Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-09-05
TANNING WILD BEASTS
THE QUALITIES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL
IN A TRAINER.

SubjugntinE a Lion Is Task That
Calls For Something More Than
Mere CouraEe-The Trainer Uses a
Chair, but Not to Sit On.
The wild beast tanner as generally
pictured is mysterious person who
stalks about sternly in high boots and
possesses remarkable power Of the
eye that makes lions and tigers quail
at his look and shrink away. He rules
by fear, and the crack of his whip is
supposed to bring memories of tortur-
ing points and redhot irons
Such is the story book lion tanner,
and may as well say at once that out
side of story books he has small exist
ence. There is scarcely any truth in
this theory of hate for hate and con-
quest by fear. 1t is no more fear that
makes lion walk on a ball than it is
fear that makes a horse pull wagon.
1t is habit. The lion is perfectly will
ing to walk on the ball, and he has
reached that mind, not by cruel treat
ment, but by force Of his trainers pa
thence and kindness and superior intel
ligence.
OF course, wild beast tanner should
have quick eye and delicate sense of
hearing. SO that he may be warned of
a sudden spring at him or rush from
behind and it is important that he be
a sober man, for alcohol breaks the
nerve or gives a false courage worse
than folly. but the quality on which he
must chiefly rely and which alone can
make him 9 great tamer-not second
rate bung!er-is a genuine fondness for
his animals.
THIS Gc"S :.ot mean that the animals
"i:! necessarily he ford Of the tanner;
4s:s.@t VI! y fena CT him. some will be
~ y" h;!n. soa:e will fear and
ie y >'ir WI the trainers fond
= IN from fang and claw.
~ 20 IS danger. always, ac-
~. ;. '',.t without the fondness
th.rt Mi b. greater danger and
Elc..' ri accident. A fondness
fol. l:&:.S II i.:,tiS gives sympathy for
them. ana understanding gives mastery
OF thun4. u Us laach mastery as pos
slble. N.sit put this fondness would
Keep tanner constantly with his ami
mails. ROT only in the public show (he
easiest parO, but in the dens, in the
treacherous runaway, in the strange
night hours, in the early morning
romp. when no one is looking, when
there is no reason for being with them
except the tamers own joy in it?
l do not purpose to present in detail
the methods of tanning wild beasts,
rather what happens after they are
tanned: but may say that lion
tanner always begins by spending weeks
or months in gaining new animals
confidence.
Day after day he will stand for a long
time outside the cage, merely looking
at the lion, talking to him, impressing
upon the beast general familiarity
with his voice and person. And each
time, as he goes away, he is careful
to toss piece of meat as a pleasant
memento of his visit
Later he ventures inside the bars,
carrying some simple weapon-a whip,
a rod, perhaps broom, which is more
formidable than might be supposed,
through the jab of its sharp bristles.
One tanner used a common chair with
much success against unbroken lions.
If the creature came at him. there were
the four legs in his face, and soon the
chair came to represent boundless
power to that ignorant lion. He feared
it and hated it, as was seen on one
occasion when the tanner left it in the
cage and the lion promptly tore it into
splinters.
Days may pass before the lion will
let his tanner do more than merely
stay inside the cage at distance. Very
well; the tanner stays there. He waits
hour after hour, week after week. until
a time comes when the lion will let
him move nearer. will permit the touch
of his hand, will come forward for a
piece Of meat, and at last treat him like
a friend. so that finally he may sit
there quite at ease and even read his
newspaper, as one man did.
Lastly begins the practice Of tricks.
The lion must spring to pedestal and
be fed, he must jump from one pedestal
to another and be fed. must keep GER
tain pose and be fed. A bit Of meat is
always the final argument, and the
tanner wins Gf he wins at all. for he
sometimes fails) by patience and kind
ness.
There is no use getting angry with
lion," said well known tanner to me,
land there is no use in carrying re-
volver If you shoot lion or injure
him with any weapon, it is your loss,
for you must buy another lion, and the
chances are that he will kill you any
way, if he starts to do it. The thing is
to keep him from starting" -Cleveland
Moffett in st. Nicholas.
Special Business.
When l arrived at Black Rock, in
Quired at the village tavern for a man