The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-16

A fortnight after Mr.. Darling's arrival
in Suakim, Mr.. Kohn received news of
the capture of two young lions in the
far south. He sent messengers for them,
and they were brought down the Nilessto
him, hanging from the back of camel,
described by Mr.. Darling. They had
been caught by Nubian hunters in the
usual manner namely, by shooting
their dam aud stealing them from her
| breast. We bought those lions cheap"
said Mr.. Darling. I'VE gave their captors
few pieces Of fancy patterned cloth
! and an old revolver for them. The value
| Of the goods for which they were ex-
| changed did not exceed IS. Now you
could not buy Leo alone for 4.O0O.n
Mr.. Darling brought his lion gem1ni
down the Nile, stopping at Shepheard's,
| in Cairo, for a few weeks and finally
ship for Trieste. 10 his surprise the
| cubs were not bit seasick during their
first voyage. He has, however, since
learned that animals do not get sick at
sea. Il never saw lion seasick," he
declared, in all my experience. Once a
lion of mine was i'll at sea, but his indis-
position was caused by the bad air in
! vessel. Camels are pretty good training
for seagoing people, anyhow. The man
who can ride camel back with impunity
can safely attempt the Dover-Calais trip,
and Leo and 'Pasha', you may remem-
Der, had been carried by camel all the
way from Nubia."
Leo an Affectionate Fellow.
The lion Leo has one other affection
besides that which he bears for Professor
Darling. 1t is the feeling that binds him
to his twin brother Pasha. The old say
ing that blood is thicker than water GER
tainly holds good in this case The two
lions love each other, and show their love
great deal more than do human sons
of common mother. They help each
other loyalty against the attacks of the
other lions who share their cage they
lie down to sleep back to back, and a
are intensely unhappy even when .sepa-
ated Tor a brief time.
Professor Darling has experimental
upon this fraternal feeling by giving no
food to Leo while he fed Pasha sunptu-
ously. The result was that Pasha, see
ing his brothers plight, actually pushed
| some of the raw food given him under
| the bars of the cage in which the hungry
Leo was confined. A few weeks later
Leo attacked and defeated third lion,
named Tom, who had scratched Pash as
nose in one of the many quarrels that
occur in the lions quarters.
Professor Darling recognizes fully the
| GfeInSnuOuS FISK ne lnCuFS In his per-
| formances with the hons. VERY few
| lion trainers" he said, "leave the bust
ness sound in brain and limb The
great majority eventually get hurt in
one way or another. 1t does not do,
| however, to lose ones confidence. Every
| lion tanner must look upon himself as
certain to be one of the exceptions Of
the rule OF sufferers. That is the way
I regard myself OF course they are
dangerous, but do not fear them las
| long as | have my nerve and stout
i whip.
1.-THE older a lion grows the less amen
able to captivity he becomes. The lions
now with Mr.. Hagen beck will soon be too
old for safety. They will be exchanged
for Others probably next year.
Rapid Growth of Lions.
ITO give an example of the rapid iu-
crease in size of my pets. let me state
that two years ago Leo weighed only
240 pounds. while today he tips the, beam
at $40 pounds. The best fighter ia Amer
lea would stand small chances with $40
pounds of live lion hurled at his breast.
An old trainer generally knows in ad-
vance when wild beasts in his charge
feel any hostility toward him.