The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-08
MAKING FRIENDS WITH A TIGER
How an Animal Tanner Overcame tn,
Dislike of a Brute.


How an Animal Tanner Overcame the
Dislike of Brute.
noted wild beast tanner. on being
asked how he so successfully tanned. re-
lated his experience as follows: Il was
a bare back rider in a well-knoWn circus.
ana IN my leisure hours found great de-
light III playing with the monk eys in the
menagerie. One especially pleased me
and L often fed him on figs. One dav.
while standing near his cage about to
hand him fig, [ heard fierce growing
+, near me, and turning about saw a fierce
looking tiger stick his great paw out be-
tween the iron bars of his cage and reach
| Tor me. One inch nearer and he would
| surely have struck me. This unexpected
and unWarranted attack so aggravated
me that L raised my metal-headed cane
and struck the beast such a terrific blow
that he quickly retreated to the corner of
his cage and howled and beloved turi-
ously. On the following day the whole
! operation was repeated.
The tiger was now nv deadly enenv
and displayed such fierceness on my An
proach to the cage that l became inter
| eSted In his actions. To test his uoxyars
ofmemory Intentionally abseuted n1yself
for several days, but he seemed to know
my step, and the moment he cailpht si0ht
OF me his eyes flashed fire, he beat furi-
Cu9AJ 0sttiLAoN u y SlO6 Ol LDe cage with his
tau and fairly shook the cage in his rage.
Suddenly the thought of tanning the ami
maj came TO me. My first step was to
cause the beast to forget his wrongs. and
IN this L succeeded wonderfully. For
hours would talk to him in soft accents
ana occasionally hand him little bits of
meat. In months we had become SO init
mate that he ate out of NV hand
Little by little he permitted me to rnh
MS ledU, ana When | 10 b;,,, /
would close his eyes and lean his head
lovingly against the iron bars. I now
considered the time ripe 10 take the last
great stepZnamely, to enter the CAGE. |
TOLD the Keeper of my intention. but he
was frightened and said l had gone mad.
But | insisted. Unwillingly he con-
scented. He opened the door at the rear
and allowed me TO enter, while trem-
bIlngly he held the door latch in one
hand IN order to open the door quickly in
case OF accident, and in the other hand he
held long, pointed rod in case of an at
tack by the beast. As hurriedIy en-
tered the cage the tiger drew back in
fright ana stared at me. He seemed to
be expecting an attack and prepared to
spring. But l stood motionless and an
parently careless. Then l raped at the
door; IL was quickly opened and Jumped
out.
Two weeks later repeated the visit.
and from that time daily. l talked pleas
antly to the tiger and each time he be-
came quieter. At my tenth visit | or
dered him TO lie down. and he obeyed.
As reward for his obedience [ gave
him little pieces of meat. This always
had magical effect. But he soon ex-
pected meat at every visit, and when it
was not forthcoming became restless and
little vicious. But l soon overcame
this-in fact, l treated him like a spoiled
child and did almost what pleased with
him. Up to this time the keeper had al
ways stood back of the cage with his
notice to open the door. l now ordered
him to lock the door and step around to
the front. The tiger had stretched him
self full length and allowed me to sit on
his back"