Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-04
A Lion-Pighter.
Translated :or the Boston Saturday Evening

zed nations. Clrcus-riders, tumblers, rope
dancers, and the like, are consequently sure
of great success whenever they are able 10
go and give exhibitions in countries where
intellectual activity has not yet bred con-
tempt for physical advantages. No wonder
then, that the circus of Signor Rinaldo raised
the greatest enthusiasm at Tunis. People
came from miles around Tunis to admire the
performances of his daring riders, tumblers,
leapers, rope-dancers, and clowns. The
Arabs who are extremely adroit in all physi-
cal exercises, could never see too often these
equestrian performances. which delighted
and astonished them. Among the stars of
the circus company, one especially attracted
all eyes He was known as the Sicilan, from
the birthplace. A more perfect specimen of
manly beauty could not be imagined. He
was the Hercules of the company. He exc
cuted the most difficult feats OF strength with
a suppleness and grace which never aban-
doned him. When he entered the ring. and
looked all around him on the audience with
his grave and yet gentle glance; when he
proudly saluted the audience, in the Arabian
manner by placing his right hand success
siyely on his heart, on his mouth, and on his
brow,-you might have heard pin drop. SO
profound was the silence produced by the
charm OF his person. He was of herculean
form. lie was tall, but admirably proper
tioned nothing in his build revealed his
muscular strength. He was rather Antinous
than Hercules. He did not merely execute
feats of strength, in which his power seemed
to have no limits; he gave, also, pantomimic
scenes. in which his agility and tie majestic
| grace of his movements won most enthusi-
| astic applause 1t did. indeed. require all
the charm this splendid-looking man eXer-
cised on the barbarians around him to per-
suade them to accept as credible the princi-
| pal scene of his pantomines, which repre-
sented duel between him and n lion. After
the usual music, the Sicilian entered the ring,
wearing a tight-fittlng habit of black velvet,
with silver spangles, and holding In his hand
an immense club of hard wood, which he
| twirled around his head with as much grace
and ease as yigor. An Arab, employed by
the circus to act as interpreter, thereupon
spoke, SAYING: "The Christian is going to
show how he killed lion with his club; he |
killed the lion near Damascus. This an |
nouncement, which might have seemed mere |
gasconade, was received without murmurs.
After brief flourish of trumpets and a |
violent clash of cymbals (which was doubt |
less intended TO indicate the entrance of the |
lion), the pantomine began. The Sicilian |
rapidly ran behind one of the three palm
trees which had been planted in the ring, as
if to watch the enemy. He observed the |
lion with an attentive, resolute eye,-follow
ing all the lions movements with undula-
tions of the head and breast which delighted
the spectators, so natural, so true, and grace
ful were they. Suddenly the Sicilian bounds
forward. In one leap he had cleared the
second palm-tree, and in another spring he
was halfway up the palm-tree, still holding
all the time his immense club. His express
sive pantomine showed that the lion had fol-
lowed him, and stood at the foot of the palm
tree. The Sicilian bent his body far over,
and watched every motion of the lion. Sud
denly the Sicilian dropped on the ground be-
hind the trunk of the tree, uplifted his terri
bic club, whiIied it rapidly around his head,
and brought it down kissing on the lions
brow. The lion fell instantly dead, as some
OK in shambles when a stalwart butcher
strikes him with well-slung sledge-hammer.
This pantomime was SO well played that the
Sicilian was greeted with thunders of ap-
plause. Then the Arabian interpreter rc-en-
tered the ring, and throwing before the Sic
ilian magnificent lions skin, exclaimed,
This is the skin of ths lion the Christian
killed with his club in the neighborhood OF
Damascus"
Reports of the Sicilians prowess reached
the ears of the Bey nt Tunis, but his Royal
dignity forbade him from going to a Chris
tians circus: and, as he had not felt the in
vincible charm of the manly beauty and
grace of the Sicilian. he refused to credit the
current ruwars, and pooh -poohed the de-
scriptions he heard of the pantomime. His
curiosity was, however, daily excited more
and more, for nothing else Was talked of in
Tunis but the Sicilian's feats. At last one
day, the Bey said to a favorite: ''If 1t be
true that the Christian has killed lion with |
his club be ought to be able TO kill another.
Very veil. Now 60 tell him that, if he can
kill my large lion with his club, l will give
him one thousand golden ducats"
1t may be well to give here brief explana-
ton OF some Oriental usages. All Eastern
potentates are fond of having about them
WILD animals. This was the great passion of
the late Sultan of Turkey, who, it will be re-
membered, employed all the ships of his
navy solely to fetch him wild animals from
foreign countries. The Bey of Tunis con-
stantly had young lions loose in his court
yard; and in large, deep moat. or pit, sur
rounded by terrace level with the second
floor of his palace. he kept a superb lion
from Mt. Atlas. The Bey's proposition was
repeated to the Sicilian. He accepted it,
without hesitation and without braggadocio.
1t was soon known far and wide that there
was to be a terrible duel between the hand
some Sicilian and the Bey's great lion. 1t ,
was talked of even on the borders Of the de- ,
sert and threw the whole population into
state Of the intensest excitement. Every
body, the great and the humble, resolved to
be present. The spectacle was gratis.
1t was agreed that the duel should ,
take place on the seventh day after ,
the SicIlian had accepted the Bey's proposal. /
1t was understood that the combat should
take place in the pit, or moat, above describ
ed; and that all who pleased might witness
it from the terrace which surrounded it. Sig
nor Rinaldo was a keen manager, and turned
ba ba ont |
raised by this extraordinary combat. He had
hitherto given only two performances weekly;
he now gave performance daily.
The circus was at each performance cram
med 10y people eager to the bearing of
the adversary OF the Bey's famous Mt Atlas
lion. If such a thing be possible, the Sicil-
ian was calmer, more graceful, more charm
ing than ever in his performances. The eve
OF the day appointed for the combat, he
played his pnntomime of the contest with
the Damascus lion with as much precision,
suppleness, and elegance as if it were not q
rehearsal of that dangerous struggle he was
to venture on the next day, and which en- ,
crossed all the thoughts of everybody who
saw him, absorbed usual by his part, and
calm and gravely smiling as ever.
At last the day which had been so impa-
tiently expected came. The combat was or /
dered to take place in the cool of the morn 1
ing, before the heat became intolerable. At
daylight there was absolutely no standing o.
room lett on the terrace, so dense was the
crowd. The great Mt Atlas lion had re-
ceiyed no food for three days, that his natural
ferocity might he increased by keener thirst
OF blood. The lion gazed on the crowd all
around him. His eyes flashed fire. He lash
ed his vithers with his tail in rapid, angry 4
strokes. Sometimes lie roared iercely; 1
L. 1 4.
the wall by thrustiug his powerful claws III
the interstices Of the stones. At the ap- ,
pointed hour, the Boy, followed by his Court, |
made his appearance and took his place on
the throne which had been erected on one
side of the terrace. A few PAGES behind him
came the SIcilian. wearing his most brilliant
costume, and with club IN hand. He ad-
yanced with his wonted supple and measured
step, with hls accustomed elegant and dIgni- {
fed bearing and, when he stood in front of
she Bcy, he made him n low obesance The
ley said something to him; he replied by
another low bow. and moved towards the
ladder by which he was to 60 down into the
lions den. The crowd of spectators were
silent Ina few seconds the door. which
opened from a small pit, that was q sort of
ante chamber TO tho great pit, was thrown
open, and, TO the disappointment Of the
throug ON the terrace, Il dog was driven into
the pit The murmurs of the crowd (Which
had expected to see the Sicilian enterD were
loud, but Of short duration: for the contest
between the lion and the dog became excit-
ing. The lion wns at the farthest extremity
Of the pit when he heard the massive door
closed He turned suddenly around. When
he saw the poor dog thrown into the pit to
whet his already ryenous appetite, he for n
moment remained motionless, his tail no
longer lashcd his withers, his roar ceased;
slowly he sank ON the ground, his feet out
stretched, his neck thrust forward, his eye
iiyetcd ON the doomed dog. The dog had
no sOaSer seen the lion than be ran towards
the corner nIthost from the lion. He trcm-
bled in every limb, but he was not parnlyzed
by fear. lie turned his head towards the
hon, and followed his every motion with un-
en,y but yigilant eyes. The hon at first crept