Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-27
LIONS IN HARNESS.
The Long Training Needed by the
Desert King Before He'll Slave.

From the London Field
The very spirited illustration OF three lions
driven abreast by man standing erect in a
Roman chariot is familiar to most residents in
London. 1tportrays, without the usual absurd
exaggeration Of mural art an entertainment
which is given daily at the French exhibition
at Earfs Court
In the center Of the large circular space
which has been used during the last few years
for the display Of the Indians Of the Wild West,
the sports of the Roman Amphitheater, &C., is
erected smaller circle, securely surrounded
with iron bars, having at the back an inclosed
building containing dens. The "open sesame"
OF my host passed us into the private recesses
Of this prison house, in which l found four
young lions, the oldest being about three years
of age. These constituted the trained troupe,
and there was also one younger scholar who
had just been added to the collection. The
education of this one was just commencing.
and he still retained the feline characteristics
to such an extent that any approach to famil-
iaritv was met by snarl which displayed the
unshed milk teeth of the owner, looking az
sharp and needle-like as those OF q puppy
The training of these young lions rarely oc-
cupies less space Of time than twelve months
and is chiefly accomplished by kindness. Mr..
Darling, thor trainer, informed me that he re-
garded force AS not being desirable, as 1t ex-
cited the animals to rebellion and was not con-
ducive to obedience, whereas, trained under
the system adopted, each animal knows its
name and answers to 1t. SO successful are the
methods employed by Mr.. Darling that he has
never boon bitten by the animals during the
time he has had them in hand
In addition to the lions the collection in
cludes two huge Bavarian boarhounds, which
take very prominent part in the performance.
After this introduction to the performers took
my trifh he ndi nit = IA,
bitIon. Mr. Darling and his assistant entered
the arena with the lious and one of the dogs
the former at the word Of command ieaped up
upon pedestais and arranged themselves in
pyrdtnidal groups. While in this position
Mr. Darling placed the ends of two scarfs
in the mouths of the lions, forming fes.oons,
over aud under which one of the dogs
leaped; two OF the lions then stepped upon a
plank forming seesaw, the dog leaping on to
the center and swaying 1t from side to side.
Ono of the lions then mounteda tricycle.. work
ing the pedals. moving the front wheel with
its fore feet. while the boarhound was pushing
behind. The chariot was then brought for
ward; one lion entered readily between the
shafts and two others took their places at
either side. one proving rather refractory, put,
after sundry growis, he submitted to the
stronger will of the trainer, who mounted the
chariot and drove the trio around the circle.
The performance il 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 stinSs of scorpions, utilizing
the fear and terror of the animals ut the su-
perior power Of man. Mr.. Darling, on the
other hand, is very familiar with the members
of his troupe. The manner in which he took
hold of the forelegs of one of the largest and
pulled him down from his 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 in menageries,
have all been born in captivity, and familiar
ICED with man from their birth. Whether they
will retain their dociity as they advance
toward their full size remains to be seen; but
at preseut they offer the most complete speci-
mems of trained lions that it has ever been the
writer's fortune to Witness