The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-17

ated than he did, for his eyes were large.
and glitteringly black and white, his iea-
tures deformed, and his skin swartky.-
Then followed the equally common snake
charrners, with their huge basket Of civil
| ised reptiles. 1t is perhaps less curious to
see these creatures move TO the monoicnous
music which is supposed TO influence them,
than to examine at leisure, and with i'm
punity, their different appearances; from the
irightful cobra de eapello, to The deadly
COBRA MANILA, the bite Of which | once
narrowly escaped by the presence Of mind
of a young child, who, without speaking,
pulled me back at the moment my foot was
descending on the step where il lay. Tbs
snake exhibition is common all over India,
as well as that which followed 1.-THE
Iiuggler and his golden balls. Some OF the
gypsy women then advanced TO display their
skill; but they were anything but interest
ing "magas." For the most part they were
old, and very ugly, and their chief clever
ness appeared 10 consist in making ioun-
tain OF their nose, from which they show
cred in a continuous stream the water they
drew into their mouth from small tube.
Swordsmen followed, and really display
ed the most wonderful skill with their weap-
ons. When their fencing was concluded.
they made huge pile Of their swords. the
points being upwards, and leaPed over it
with great agility and holiness. The en-
tenainment concluded by several men
breaking cocoa nuts with their heads; feat
which they achieved by throwing the huge
fruit high into the air, and catching it on
their skulls, which were certainly OF the
thickest. as. though they sounded fearfully,
they did not appear hurt by blow which
separated the shell Of the cocoa-nut. BY
the time they had finished their employ
ment OF nutcracking, the sun had nearly
set, and the burra sahib after gracious COM
mendations, and a very liberal backsheesh,
dismissed her Majesty's gypsy lieges though
they assured us they had many excellent
tricks still in store. We were, however,
weary, and believed the actors must be so
too; therefore further Proffers were declIn-
ed, to their great surprise, as we were told;
for the native princes or chiefs can never
have enough Of similar exhibitions, and tax
the poor creatures powers almost beyond
endurance when they are thus brought be-
fore them. The exhibition had greatly
amused US, both for the skill Of the people
and the picturesque effect Of their wild ap-
pearance and costume. Their own appa-
rent faith in the incantations they muttered,
and the real credence bestowed on their
powers by the native spectators, gave a
reality to the scene which no English
ljuggleV can ever possess. The sword ex-
ercise and cocoanut breaking were accom-
panied by shrill, animated, and exciting
cries. or their skill in palmistry we were
unable to Judge, as we did not understand
their language; but we were told that their
pIophetical gifts are very similar to those of
their European brethren.
About three or four days afterwards. as
We were returning from drive, we met
the whole tribe on their march back to the
mountains. The road was narrow, and
they were therefore obliged 10 move to one
side, passing in a long-coninued and most
picturesque file, beneath the sweet mimo.a-
trees that boTdered the way. One might
almost have fancitd himself living in the
age Of the Patriarchs, and witnessing the
journeyinss of people, as he gazed on
them. The strong men came first, each
armed with a tall staff; then the women,
bearing their infants on their hips, or lead
ing the young children by the hand; old
crones and 'ancient men" followed, with
such cattle as they possessed, and bundles,
containing, as We supposed, their property
They all salaamed US with kindly smiles
as they glided by; and We watched them
with considerable interest for some time,
the great plain they traversed permitting us
to see them till they were lost in the dim
though brief twilight. We never saw the
giPsies Of the Deccan more; but we have
often thought and talked of them, and re-
GREETED that the energies they displayed, and
the toll by which they must have brought
many Of their performances to perfection,
had not been more worthily employed and
better directed. They follow strictly the
wise Injunction, "Whatsosrer thy hand
6ndeth to do, do it with all thy might"
though unhaPPily their hand. through ignor-
ance, finds little to do that is useful or be-
coming rational beings; and they are thus
lar examples to those who, living in the
light Of civilisation, never exert the capa-
bili,ies. whether mental or physical, which
their Creator has bestowed. Many slug
gard OF our enlightened Europe mi ht thus
derive useful lesson.from the wild gpsie,
of Hindoostan.
street Scenes OF Turin.
The following il an extract of a Isffar F,or,