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"DUKE," THE CIRCUS TIGER.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
(February 9, 1901.
the menagerie from Charini, and Harmston | the tiger crossing and re-crossing the hurdle in bought it from the Syndicate. I was then triumph, with the body of Gomez in his mouth, Of the vast numbers who visit the menagerie Manager of the circus, and the tiger continued while the attendants in vain endeavoured with at Harmston's Circus nightly, probably thero to travel with us. He was exhibited nightly in their irou prongs to check his triumphant leap. are but few who would credit that the tiger his cage, but it was not till twelve months after-ing. After these exertions were over, Duke calm- which peacefully reclines its length in the iron- wards that he commenced to perform in public. ly lay down in the cage and wiped his paws with bound cage before them has an history. as in- In or about 1893 Kitty, Duke's mother, died dur cat-like indifference. Gomez died two days later. teresting and as instructive as any yet penned ing another litter-only a short time after we Other trainers have taken Duke in hand, but regarding that fierce creature of the forest. had completed the purchase. Prince, the father, latterly they have had to be very careful with The Bengal tiger is a species of that class of lived on for two years afterwards, but died just him, for he seems to show his natural disposi- quadruped which in confinement exhibits the after he had shown a disposition to be savage tions overy once in a while---” wildost symptoms of maliguity, and often to those attending upon him. A tamer of under the soothing influences of the tamer's
some repute. Loon Henaudez, commenced to baton will turn and destroy all within its train him and succeeded after some little time reach. Duke, Harmston's tiger, bas shown in teaching the animal to jump over fired bars, no such destructive tendencies, and in this. &c. He continned to train Duke till about as well as in many other characteristics. the year 1994, when a Chinaman who had been certainly stands out foremost among the captive femployed by the native syndicate and had at. creatures of its time. It was therefore with a tondel upon Duke almost from its birth, was desire to learn more about this interesting ani-seen to enter the cage." mal that our representative sought out Mr. Love on Monday at Connaught Honse. There this en- terprising public entertainer was found ready to furnish any information we required on the subject, and begging our representative be seated, he began;
"Well! Let me say at once that the last time I was interviewed by a pressman on the subject of Duke, a newspaper war followed, which near- ly terminated in a law-suit and a breach of the peace.
I made certain statements about the tiger which they said were untrue and they had
to eat their words."
<
Let us hope that no such disagreeable con- tretemps will follow this interview," our repre-
sentative remarked.
Ko
Had the Chinaman any fear at first ?" Oh dear no! I saw him myself when every. body had loft the circus, painting the bars of the cage on the inside and seated with perfect ease smoking while he did so, and the tiger crouched b sido him as apparently unconcerned as if there was no one present with him. I was astonished, and called the ran out telling him never to go inside the cage again. That was, as I after- wards found; totally uncalled for, because he was quite at homo with the beast, and could do almost anything with him. Indeed he subsequently came to me and asked me if he could perform with the animal, and I, after some hesitation, gave my consent. He then used to go into the cage regularly until one day, I am ready at all costs to stand by what I while swerving, he slipped and fell, and imme- say concerning that tiger, and at once I will diately Dake sprang upon him and laid his tell you that I will challenge any man, here or paw on his car. The Chinaman did not shrink, elsewhere, to disprove what I say. There is in but cried out Duke! Why for? 1 give yon chow. that cage as remarkable a beast as can be seen on Why for:" The enraged animal looked down this earth. Of course I don't know what is upon the man, and as if to appreciate that ho yet in the forest, but for untamed animals of
was injuring his own friend, he let him that kind he is the largest and the best in again and we got the Chinaman out un. captivity at the present moment. Duke was injured. Even this did not frighten the brought up by the famous Charini, the circus
man, and he still went on performing with the proprietor, who many years ago travelled tiger till he thought, to his cost, that he would throughout the East and Far East. Charini try his hand also on the two leopards in was visiting Japan in the beginning of the year the adjoining cage. 1888, and just before his departure he gavo tigers, and they did not so readily appreciate They are two jungle two performances for the Mikado and the Roya|thic attendances of the celestial. for one day they family of Japan. In his menagerie Charini sprang upon him, and mauled him so severo- possessed two Bengal tigers named Kitty and ly that he was unable to enter the cage Prince, and about that time Duke and another again. He was under medical care in the formed a litter during the stay of the show in Madras Hospital for nine months, but wo the Mikado's Kingdom. They were the noblest found he was permanently disabled and gave specimens of Bengal tigers then before the the performances over to another man, named public in these parts of the globe. €1200 was Murphy, who continued till the end of 1895. the price paid for the animals by Charini on A man named Strieff at that time took Duke their being landed in Singapore, and James in hand, and while the circus was in Rangoon Frame, who was then their trainer. brought in 1895-96 quite a sensation was caused by Duke these two little cubs, and put them into attacking his trainer while in the ring. Strict the lap of the Empress. She stroked it.
had been half-way through his performance and the cub licked her hand, and after a when he turned round' to look at some one in short time she expressed her desire to have the audience and Duke sprang upon him. The one of the cubs given her as a present, aud tiger caught him by the neck, and mauled him this was done. Duke's brother was given away
so badly that for a timo h's life was despaired to Her Majesty, and is now at Wyeno Park. of. However, under medical care he survived, The Mikado presented the trainer in return
and on
the return visit of the circus he with two monster Hakodate bears.”
went into the cage again, but only for a night or two, when ho gare up the business entirely."
""
But the tiger now at Wyeno Park is not half
the size of Duke."
You see,
No, although they are brothers, there are many reasons why Duke has been reared up such a fine creature. He was never kept in captivity until within a few years
ago.
44
Is it true that the tiger is put under some narcotic before he is brought info the ring ?"
No. It is not true. It was done to Duko while he was performing this last season in Calcutta, but we found it out before any great damage was done to the beast. It was like this. There was a man named Anderson who said ho had had some experience in training wild animals, and after Gomez's death we thought we could give him a trial. By the side of the circus at that time there was another show which had two porforming animals, and the people there used to drug them to make them perform. Anderson thought he would have more influence over Duke if he did the same thing, and he gave him several large quantities of narcotics before we found it out. One night when he was brought in the ring he could scarcely more and staggered at every turn. We spoke to Ander- son about it, but although he denied it, we found it out afterwards, and refused to allow him to eater the cage again."
+
"What are the measurements of the tiger?" Well, when he was last measured, and that's somo years ago, he was about 10 feet long from the tip of his tail to his head. Round his fore arm he measures 26 inches. He stands three feet high, and is 13 years old. I was offered $3.500 (gold) by Barnum and Bailey, but money could not buy him from that cage. On the occasion of my benefit here & Chinaman is to go into the cage with Gus Burns, who has as much command over Duke as any of those who have been "mates with him in times
past.",
"
At this point our representative thanked Mr. Love, and withdrew.
NEW SAILORS' AND SOLDIERS' HOME.
A new Sailors' and Soldiers' Home at Ar senal Street, Praya West, was opened on Thursday afternoon by Mrs. F. H. May. The building, which was well filled with visitors, presented a gay aspect with every available spot onwrapt in bunting. The Rev. Mr. Bone conducted the proceedings which were of a purely formal character, and would have probably passed off in an equally formal manner, had it not been for a little diversion introduced by the reverend gentleman in the shape of a teetotal address. Notwithstanding all the opposition he had received he had determined that the build- ing should be a "teetotal" Home conducted on absolutely temperance lines, and with that end in view he had laboured, aided by a band of will- ing helpers, from the private to the officer, all
of whom had contributed their "mites" towards Ilas he ever killed any of his trainers ?"
the building fund. There was a balance of about "Yes! Gomez, the intrepid tamer, who for $1,500, still to be met, and he had every hope many years had attended to the animals in of receiving that before long. Col. Bertie, of the Fillis's Circus. The circumstances attending Royal Welsh Fusiliers, spoke at some length, and He was always allowed to paw the the abrupt romoval of Gomez from his earthly said he differed from the reverend gentleman ground with his feet, and had a small collar round of duties are particularly sad. Want of on the beer-drinking question. He knew from attached to his neck. In fact they all used to attention to detail was mainly responsible. He
his own experience that many became teetotallers play with him until he was four years old when neglected to light the gate, whoso stalactite to suit their own convenience, and threw their he began to show signs of a bad temper. For flames daze and appal for the moment. He had cards down when "free drinks" wero on the instance, he would sometimes ap at a person. armed himself with two pieces of rattan (cane | and in many other ways give way to savage bottom of a chair) instead of iron clubs, there actions which caused us all to fear him somewhat.
was kerosene on the floor of the cage, and he After he was caged with his parents Kitty and was evidently in a most careless mood. Duke Prince, the trainer Frame then taught him to jumped over and back, but on the fifth essay go through part of the performances which he he put only two legs across the hardlo and goes through each evening here in Hongkong." thero discovered Gomez prosiding over opera
"That must have been a rather hard task întions. One flash of intelligence one who had been given such latitude ?”
"Oh dear no. Duke took to it quite easily. I think a tiger is one of the tamest animals in the world, but you cannot trust him, and when once you strike him you have to look out. Of course you must hit him at first to teach him what to do, and then you must hit him to show him that you are master of the situation. In 1889 a Chinese syndicate in Shangliai purchased
The
board. He believed the real want was the Home to keep the men away from places were they obtained bad bear. Chief Engineer of the Naval Yard supported Mr. Bone in his intention to run the Home on purely teetotal lipes, a view which received some amount of approval by those present. A vote lit up
of thanks to Mrs. F. H. May concluded the proceedings.
Duke's face, the victorious momont had arrived. The trainer felt that ho had erred, he rose to the crisis and plied the rattan on Duke's head, but having previously used it, the tiger had its strength. Thon Duke put one massive pas on the trainer's spine and brought him to the floor, and a second paw placed behind the ear completed the series of death-dealing efforts. Now the spectators saw
The first-class cruiser Blenheim was manned at Chatham on 1st ult., when she was commis- sioned for service on the China Station by Captain F. H. Henderson. She was joined by 593 officers and men, of this number 159 coming from Devonport from the cruiser Hermes, which was lately paid off.