The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-06-12
TANNING WILD ANIMALS.


his appearance in Europe his per-
for oances were new, and occasioned
great wonder. A show of secresyl
was affected in regard to the means
he employed to control his animals.
Many believed that his power was
derived from a. popularity, in his
eyes. Van Amburgh was not cross 4
eyed, but his eyes appeared TO turn
outward. or rather to move independ-
emily of each other, producing al
very singular effect, and this was Of
ten supposed to be the secret of his
success in aiming animals. fow,
however, when every travelling men
agene, almost, in this country and
Europe has its lion tanner, all mystic
~ about the business has vanished,
and the process of lion-taming is as
well understood among all menagerie
men as the art of horse tanning has
been among horsemen since the ex-
ploits of Rarey first attracted atten-
lion. And the process is as simple
in the one case as in the other.
There is probably no animal
which, if properly managed, cannot
be made to acknowledge the mas
terry ofman; and the more intelligent
the beast the more complete will be
It's subsection to the wishes of its
master. Rarey's system OF tanning
horses consisted, first, in teaching
the animal that man was his superior
by using a strap which rendered the
horse helpless; and, secondly, in
Winning its confidence by kind and
judicious treatment.
The same principal is applied In
the treatment OF lion. The animal
is TT accustomed to the presence,
Gu of its cage, Of the man who
unde takes to train it. Then the
lion is strapped down to the floor of
its den so that it cannot move, and
the trainer enters with broom and
proceeds to sweep out the cage with
out taking any special notice of the
animal unless it shows fight, when a
club or whip is used, the creature
being powerless to resist. Afters a
time the lion becomes accustomed to
the company Of the trainer, and, ac-
cepts all manner Of faniliarities
without objection, after which a
strap IS no longer necessary.
l. case an animal once fairly
traine should exhibit a disposition
TO rebel. sharp chastisement with
whip or club will in most cases very
quickly reduce him to submission.
There is nothing more wonderful
in this than there is in the fact that
ferCcious dog will readily obey its
master while it will fy%at any stran-
ger who comes in its way.
1t is a far more difficult task tc
t me savage elephant than to train
a lion or tiger; but the elephant once
tanned, from its superior Intelligence.
will be more obedient to the wishes
OF It's master than almost any other
animal.
The story Of the Gentleman 5
Magazine about Van Amburgh feed
ing his animals on cooked meat is as
absurd as that of extracting their
claws. All the feline animals in
menagerles, those which are trained,
as wei! as the otherr, are fed on raw
beet, and the more blood there is in
1t the better the menagerie men are
suited. Several famous tanners have
been accustomed to feed their animals
while inside the cages in the pres.
ence of the audience. And the more
raw beef they eat the less savage
the animals are.
A we'll fed lion is one of the most
docile of animals, unless an unusu
ally fat and chunky little boy should
happen to pass in front of his cage.
There is nothing wonderful in sub.
Jugating any description of beast,
for 1t is natural instinct IN the
brute creation to acknowledge the
supremacy of man, and to form
friendships with individuals of the
human race. ~. 7. Sun..
THEIuLES OF NTER RIIRY