Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-08-16
NOT MUCH OF A TRICK.
Putting Ones Head In LIONS Mouth Lea
Dangerous Than IL Looks.

Dangerous Than IL Looks.
The old trick of putting ones head
in "a lions mouth was a very simple
feat compared with what the lion
tanner Of to-day has to do. An animal
trainer was recently asked what
constituted the greatest risk Il
lion tanner entertained in his work. "lf
you are old enough to remember" said
the professor, 'the days when Van Am
berg and his confreres used to go into
a lions cage, make them leap over
each other and put their heads in the
mouths of the lions you will remember
that the cages in which their beasts
were kept were small ones, and that
the lion tanner rarely moved from a
certain spot, and this was just in front
of a sliding door, behind which stood
an attendant ready TO open it quickly
in case of emergency. have spent fif-
teen years of hard work and earnest
study with lions l think perhaps
with modesty l may be permitted to
say that | have reached the stage
where might be quoted as an authori'
ty, and tell you as fact that those
feats which years ago were considered
the very essence of daring as fact the
easiest thing that lion tanner has TODD
1t is no feat at all to put ones head in
lions mouth, and, while have never
done it but once in public, I'll just
show you how easily it can be done"
The trainer went into the cage with
five beasts, and, without a particle OF
| hesitation, grabbed lion, opened his
mouth, and put his head completely in.
"There, you see how easy it is" he
explained, as he came out and smoothcd
his hair, which the lions fangs had
slightly disturbed. "And now | will
tell you how it is done. In the first
place, lion could not bite man when
his head Is in his mouth. The only risk,
If risk there be, is when the head is
being put in or taken out. The danger
of lion tanning has increased, as it has
been improved, and the reason is very
apparent In those old days of which
| speak all of these acts were per
formed in very small cage, ant
man always faced his beasts
and had in his hand cudge
and whip. In these days lion
tanners are obliged TO perform in ;
ring where it is absolutely impossible
to keep ones face continually on The
beasts Again, the animals, feeling
themselves in larger space, are more
likely to feel their power, and wer'
they so inclined could make rush a
trainer that it would be next to i'm
possible for him to withstand. / hav'
seen in some recent publication tn
statement that lions in large spac
are more docilc than they are in tn
closer confinement. OF course ! cal
only talk from my fifteen years expert
ence, but this tells me most emphatic
ally that this statement is false.
"a man required but little trainin
to go into a lions cage fifteen year
ago, whereas to-day he must spen
wears of time in not only perfect
ing his lions but perfecting himself
The study of wild beast must b
as carefully made as the study of a HI
man being, and anyone who goes int
it will find the characteristics of tn
lions as distinct as the characteristic
of humans. No two men were eve
alike, neither were ever two lions.
is study requiring years of time, an
no one who has not the characteristic
which embrace patience and enduranC
, should ever attempt to deal in an
} manner with savage beasts. Yes,
I have been injured several times, but
} can say truthfully that it was entirel
| my own fault. In each instance | d
something's SO absolutely unusual tn;
: the lions resented it and went for me
r Boston Traveller.