The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-08-27
MI / sceIIa n 9 us.
Van Amburgh, the Lion Tanner.

circus men are, generally speaking, a
lighthearted set, save the clowns, who are
grave and taciturn out of the ring. They
are said to marry young as rule, are long
lived, and never seem to become superan-
nuatcd. Moreover, fatal accidents are rare
ly ever known, even among those who run
the greatest risks in their profession, and
such men as the lion tanners Van Amburph,
Crockett and Macomo have died quietly
in their beds. Strict sobriety, it need not
be said, is essential to their safety; and of
Macomo, famous African lion tanner, we
read that coffee was his only strong drink.
The violent deaths of such performers may
be always traced to their insobriety or
want of temper. Thus Mccarthy, who
was torn to pieces while performing, was
addicted to drinking; and Helen Blight,
a "lion queen" owed her death to her
striking tiger with whip.
The earliest travelling menageries were
those of Wombwell and Atkins, which
were formed at the beginning of this cen
fury. Of Wombwell we read that one year
on the occasion of Bartlemy Fair he tray
elcd to London so quickly from the north
that his one elephant died OH the journey.
Atkins, rival Snowman, forthwith pla-
carded his canvas with announcements that
he had "the only live elephant in the fair;
| whereupon Wombwell not to be outdone,
posted his menagerie with the words "the
only dead elephant in the fair" Live ele.
plants had been seen, but no man had seen
dead one, and consequently Wombwell's
show was crowded, his rivals deserted
| Wombwell had a lion tanner in his estab.
lishment before Van Amburgh appeared
but the latter is generally credited with
the honor of having introduced the art OF
lion tanning into England. The Duke
of Wellington once asked him if he was
ever afraid. Van Amburgh replied "Tht
first time that / am afraid, Your Grace, OF
that fancy my pupils are no longer afraid
of me, l shall retire from the wild beast
line"
An old pamphlet which we have met
with tells that her present Majesty was SC
well pleased with Van Amburghs per
formances that she visited Drury LANE
Theatre six times within so many weeks
and that on one occasion she gave the ami
mails close inspection, when they hat
been purposely rendered ferocious by
fast of thirty-six hours. From the same
authority, writing of Van Amburgh's visi
to Edinburgh, we learn that the den con
tanning the wild beasts occupied the whole
breadth of the stage in the theatre; the
strength of the company consisting of two
lions and lioness, q couple of tigers, an(
half dozen leopards. The leopard
would spring upon their masters shoulders
or spreading themselves on the ground
form pillows for his head. Now he would
box with them, growing, snarling an(
swapping at him with their fangs; now hi
would knock their heads together and cut
them, when, if they showed the slightes
sign of displeasure, hint from their mas
ter would bring them grovelling and pros
trate at his feet. He would distend tn
jaws of lion while it roared and by shut
ting and opening them rapidly break tn
roar into succession of sounds that min
gled the ludicrous with the horrible
When the lioness snapped and struck O
him, he coolly put his face down to he
head, and gazing into her eyes until sh
shrank back ashamed, brought down tn
house with applause.
One of Van Amburgh's feats was to pu
his head inside lions mouth. This ap
parently foolhardy act was attended,
J should seem, with but slight danger, 70
by taking hold of the nostril with on
hand and the lower jaw with the othe
hand, the performer is master of the situa
ton, provided always that the beast doe
not playfully stick his talons into the mar
who in such a case stands fast for his Lii
till he has shifted the paw. The fame G
this king of lion tanners, who, as VIC hav
seen, came to {; peaceful end, has been pei
petuated by Landseer's well known pic
ture, now in Apsley House, CHAMBER
Journal.