The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-01

spring the trainer again advanced, more
quickly than before. His savage pupil at
tempted to slip past him as it's companion
had done, but its way was blocked by
sudden thrust of the iron between the per-
pendcular bars Of the cage One moment
the animal hestated and turned toward
the trainer, but finding the bottom of the
chair firmly interposed between them il
sprang lightly upon the bracket No
sooner had it accomplished this desired
feat than Canihac quickly reached for
ward his training rod and rubbed it ca
ressingly along the creatures back. The
angry lashings of the jaguars tail grew
less violent, and it apparently yielded I'M
willingly evidence that it understood this
signal of approval, and made slight con-
cesson in the direction of friendliness.
These maeuvers We're patiently repeat
ed with the leopard until the latter was
landed upon the shelf. Then the trainer
came out of the cage and leaned upon a
platform formerly occupied by Tess, the
celebrated chmpanzee, now the throne of
a handsome lion cub who carries himself
as if thoroughly conscious of the admir-
ing glances of all visitors. AS Canihac
fondled the creatures head he said
through an Interpreter:
"Ihose two animals will prove very easy
to work. They have just enough fight in
them to make good spirited performers.
The first time / go into a cage l take with
me kitchen chair. and by the time the
creatures have knocked it into pieces
have determined their dispositions and
whether or not they can be safely worked
IL they are vicious and mean, l know that
l must use the prod and prove to them
that l am master of the situation Others
demand a great deal of kindness. There
is as much difference in the dispositions OF
wild animals as in human beings. The
big thing in this profession is to under
stand animal nature and to adapt your
methods Is each individual case. But there
is one invariable rule to follow: Always
show approval to an act of obedience, be
prompt in the punishment of disobedience
and never become impatient. 1t is a dis
grace for an animal trainer TO lose his
TEMPER or TO give up until he has accom-
plished his purpose.
Il would rather train a tiger or leopard
fresh from the Jungle than one raised in
| captivity, for the former has a natural
and wholesome fear of man, while the lat
ter has all of its brute instincts without
| that fear. Then the captured animals
| make the best performers. They act with
greater spirit and do not SLOUGH through
their tricks in the mechanical fashion COM
mon to those born in captivity. Tigers.
| leopards and panther are the most dang
| erous to handle. Why? Because lions
and nearly all other animals will naturally
run away from man. while the members
! of the cat tribe will pounce straight for a
! human being. Again, If one of the cat
| species fastens its teeth into you it WILL
| stick or tear away the flesh, while lion
fights by a series of bites. 1t releases
! it's victim for a moment after the first at
| tack and gives him chance to escape or
fight"
When asked how he came to enter this
profession Canihac replied:
! My bOvhOod was spent in Algiers,
| where my father owned a concession from
the French government. Early in my teens
| / began TO engage in leopard huntine
which was the great sport for foreigners
! in that region. Once, in passing along a
! forest, a leopard leaped down from a tree
| and sprang upon me before / could use
my gun. Luckily, had sufficient presence
Of mind to draw my poniard from my belt
and stab the brute just as it was sinking
! It's teeth into my shoulder Although I
was badly scratched and torn, l had the
satisfaction of killing a big leopard III
| what might be called a hand-to-hand en-,
counter The old hunters made much Of
me on account OF this adventure, and
| naturally kept at the sport For a time
I hunted with Chlgh, the Prince of Tunis
and while in his party l had a repetition
]
! lated.
Gradually 1 drifted into the business of
! buying animals for Hagepback and the
other large buyers of captured beasts l
! also hunted lions in Abyssinia. When II
! years old / made my first entrance into a
cage. beginning with the very animal that
/ / had captured. Was l afraid? Not in the
! least. You see, had worked about them
SO long that l was familiar with all their
! ways. But one of my first experiences in
/ q l!on's cage was not particularly encour-
/ aging. He was fresh from the jungle and
/ a powerful fellow. -Four times he got me
down before The attendants could get into
| the cage and drive him away with red hot
| irons. l was badly mangled. but after /
recovered from my wounds / soon forgot
my narrow escape and was just as willing
/ as before to face lion as a tiger.
IN the old country an expert trainer
gets bic wages Some of Hagenback' s
best mon are paid several hundred dollars
week. The trainer should not be con-
founded with the performer. The latter
simply takes the subdued and thoroughly
odlcated creature and puts 1t through the
motions to which it has been accustomed
bv the trainers long ana hard work. In
this country. however some of the trainers
| appear in the public performances"
Canihac was then called away to teach
q big cinnamon bear 10 mount a step lad
der. AS he Dlied all the arts at his COM