Driesbach, The Beast-tamer

Mr. Villis. ii: a c.ier to thc National TntclliL-ciicL-r, ilnis plcasiimly desatibes tlie performances of the cèlébntfed üerr Dricsbach'j and his .e:isis. nou? cxliíbiiinir iti i'ew York: 'I Imve spent au ulicrnoosi. since I wrotc to ycu, iu ihe 'janimal kJngdom" ol Uerr Dnesbacti. Futir olojiliunis logetlier werc r.itlier nn iiiicuininon sigJitj lo imiliing ul tlie nielo-diama perloriued !y i lie lioir-tainer. Thete was an.'1!ilt hccidcrifal fe.-mire ol interest, too - tlie pres. oí oiic or (wii liundrcd dcil ;n;d duinb chil dren., wlmse gfestiircsanü l'ookó ot' astonislimunt 'juiu; (livií!i';l iñy cunosjty witli tlieshow. Spiíe ol' ihe icpulsivcticss oí tlie iliouglit, it was inipossil)]o not to ri-tlcft liow ñutcli oí tiie dillcrf-nce ijciweun us u:i I su e uí tío br;ue animáis lies inucly ni ilie gilí oispeucii, and iiow nearly some liuitian beiiigí, by lusiug tl'is giii. wuuLJ be brouglu tu tlieir level. I w;is struck wali tlie i'ieiioui nnting anilnal-loük iu the (aces of tlie l,oys ni' the school, tliough there weie some letn.de clíildreii witli counieiiances of a delicate :.n. I intellectnal casi.'It w s ,111 h )nr ('ij eirly for the performances," ;ind l eliirned into ihe big s;idJle. worn ty Siani," md n.adö a lelèhrëly suily ol'tiio four )lepliaiHsan4 keepers. ond viso.s. Í hud ut iioiiuud bu ore iluit iliu eyes oftlicc Iiuíti: aumals werc so s.i.ail. Tliose of tlic i'ütinriibal," ,lie ncarcst ulc!i.int to me. rjaoiubled the oyes íi fcir Wulter Scjtt, mJ I iliought, too. 1I1.1. ;ho lo:c!iuad was nut uiilike Sir Walter's. A:.d. is il lins was nut rèseiitblancd enpugh, there was i ropiuus íssj.0 Íio.ii llis puma betweeii his fjieItutid duil )iis car] (WliaiiuightVo not cxpect il êlephaïr.s iiud ;'eut pa'per and tl t ü tl k ink'i") - Tlie K'Stiiiibliince céüsed ivith il.u légsr, it is bu nsjieciJul to Sir alier lo say: or Hannïbal ia a dimdy and weuis iho (.shioiialiie {.'citer-tiouser, wi!i a diílccncc - tl.oniici liu.d to nearly cvcry t ie! ihe warlike name ol ih: etephaut shonld oe given to Üiam, for ilic iatiör is the yieat warrior oi tlie pany, and iu a íiyiu of six houis with 'A'ajjuleon," some tin ee mouths since, broke ofl' boili liis in.sks. Ue louks liUe ainuat determined biuiser. {-Virginius" (tlie ehowmun told me) kilkd lus keeper and made liis escape inio tlic maullos of Corólina uot long ngo. and afier an absence ol six weeks, wüs subdned and broughl back bv a loiiner keeper, o! wli.jse discipline lie liad a terntled recoflccdon. 'Ibere are certainly üiflerént dbgreos of aniiability ia iheirces. 1 íooked in vain fot ton. e ol' the wrinklcs 61' nge in the one they said wns much ilie oldest; uniikciií1 their skins grow smoother with time - the enviuble rascáis! I noticcd, by the wny, that though the piüboácis of cach of tle othcrs was as snn.i.-ih a; dirssetl leniher. that of Siam rcsenibled, in te.Muro, n-surulibing brusli, or tlie third day ola stiíl'beird. Wliy he should travel ,wiih a 'Mmir trunk" nnd the others not, 1 could noi get out of ihe ehówrnfin. 'J'he expense of t.aining and importing these aniinnls, is enornous, nnd thcy ni e considerad worüi a grent denl of money. The four tigeiher consume ubout two hundred vcÍL'ht of hay nnd si bushc's of oots per illnn. Fórtuñatély thcy do thcirown land-transportalion and carry their own trunks. ';A 4 o'clock Siam knelt down. and four or' five men fifted his omnibus oía saddle upon lns back. The band ihen st:uck up a march, and he made the circuit of the immense tent; but the ! effect of nn elephnnt in niotion with onlv hisegs and ti uik visible (lus body quiie covered with trai)pings) was singularly droll. It looked like an avenue taking a walk preceded by a huge ca:erpiller. I could not resist laughing heartily. After one round Siam stopped and knelt agnin 10 receive passengere. The wooden sieps were laid agninst liis eyebrow, and thence ihe chiklren steppeii to ihe top of his hend, iho' here and there a scramblcr shortcned ihe step by putting his foot into the ear of thepntient animnl. The saddle was nt last loaikd with twelvc giils, and with this "ícarful responsibiliiy" oi his back ihe elephant rose and made hs rounds, kneeling and renewing his load of 'innocence' at every circuit."The lion tamer appeared and apparenily astonished ihc crowd rather more ihan the elephant. A prologue was pronounced, setting forlh that a slavewas to be delivered up to wild beastS, Sec. &c. A green cluih was spread befjre ihe cages in the open tent ('parlous work,' 1 thought amongsuch tender nieat .-.8 twohundred children,) and out sprung suadenly a ful! grown tiger, vlu seized i'he gentleman in ftVsh-colored tiglits by the throat. A struggle ensues. in wliich they roll over and over on theground. and, finally.tl.e victini gets the upper hand and clrjgs out liis devourer by the r.apuf his ntck; I was inclinej 10 tliink onceor twice that the tiger was doing moie ilion wasset down fur him in the play, but os ihe Ncwioundland dog of the establishment looked on vcry quietly, I reserved my criticism."The Herr next appeared in the long c;ige with all liis animáis - üons, tigers, leopards, &c. He pulled ihem about, put his hands in their moulhs, a nel took as many liberties with his stock of peltry as if it was aíready niade into mufts and tippets. They growled and showed their tceth, but, carne whefl ihey were called and did as :hey were l)id. verv niuch to my astonishment. He inaile a bed of them.among oiher thiiigs- putting the liger acioss ihe lion and anpthtr iiger.an.1 tlien pulling the leopard over his brease f'or a 'comlerter!' He then sat down and played nursery. Tlie liger was as much as he could lilf, but he seated hnn upright on his knees, dandled and c:tross?d him, and finally rcked him apparently asleep in hisarms! He closed wiih an imiialion uf Fanny Elssleí' pirouet. with a tigerstnnding on hib back. I was very glad, for one. when I saw him go out and s!iut the do.r. A tnin llitn bruught out a youug anacon'ia and twisted liini round his neuk. (a devilof a Lo:i it looked.) and. afier enve!oping hiniself completely in oiher snak es. took ihein off ngnin liké craa"?, nnd vanished. And L0 ended tlie s!:ov. Ilerr Diiesbach stood at the door to bow us out, and a fine handsoir.e deicrmined koking fellow he i.Sv