The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-10-05
EXPLOITS OF LT0N-TAMERS
A CHAPTER ON THU KING OF BEASTS
AND HIS SuBDUERs.
Fatal Lion-Eaming Exhibi.ions--Ap
Italian i,iou-Eanier Who IL ccum,
the Kings FavOritc.

the Kings FavOritc.
The great interest of lion tanning exhi
billions, says Chambers JounaI. is tn,
narrowness of the line dividing the ficti
tious from the real tragedy, and the ever
present possibility of a terrible -denoue
ment, occasionally realized. Such catas
trophe was enacted in presence of a Londor
audience, when Van Amburgh's daughter
the unfortunate Lion Queen, was torn t.
pieces by an animal with which she wal
performing at the Alhambra. The Hip
podrome of Paris witnessed similar
spectacle in the death of the Spaniarc
Lucas, who had the rashness to 90 int
the lions cage when excited by drink
and expiated his imprudence with hi
life. A lad of eighteen ventured into
the Enclosure and brought out his man
gled remains; he was decorated by tn,
emperor, but lost his reason from the
mental strain of the moment. Charlie,
the lion-tamer, on the other hand com
monty reported as victim of his art,
died peacefully of consumption, the dis
ease to which, strange to say, the greater
number of those who follow this profess.
ion succumb.
A more famous lion tanner was Faimali.
tirement near Piaceuga. He first entered
a den of wild beasts at the age of eight
cen without special training, and simply
to win a wager. The danger fascinated
him, and in few years he became ia.
nous as the master of the ferocious Gagged
beasts in Italy. He represented piece
in which, with appropriate scenery Of
palm trees and yellow sands, he played
bo 6 Az -. 81,
to a couple of panthers. After the
mimic death of one, he finished by roll.
ing and t1inging the apparently dead car
cass about the stage; but on one occa-
sion, slightly miscalculating the distance,
he threw the beast upon one of his sub.
ordinates, and had "A sharp tussle before,
by the eXpedient of enveloping the ami
NAL in blanket he was able to detach
it from the panicstricken assistant.
The most terrible of all his battles was
fought on April Z, 1868, when playing
with tiger at Bethune. One of the
audience had the imprudencc to fling o
piece of meat into the cage, and, though
the performer dexterously pushed it aside
with his foot, it was too late, as the
brute had smelt it and become unman-
ageable. Flinging itself on him with o
savage growl, it tore off part of his scalp
in the first onset; and though he wrestled
with it, and succeeded in throwing it
back, it came on again more furious than
ever. a desperate alternative suggested
itself to him-to present his left arm to
its fangs, while with all his force he
dealt it such a blow with the heavy whip
in his right hand as partially to stupefy
and compel it to loose its hold With
wonderful presence of mind he escaped
from the cage, and endured a thirty-tive
days illness before the wounds healed.
Yet, before he was recovered. still dis
abled, and with his arm in a sling,
Faimali entered the tigers cage again,
and stood gazing at it with folded arms
as it prepared to spring on him.
g. Here | am he said "devour me-
if you like" But his dcmeanor cowed
the savage creature. and, instead of at
lacking him, it crouched at his feet. In
Amsterdam, shortly after, at the request
of the king, he entered the cages of all
the beasts at the Geological gardens, and
appeared as much at home with them as
with those of his own collection, recciv-
ing 2, 1000 francs for the exhibition of his
powers. A tragical circumstance occurred
here, which caused him much self
reproach. \ young man of eighteen, the
son of the director of the Geological gar
dhns, importuned him so earnestly to let
him enter the tigers cage by himself
that he consented, first taking the pre-
caution of experimenting on his nerves
by accompanying him in a preliminary
visit, and feeling his pulse when he came
out. But the unhappy lad paid dearly
fnp fIr finn ale a.
into the tigers lair during the evening
performance, and being greeted with a
sudden growl by its inmate, he fled to the
door of the cage, but was taken out life
less.
During his travels in his native coun-
try Faimali was seen and admired by
Victor Emanuel, who presented him with
several animals, and, among others,
with fierce lioness, on condition of his
promising never to enter her cage. Fai-
mali gave his word, but broke it i'm
mediately, unable to resist the tempta-
ton of tanning by kindness creature
whose disposition he believed to have
been soured by harsh treatment. Know
ing the king to have left Florence, and
unaware that he had only gone to San
Rossore, he advertised a performance in
which he would appear with this I'M
tamable beast; but what was his dismay
to see the royal party in plain clothes
among the audience. He vainly remained
in hiding behind the scenes after the OK
hibtion was over, for the king sent him
word he would not leave without seeing
him; and crestfallen and guilty he had
to appear Victor Emanuel was seriously
displeased, reproaching him with having
broken his word: but event ually forgave
him when Faimali exclaimed that beasts,
like men, were spoiled by over-severity;
and the interview ended in the kings de-
claring him prince of lion