The Opelousas courier., 1891-04-04
THE MASTER OF LIONS
MEN WHO MAKE A BUSINESS OF
TANNING THE FOREST KING.

Not NODte DuG SlAlAlHB
and Treacherous.
The interest which has been aroused
recently by the exhibitions of lion tam
ing by the Partisan, Edouard Darling,
who was here recently, calls to mind
many interesting stories of the brave men
and women who practice this peculiar
profession.
The usual lion-taming exhibition con-
sists in the trainer entering the cage
where the animals are and placing his
back against one side of it. Never for
an instant does he allowone of the beasts
to get back of him, but, keeping his eye
upon them, quickly and peremptorily he
orders them about and makes them do
their tricks. He does not stay among
them long, and when he leaves the cage
he backs up to the door and jumps out
quick as a flash. Usually as ne shuts the
door some one of the animals makes a
dart at him. The whole thing is q
wonderful demonstration of desperate
courage, and it frequently ends in
tragedy.
IL is doubtful if the modern world has
ever seen so extraordinary an exhibition
as Monsieur Darling's. His lions are
really, TO all appearance, tanned. He
walks among them as though they were
SO many cats, and the magnificent blood
hound that follows him seems to be as
proud of his masters pets as he is him
self. The five fine lions do the bidding
of their master as though they were we'll
trained horses. His back is turned to.
ward them constantly. He seems to
have no fear, nor do they manifest any
refractoriness. Ordinary lion tanners
wrestle with the wild beasts for q few
moments and then leave them, but these
lions are not wild. One thing, however,
must be remarked-the lions are not
full-grown, a fact that is manifested by
the shortness of their names. When they
are older il is probable tina. they will de-
velop a greater degree of ferocity.
Grimalkin reposing in a fluffy ball
upon the library rug, basking in the fire.
light, soft, gentle and pleasant to stroke,
is merely a little lion, or more correctly,
the king of beasts is nothing but a big
cat. Pussy, the wild cat, the panther,
the leopard, the jaguar, the tiger, the
lion-there you have the whole line.
They are oil fierce, they are all selfish;
they never like human beings, and at
heart they are all arrant towards.
The leopard is not so bad, and the ia
nous Sal, owned by an Englishman in.
India and subsequently presented by
him to the Duchess of York, used to
perform a hundred tricks and was appar-
emily affectionate and playful. The two
chief characteristics of this tame leopard
that have come down to us are his fonsss
ness for lavender water and the pleasure
he used to take in looking out of the
window at the people in the streets.
Whether or not in his heart be wished to
devour them nobody knows, for he died
before his ferceness had ever DEM
onstrated itself. He appeared more like
q dog than q cat.
Returning to lions we find a great diff
ference of opinion in regard to their no.
bility of nature. As they are seen in
ca~ptivisy-and most people have no de.
sire to see them in any other state-they
are splendid looking fellows, but thosa
who have seen them wild say that only
when he is at bay does a lion look ma.
iestic. He carries his head low down
toward The ground ordinarily and his
movements are stealthy and his actions
are mean. The great African explorer,
Livingstone, had a sovereign contempt
for Hons, and pronounced them neithes
ferocious nor courageous and thought
their roar no better than the shrek Of
an ostrich, but in this latter assertion he
ID entirely alone, as all lion hunters are
united In p~rononncing the lions roar a.
the most awe-inspiring sound on earth.
A few years ago there was q noted lion
king In st. Petersburg whose wife alwaya
assisted in his exhibitions, going into tina
cage with him and performing the famils
lar feat Of putting her head in . lions
mouth. This man was an American and
his fame in Russia was great. He has
been lost sight OF recently, but the last
heard Of him was that his wife, losing
ner sell consroi TOE 90 instant anu snow.
Ing q momentary terror, had been killed
By one Of the lions. Horrible as It may
be, II i, nevertheless, 9 fact that ms was
the second wife that the lion KING nad
lost IN this way.
1t Y moi unusual g ma woman e
non tanners, ano' indeeo' .ney nave ssen
mastered 2 royal benga. slger. Wnlcn
" unquestionaDiy 9 more ieroclous DIuss
snan hon. lneIe arg pFoOaDay sea1-
ers OF the otGr VINO recali nov u sne