TRAINING WILD ANIMALS 135 
In looking on at a performing troupe the spectators often 
think that the animals are in a very dangerous temper, and 
are ready at the first opportunity to seize their master and 
tear him to pieces. But this appearance of ferocity is merely 
show, put on for the purpose of making the entertainment 
more piquant. The ominous snarling and savage growling 
do not really mean anger; and that the trainer very well 
knows. How seldom accidents happen my own experience 
testifies. Enormous numbers of performing animals and very 
many performing troupes have at. one time or another passed 
through my course of instruction, and gone forth into the 
world to earn their living. Of all these hundreds, or rather 
thousands, of animals, accidents have occurred in only two 
cases. In one, at least, of these cases, the fault must be 
ascribed rather to the man than to the animal. The acci- 
dent happened at the Chicago Exhibition in 1893 when a 
foolish young Englishman managed to make his way from 
among the sight-seers into the carnivores’ den without my 
knowledge and contrary to my strict orders. He paid for his 
folly by being severely mauled by a lion, but the trainer suc- 
ceeded in extricating him in time to save his life. 
The other accident was more directly traceable to care- 
lessness on our part. Jt occurred during the Industrial Exhi- 
bition in Berlin in 1896, and the victim in this case was my 
brother-in-law Heinrich Mehrmann. He was exhibiting a 
large troupe of mixed carnivores, among which was a black 
bear which I knew to be dangerous and had specially warned 
him against. Nevertheless, he continued the performances 
with this animal, and received two severe wounds, which kept 
him in hospital fora month. I take some credit to myself 
for the fact that these two are the only accidents which have 
occurred under the immediate management of my firm. I 
account for it by the extreme care with which I eliminate 
from the troupe all animals that do not seem thoroughly 
reliable. 
I think I ought to say something about my brother 
