Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-07-07
CURIOUS sUasLINS SEGs.

/
In the early part of the last century, pbysi.
clan named Agricola, living at Ratisbou, in Ger
many, Obtained great celebrity by ceVtain dseo.
veries which he declared he had made as 20 ihe
multiplication Of plants and trees Re could
produce, no said, from a smalt bFancl, or even
from leaf, large forest trees in the course OF
an hour, through the sole insrumentality Of FIRE
He wrote several works on the subject, one Of
which was published in Amsterdam in tf20.-
Its title was, ".fgriculfrs porfsife on .SoUelle
lDUcoueTte," SC. II has been supposed that he
had learned the secrets of the Hindoo jugglerS
whose feats in the same line are Of the most en-
,traordinary character. They actually sow the
seed of any tree the spectators call for in the
earth, and, after few cabalistic words pro-
nounced over il, mulberry, plum, or a wal
nut plant is gradually seen springing upward
until ii becomes large tree, with its natural fruit
,depen ling from its branches Nor is this all
The fruit is plucked and given 10 the spectator 10
eat and while he is engaged eating Of the en-
chanted dates or walnuts, the branches of the
miraculous trees are crowded with birds of ev-
cry plumage, who fill the air with their melody
A signal is given, and the tree, with IFS feather
ed inhabitants, disappears in an instant, leaving
behind it no trace of its eXistencel
The author Of the "Oriental ANIMAL, an Eng
ilish gentleman Of unquestioned yeracity, gives
an almost incredible description of Juggling
performance at which he was present. The
Operator introduces little girl about eight years
old, in a wicker basket The girl is shown to
all the spectators; the operator then enters into
a conversation with her, which soon assumes an
angry tone; he threatens TO kill her with a
drawn sword; she supplcates for mercy, and
while the piteous cries grow louder, he plunges
the weapon into her bosom two or three times
successively; the earth is dyed with blood, |,
while her agonizing groans announce dissolu-
Iton The spectators are ready to fall on the
wretch whom they believe to be guilty of so
horrible murder, when the little girl enters the
circle from without. dressed in her usual attire,
and as gay as if nothing had happened TO
her
A still more extraordinary feat than that was
performed in the presence Of the Mogul EN-
Iperor Jehanegrie, who gives an account of it in
his autobiography. The performers produced
a living man. whose head they cut off in the first
instance They then divided the limbs from
the trunk, and the mutilated remains lay on the
ground for some time. A curtain was then ex-
tended over the spot and one OF the perform
ers putting himself under the curtain, emerged
from il again in few minutes followed by the
individual who was supposed 10 have been so
completely dissected!
His Mogul Majesty gives the following min
ute account Of some other performances by the
same iuggler, which are very wonderful:
"They took small bag, and having first
shown that it was entirely empty, one Of them
put his hand into the bag; on Withdrawing his
hand again, ont came two game cocks of the lar
gest size and great beauty, which Immediately
assaied each other, and fought with such force
and fury that their wings emitted sparks OF FIRE
'.f nod for he nj
space Of an hour, when they put an end to the
combat by throwing sheet over the animals
Again they withdrew the sheet, and there APP
peared a brace of partridges, with the most bril-.
liant and beautiful pumage, which immedIat ely
began TO tune their lhroats, as il there was moth
ing human present, picking at worms with the
same sort of chuckle as they are heard TO use
on the hill side. The sheet was thrown, as il
the other instance, over the partridges, anC
when again withdrawn, instead of those beauti
full birds, there appeared two frightful black
2 snakes with flat heads and crimson bellies
: which, with open mouth and head erect, and
coiled together, attacked each other with tht
greatest fury and so continued to do until, as i
appeared, they became quite exhausted, wheI
they fell asunder.
! "They made an excavation in the earth, il
! the shape of tank or reservoir Of considera
A
= with water. When this was done, they sprea
!, a covering over the place; and after short in
! Iterval having removed the cover, the water ap
! Ipeared to be one sheet Of ice, aud they desire
that some of the elephant keepers might be di
:, rected to lead the elephants across. Accord
y ingly, one of the men set his elephant upon th
= ice, and the animal walked over with as muc
ease and safety as il it were platform of Soli
rock, remaining for some time on the surface @
the frozen pond without Occasioning the slight
e was drawn aCross the place, and being removed
= every Vestge of ice, and even moisture of an
% sort, had completely disappeared.
"They procured blank volume Of the p0Fe'
white paper, which was placed in my hands I
show that it contained no figures, nor any colo'
: ed pages whatever, of which satisfied mysel
'e and al around. One Of the men took the 70
y ume in hand, and the first opening exhibited
IS page of bright red, sprinLied with gold, forw
2: ing blank tablet, splenddly elaborate. I'll
ID mex, turn presented q beautiful azue, sprinkle
lin tie same manner. and exhibiting on the ma
gin numbers Vt men and women in Vsrious att
~ tudeS.
The iuGRleF chen turned 90 another lea
l., which appeared of Chinese color and q
:, brio, and sprinkled in the same manner with go
ar but on il deineaed herds of cattle and lions Il
ilatter sezmg upon the kline in manner that
never observed in any other paintings, II
ip next leaf exhibited was beautiful green, sin
n larly powdered with gold, on which was repr
serted, in lively colcTs, garden with numerc
c, presses, roses, and other Towering shrubs
&c full bloom and in the midst Of the garden
70 excellent pavilion. The next change exhibit
d, la,c ,f ,ra,0s in thats sa,ra fYo.nner pn,y der