The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-10-25
LIONS IN HARNESS.
The Long Training Needed by tho Desert
King Before He'll Slave.

The Long Training Needed by tho Desert
King Before He'll Slave.
The very spirited illustration Of three
lions driven abreast by man standing
erect in Roman chariot is familiar to
most residents in London. 1t portrays,
without the usual absurd exaggeration
Of mural art, an entertainment which is
given daily at the French exhibition at
Earl's court.
In the center of the large circular
space which has been used during the
last few years for the display of the In
dians Of the Wild West, the sports Of the
Roman ampbitheatre, etc, is erected a
smaller circle. securely surrounded with
iron bars, having at the back an inclosed
building containing deus. The "open
sesame" Of my host passed us into the
private recesses Of this prison house, in
which l found four young lions, the old
est being about years of age.
These constituted the trained troupe,
and there was also one younger scholar,
who had Just been added to the collec-
ton. The education Of this one was Just
commencing, and he, still retained the
feline characteristics to such an extent
that any approach to familiarity was met
by snarl which displayed the unshed
milk teeth of the owner, looking as sharp
and needlelike as those of puppy.
The training of these young lions
rarely occupies less space Of time than
twelve months, and is chiefly accom-
plished by kindness. Mr.. Darling, their
trainer, informed me that he regarded
force as not being desirable, as it excited
the animals to rebellion and was not
conducive 10 obedience, whereas, trained
under the system adopted, each animal
knows its name and answers to it. So
successful are the methods employed by
Mr.. Darling that he has never been
bitten by the animals during the time
he has had them in hand.
In addition to the lions the collection
includes two huge Bavarian boarhounds
which take very prominent part in the
performance
After this Introduction to the perform
ers took my seat with the audience to
witness the exhibition. Mr.. Darling and
his assistant entered the arena with the
lions and one of the dogs; the former, al
the word of command, leaped up upon
pedestals and arranged themselves in
pyramidal groups While in this posi-
tion Mr.. Darling placed the ends of two
scarfs in the mouths of the lions, form.
ing festoons, over and under which one
of the dogs leaped; two of the lions then
stepped upon plank forming a seesaw
the dog lesping on TO the center and
swaying it from side to side.
One of the lions then mounted tri
cycle, working the pedals moving the
front wheel with its fore feet, while the
boaIhound was pushing behind. The
chariot was then brought forward; one
lion entered readily between the shafts,
and two others took their places at either
side, one proving rather refractory; but
after sundry growls he submitted to tht
stronger will Of the trainer, who mounted
the chariot and droYe the trio round the
circle.
The performance is very distinct from
that of lion tanners in general, who rule
/ their charges with rods Of iron and PROD
| them with points worse than the sting
of scorpions. utilizing the fear and terrol
of the animals at the superior power o.
man. Mr.. Darling. on the other hand
is very familiar with the members O
his troupe. Tho manner in which ht
took hold of the foreegs of one of tn,
largest and pulled him down from hi
pedestal when he was not sufficiently
quick in descending was amusing.
The lions are of African descent but
like the majority of the species now il
menageries, have all been born in captiv
ity, and familiarized with man from
their birth Whether they will retail
their docility as they advance toward
their full size remains to be seen; but a
present they offer the most complet
specimens of trained lions that it has eve
been the writer's fortune TO witness
London Field.