wire, vastly to the delight and astonishment of the audience,- but that astonishment was much increased when the monster blue-bottle crawled up the sides of the proscenium, and in fly fashion, back downwards, _ actually crowled across tho arched upper portion of it, and then descended on the other side. He .seemed to set the 'law of gravitation at defiance. Of course he had means of progression unseen to the* audience, but only fancy tho enormous strength of the muscles which enabled him to accomplish such a feat. Soon after the " Gnome Fly " had ceased to draw, all London was one fine morning surprised by the appearance of numerous placards with only the printed words " What is it ?" 'thereon. Everyone was on the gui vive as to what this could mean. When curiosity had been sufficiently excited, it was announced that an animal, heretofore unknown to naturalists, and of quite a new species, was on exhibition at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly. The rush to see it was great. A large den, with strong iron bars, was built in one of the exhibition rooms, and in it was shown one of the most hideous and ferocious-looking animals imaginable. It was of short stature, stood on its hind legs, was covered with long shaggy hair, and had enormous hands and claws, with which it ravenously tore raw meat and living rabbits, and then devoured them. Whenever anyone approached the cage it flew at the intervening bars, shook them, and uttered the most frightful yells. Placards warning the public not to go too near the den of the animal were conspicuously posted. The keeper declared the crea'. are to have resisted the efforts of the most e\perienced tamers to subdue it — in short, such a wonderful and horrible monster had never before been exhibited. The " What id it " soon became town talk, and someone was making money out of it, when the game was spoiled in a Very unexpected manner. At this very time Mr Barnum was exhibiting, General Tom Thumb in the British metropolis. There also Mr Carter, well known as the lion king, was exhibiting his mammoth horse, George Washington. Carter was a celebrated lion tamer, and well-known in America. He died in 1847, in London. When Carter was about to take his benefit he looked about him for an attraction ; and it struck him if he could get Barnum to allow General Tom Thumb to ride big horse it would be a great card. The famous showman, however, refused, much to Carter's chagrin, and the latter determined to be equal with him. Carter watched his opportunity. He was determined to let his revengeful cat out of the bag. So one day he mingled with the crowd in front of the " What is its cage. There was the "critter" rampaging about at a furious rate; it tore raw meat into shreds or crunched and mangled morsels savagely. It roared, and raved, and dashed against the bars so furiously that women screamed, and everyone thought it would escape from its prison, while the keeper took advantage of the excitement to dwell in glowing terms on its untamable and savage nature. " I'll tame it fast enough if you'll let me go into the den," said Mr Carter. " Pooh ! you'd be torn to pieces in a minute," said the keeper. '. And the animal rampaged more furiously than ever. " I'll risk it," said Carter, taking off his coat. "For mercy's sake don't think of such a thing," cried many present. " You are a dead man sure if you venture into that cage." The keeper declared it could not be allowed ; even he, he said, would not venture in. " But I will," coolly declared the lion-tamer ; and the public, anxious to see what Carter could do, insisted that he should be allowed to make the experiment. As the proprietors had in their bills offered any one to encounter their , beast, a refusal could not very well be insisted on. At the side of the. cage was a barred door. Carter ordered the padlock to be removed, himself drew back the bolts, and amid intense excitement entered the cage with a stout whip in his hand. His very look seemed to cow the monster, which retreated to ths far end of tho cage without showing 1 light. Carter smiled" and approached it. Every eye followed his movements aud many believed the creature would presently spring upon him and destroy him, but all at once Carter stretched out his hand and caught hold of the " What is it's " terrible paw. " Bravo, Carter " was shouted. Very soon the animal became as tame as a cat. The keeper looked dismayed, and evidently seeing the game was up, slunk away. Carter then drew the unresisting creature to the centre of the cage. With one strong tug he tore the skin all down its back and sides — and out of it stepped Hervio Nauo, the ex-gnome-fly. "Ah ! Harvey, me boy ! 'How d'ye do ?" exclaimed the lion-king ; " I knew you were an old acquaintance. And now, as you've been living on raw meat so long, come down to Craven street and have ft broiled steak with me."' « It is needless to nd.l that the •'Humbug" exploded.