The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-01-17


A Celebrated Lion Tanner Says the Beast IL No.
Very Intelligent
The lion tanner, Darling, Is highly
Intelligent young man. who. born In
the United States. went to Germany in
his youth. In Hamburg says Harper's
Weekly. he associated with leading
firm. the Jamrach. OF Germany. and
so. having animals in his charge. be-
came familiar with handling them.
Travelling for the business, he made
frequent visits to Africa and Asia. col
lecting animals. In commercial
sense. considering lions and tigers as
cattle to be bought aud sold. he be-
came thoroughly acquainted with their
ways and instincts. Certainly 1t was
the only school where such quiet mas
terry over savage animals could be
acquired.
1T is very long business" said
Mr.. Darling; ''all my animals have
been two years in training. Why, it
takes all OF two months to make
lion sit jn a chair, and stay there. /
cannot vaunt general intelligence in
lions; II is rather individual. have
bad some fine young lions. superb in
body. that had no brains. Not wicked
or cross, but simply stupid. IL was Il
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 of,
he was so dull; then took him 10
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. Ho 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, not better. / coax him
and talk TO him in English. for Eng
lish is the best language for COM
The seesaw and tho vclocipede are
difficult tricks. Not one lion In
Thousand can be taught to keep his
balance. They mostly tumbled of.
Perhaps in that performance their
highest intelligence Is called into play.
The velocipede requires careful lion.
and have just the right one. II is
nice work 10 get the exact pose and TO
keep IL; 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 10 make the rest OF
them come up OF their own accord.
For months | had one lion tearing
round alone. AID tho rest scattered
about. Now they tnrcome up 10 time.
They don't want to- but- they must
Ii Is patience. kindness. making them
not afraid OF me-for am not afraid.
of them that has done the business.
have rehearsals all the time. for tho
animals must DO constantly at work so
as not to forget The whelps are com
ing on fast; one. think. shows great
intelligence. ] feed them eight pounds
OF beef day Tor the big ones and six
for the smaller ones, and they take
their supper after the performance.
''You cannot reward your lions for
good behavior. like you would horse.
with n lump OF sugar or CARROT"
"No; they despise sugar. but love
beef tea. But II they behave very
well. give them during the perform
ance little tidbit OF meat. and Nero
would think was not doing the right
thing with him II he didn't get his
morsel. My whips indicate the
positions for the animals. You could
not hurt n lion.. who has "A tough hide.
with lash. bun n whip acts as pro-
lection. You might belabor lion
with n big stick. aud no would not
feel 1t. But he does not fancy stick.
the point OF which. like "A spear, is
held In his direction; so II one threat
ened me. | could keep him of. An
act had TO give up was where "A lion
rosb and put his fore-paw on my
shoulders. The claws are very sharp.
aud any display OF endearment would
cut through my coat, and wound my
shoulders, and a new coat every night
was too expensive. All the lions nro
fond OF me. aud we respect ono
another.