Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-11
Batty the On-Tamer-Thriiling Scene in
"A French Cireus

he nearly fell victim to the carnal APP
petites of his subjects. In his case the
old HOratian maxim 'cOelum non am
man mutant qui tTanscununt mare,
came nigh TO having a fresh illustration.
Batty's lions came from Africa, and the
passage of the Mediterranean seems to
have had upon them no more effect
than 1t did upon the poet himself. 1t
was pretty obv. Gus that they saw but
little difference between the Champs
Eiysees and their own native jungles.
la sooth they are for the most part an
ill-regulated animal, and have no more
scruples about devouring a Chris
tian to-day than did their ancestors in
the Coliseum, ages ago. They are apt
to rush to conclusions, especially when
they are hungry, and not given to max
ing nice distinctions, unless they are
enforced with a strong arm. Beatty's
menagerie contains five of these ami
mails, all fully grown and from six to
eight years old. They preserve their
| teeth and claws untouched, and are
nearly as fierce as when first caught. -
1t has been the habit of their masters
to enter their cage in Hungarian cos
| tune, and show his complete control
over them In every way that his ingen-
uity has been able to devise. With
many grOwls and much gnashing OF
Their teeth, they do all that he requires
OF them, and submit to thousand IN
| dignities. Their Jaws are violently
wrenched apart and rudely slammed to-
gether. They are taken up and thrown
down by his gigantic strength like bales
10 N,Ia
are let off under their noses. and at
given signal they In succession bound
over their masters head from one end
of their cage to the other.
Last Sunday violent thunder storm
burst over Paris. My apartment over
looks the Cirque de rImperatrice in
the Champs Eiysees, where the lions
are kept and the scene for short
space was indiscribably grand. The
air was full of electricity, and under its
influence these animals, as is always
the case, became fearfully excited.
| They ran to and fro In ungOvernable
rage. They dashed their TANKS with
their tails In passionate vehemence.-
| Placing their mouths to the ground,
they rOared In mingled rage and terror
| Their eyes dilated, and seemed to flash
forth the lightnings of the tempest that
rioted within them. Without, the
roaring of the lions was answered by
the howis of the blast aud the loud
crash of the thunder. With these, at
intervals were mingled the neighings of
hundred frightened horses in the sta
bles of the circus. Gusts of wind
swept down the broad avenue and
bowed the lofty trees. The rain de-
scended in. torrents. The people fled
before the demon of the storm. For n
few minutes the whole vicinity appear
ed to give up to the furies OF elemental
warfare. Scarce had the muttering
thunders died away In distant reverbe.
ratIons when the time drew near
for Batty's advent among his lions.-
As he came In sight they hail
ed him with bOisteroUs uprOar.
Standing upright against the bars of
their cage, they grappled them in their
rage aud CRASHED upon him with their
teeth. A man with iron nerves could
hardly have locked upon them with
cslmuess. Had his body been made of
steel he would hardly have dared to
trust himself among them. But Batty
did not quail. At bound he leaped
into the cage, despisiDg all hesitation.
Its iron door he slammed after him
with a loud clang. TO us who looked
on it seemed the gate of asepulchre. His
subjects glared at him as If they would
instantly devOur him. For a moment
he returned their glare and looked
steadily into the eyes of each. They
could not bear the test. One by one
they covered before him and skunk
away, conscious of their helplessness.
Again mind tTiumphed over the rude
dictates of instinct, and man, the lord
and master, lowered in his pride OF
place.
The exhibition proceeded and again
the lions seemed poweTless to resist his
commands. At length a lioness who had
been ordered to leap over his head fail
ed in the effort. Apparently miscllcu-
lating the distance or her own strength,
she struck full upon the head and
shoulders of her master. Her weight
bore him to the ground. The hon
whose turn it was TO follow, had she
succeeded, threw himself upon the strug-
CLING group, and fearful was the sight.
The crowded amphitheatre rose IN
body; the women with averted eyes fled
shrieking from the house, and cries
arose in all directions, "ASsez! dssezi"
''S'en est fni!" "QueBe hoyTeurl' For a
moment. and but for a moment, the re-
suit seemed uncertain. But Batty's
tremendous strength and GOODNESS avail
ed even III this nearly fatal hour.
Struggling he arose, and wounded,
bleeding, as he was, dashed his princl-
pal antagonist to the farther corner of
the cage. SEEING his whip, he struck
the lion q blow III the face that made
him vince and falter. The latter dared
not defend himself, and Bstty, still the
master of his savage and rebellions do
main, gave one stern glance to satisfy
himself that peace was restored,
and retired from the scene. His
wounds were severe, and nothing
but his own iUdOmitable ener-
gy saved his life. Those who look
cd upon that mortal struggle, that
deadly embrace of raging, growing,
gripping monsters, who, maddened by
the taste of blood and the memory of
past wron gs, seemed to hold their ty-
rant IN their tolls Ike LAGOON In the
grasp of the serpents, but one result
appeared possible, and it was with
heart felt sigbs of relief and enthusiast
tic vivas that Batty was seen to emerge
from the contest still man, and hold
ing his own as of old. Plucky as ever,
he will ere long return again to the
arena. His wounds, though deep, only
penetrated the flesh, and no bones were
broken or arteries severed. They are
rapidly healing, and Batty's iron frame