The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-08
Intelligence and Queer Tricks
Of the Brutes.
EXPERIENCE IN A TIGERS CAGE.
TWO Foxes Pull a Black Snake
Apart and Eat It.

tho Part OF Bulldog Effectively.
mo. every ono cannot DO n lion tanner
nclthor can every lion be tamed."
Col Boone-big Col. Daniel Boone onco o
The Confederate army. for many years super
tntendent OF the National Geological Gardens
of Peru. and at one tlme military instructor in
The Peruvian army-was talking about lion
flaming. He had just finished an exhibition
with his trained beasts in tho theatre near by.
In ono corner OF the round performing cage
tho flve great cats had slcpt until tho Colonel $
stop on the floor walked thom slept much as
house cats sleep, rolled together gracefully.
their paws INTERVIEWING and their heads
thrown backward for comfort.
At tho word of command tho lions reused
themselves. aud after glance at their master
they spranG to thoir feet crowt!ing on each
Others heels in their frightened haste TO cs-
cape from their sleeping pen into the perform
ing ring. Then they Went through their tricks
while tho band played and tho audience kept
very stil!. Only once did the people applaud.
and that was whom tho trainers assistant
drew her head from tho mouth VI tho ugly.
snarling loness But all was quickly stilicl
when the Colonel throw himself fun length on
tho floor and rolol aud played with tho big;
Gest OF tho lions as though ho had boon
schoolboy and the lion u dog. Hal ono Of the
that he really feels against his master. in ono
quick blow OF his grcat paw-hut he didn't.
Il knew no wouldn't when | lay down."
said the trainer attorwurl; otherwise I
should mover havo lain down. | can tell. OF
course. whether it is safe to begin my perform
ance or not There are ways of knowing. l
shall tell you later on. There was once.
though. when went through performance
without that knowledge 1t was shortly after
tho close of the war. was living in Lynch
burg, Va with my folks and was trying to re-
pair the family estate by dealing in tobacco.
Costellos circus came t. town one day. Among
the performers was Herr Engcl. who was
killed by tiger tho ncXt year in Hayti. n
great tiger trainer in his day. He had Il cage
of trained tigers. After the show. in the viii
lage hotel met him. and he asked me If l was
afraid of tigers. said Twas not.
''Have you ever handled tigers Z; he asked.
About 600 of them replied | had been
Colonel of the Louisiana Tigers.
"'Ah" said Herr Engel. am surprised; in
what company
In JEFF Davis's. | said
~ have never hoard Of him. said no. |
where has he been showinE!'
Through tho South mostly, and he has |
been running pretty lively sort of show
This talk led to foolish wager that on tho |
next day. which was Sunday. l should go into
the tigers den. The next morning met my
friends. and they asked me whether was GO
Ing to go into the cage.
LOT course. said but really had forgot |
ten all about it. We picked up Herr Engel |
somewhere and went down to the barn where
the cages We're stored over night preparatory
to moving to the next town.
You're not going into that cage. said one
Better look pleasant and pay your bet
I mi hat f,I I'll. |
follow him did. He first put on IL big linen
buster. and taking his whip he spranG through
tho door and put tho brutcs through their
PAGES. When ho came out | put on tho
duster. took the whip. and eared into the cage
like a whirlwind. | yelled ut the frightened
tigers. beat them right and left and sent them
covering int" their corners; The trainer and
my friends stood dumb with anaZcmcnt.
through the whole show
do" shouted EnGe. You've riskci IL. enough yHn i.
Tor ono day.
II was no, angry. went out like shot.
dropped down into IT'S proper place. when L
reached tho ground | asked E9sel why ho
wore the dustcr He laughed and Nat that [ |
would have boon Iu-t rs sane without ii lie
had nut IL on simply because la Wore his best | ,
soiled. A few weeks later l.n.:cl WAS bitten by
one Of ms pets. and tho circus mcn sent tor mo
70 ta vS.i ms Is Place noo,n,o ,,,n,,.,
II.
! have been in tho business hare. in south
America. Europe. and Africa ever since
" You say every one can, DO u lion truincr?" ,
And every one can't. 1t doesn't takrr0ur-
ago a. ono, Take for instance. my man Gail.
snee he was bab BY and have lad lin ii ,it"s it,;
years. He can do everything: with MY lion,
but make them perform. llo sweeps out tncir
cage hall u dozen times Il day, and ha feed,
them and caresses them, They viii run away
from him and como to him. but they would not
knacI which cannot explain to ntafe him n
trainer. Only one lion, o"t Of three can bH
every boy who goes into . gymnasiun., can An
YOU? have caught some ions ~ Algeria. ut
asai from a tho n snow t ti Mcn Ns it %
Cincinnati. None OF thc.Drltes vas tanned even.
s sa95f time al to Of m tbaf TsSsGn hu d
Esaght sraaS. ''''SN ''''' man WHO g." DO
.Slmply BY knowing lions nature anil by
putting It 70 u test I walk UP To the cage
and Nd aGS ss mt pu En
between tlem. Ii tho lion throws himself
against the irons with n great spring and Il
IA ono corner or comes up to tho bars quietly
IKE cat coming upon a NOUS, not want
his bluff whom he makes his spring. Tho quiet
i l is trencherous. All lions arc towards
y and tre o few Via Hank Eyi4 & ef from mn
revolver. and beat him u few time, over big
s Eh ANY yP ne To a"HGW " aa
sRrth does all this mean, | thought that I'll.
aad that man scared to DEATH ! guess that
lint SO frightening as thought | was. Tho
,lufer can DO tanned sufficiently to let mo ga ~
INTO the cage without danger in wcok' g ii ne. /
,ut thersfs never any safety with a sneak ion.
Another, thing. Tn" lion must be not over
We years old and he must DO strai mt backed
quickly during training. such brute is worth
rom $1,000 TO 81, 500 urtrained. When ho IL
rained he Is worth from $4,000 to 5000, and |
'ometimes more, It lakes several years 10
hem that am the master Next teach them
hat do not intend to hurt thcm unless they
isObey mo. l begin caros-iHg them With tho
nd Of my whip, and do, II gontIy; IT i, not
afe to venture with your hand ~ first, After
his. which takes weeks and gW4 months
ands. When o lion disobeys punish him ,
ut do il with judgment. lhore /, a ppint t
cyond which it is dangerous t. go VI, lei. I
rm has no muscles from tho elbow up. | /
'hipped n lion ono blow too many IN Quito I
hill. II his teeth had not been worn with aso
would not be alive to-day. a
When lion crouches down. and his eyes I
qlrn green and his tail stops waving from i
ide to side and merely wggles at tho oiI llEa J
ne ra,tles ON rnttlcr, loOS out. | stOrth 9
iuu give man chance 10 quiet down. Some r
limos call uSSI,tancp or do ANYTHING that [ Z