Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1891-06-03
TALK WITH a llON-TAMER.
How He Acquires Complete Mastery Over
His Savage Pets.


His Savage Pets.
The lion-tamer was highly intelli-
gent young man, who, born in the
United States, went to Germany in his
youth. In Hamburg he associated with
a leading firm, the Jamrach of Ger
many, and so, having animals in his
charge, became familiar with handling
them. Travelling for the business, he
made frequent visits to Africa and Asia,
collecting animals. In a commercial
sense, considering lions and tigers as
cattle to be bought and sold, he became
thoroughly acquainted with their ways
and instincts. Certainly it was the only
school where such quiet mastery over
savage animals could be acquired.
ut is a very long business" said Mr..
Daring to writer in Harper's Weekly;
'all my animals have been two years
in training. Why, it takes two months
to make lion sit in chair and stay
there. / can not vaunt general intelli-
gence in lions; it is rather individual.
l have had some five young lions,
superb in body that had no brains.
Not wicked or cross, but simply stupid.
1t was a tendency to forget tomorrow
all that had been acquired for months
before. But can't always tell. Leo
is my best pupil. He never was ugly,
but once | gave him up and sent him off,
he was so dull; then took him to school
again; and know no lion second to him
now in intelligence and docility. This
Is the point. A lion doesn't want to do
things He just doesn't want to. Now
you must make him. Punish him and
you make him your enemy; afraid of
you, and he gets worse, no better. /
coax him, and talk to him in English,
for English is the best language for
command. The see-saw and the
velocipede are difficult tricks. Not
taught to keep his balance. They
mostly tumble off. Perhaps in that
performance their highest intelli-
gence is called into play. The
velocipede requires a careful lion,
and l have just the right one. 1t
is nice work to get the exact pose and
to keep it; but what gave me the most
trouble is the chariot performance. A
lion must have had an original con-
tempt for that kind of business. You
see am busy Harvesting up one lion
while the others are perfectly free. The
art has been to make the rest of them
come up of their own accord. For
months had one lion tearing round
alone and the rest scattered about.
Now they all come up to time. Theydon't
want to- but they must. 1t is patience,
kindness, making them not afraid of
me-for | am not afraid of them, that
has done the business. l have rehears-
ais all the time, for the animals must
be constantly at work, so as not to for
get. The whelps are coming on fast;
one, think, shows great intelligence.
feed eight pounds of beef day for
ones, and they take their supper after
the performance"
"You can not reward your lions for
good behavior like you would horse,
with a lump of sugar or carrot?"
mo; they despise sugar, but love
beef tea. But if they behave very well
give them during the performance
little tidbit of meat, and Nero would
think was not doing the right thing
with him if he didn't get his morsel.
My whips indicate the positions for the
animals. You could not hurt lion who
has tough hide, with a lash, but a
whip acts as protection. You might
belabor lion with big stick and he
would not feel it. But he does not fancy
a stick, the point of which, like spear,
is held in his direction; so if one threat
ened me could keep him off. An act
had to give up was where lion rose
and put his forepaws on my shoulders.
The claws are very sharp, and any dis
play of endearment would cut through
my coat and wound my shoulders, and
new coat every night was too expen-
sive. All the lions are fond of me and
we respect one another"