The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-04-20
East India Jugglers.

r skill for which they long since becam
I famous:
: In Madras are found in perfection tn
celebrated Eastern Jugglcrs. Groups 0
IN them are daily iu the hotels upon the ar
rival of steamer, to exhibit their won
derful feats and receive rupees. Snakt
s dancing, sword swallowing, fire eating
?; tumbling, &C., are shown to the crowds
who search for amusement. With some
others, hired party to exhibit on the
yerandah of the hotel, and am quite as.
sured of their superiority over all magi.
clans, protessed or amateur, in the world
At the time assigned, they were on the
SPOT arranging their implements prepara,
tory to great wonders and marvels of de-
ception. While thus preparing | took a
cheroot from its case, the more readily to
find out every thing about what was 60
ing on, and searched among the circle OF
passengers for light Perceiving the
desire, one of the Jugglers came to me,
went through a pantomimic request to
regard his face attentively, and commen-
ced blowing like pair of bellows
Much to my surprise stream ofsmoke
issued from his lips, and finally pointed
jet of fame, shaped as gracefully as a gas
light, and extending two inches in my
direction, which he kindly placed at my
convenience, | availed myself Of it by
lighting my cigar, expressed my obliga-
ton, and also j desire to examine in
trinsically so polite salamander. | O.
pCncd bis mouth looked in, looked around
and felt outside, but devil cause could
| discover !or the sudden and approps
conaagration. What an agreeable fellow
you are for windy day, was an inward
exclamation, and what life you may
lead without danger Of future warmth =
/ But the magic was about to commence,
and forgot my friend with the portable
! furnace in other wonders less individual,
! perhaps, but quite as mysterious They
danced cobra capelIos, opening their fat
heads to show them sound in fang and
venom bags, and made chem perform a
variety of poses. The snakes danced in
a circle, kept admirable time with the
music, and exhibited the utmost willing
ness imaginable to accommodate Euro
peans. \ handful of sand taken from
the road was made to mark every color,
and finally, to produce a shove1ful of >ev-
cry variety by 4 simple manual operation.
Plants grew perceptibly, balls danced
in the air, swords, hooks, jagged pieces
Of iron were used like sounding leads to
penetrate abdomens, eggs made birds,
aad iir3s made rabbits, and rabbits in
thei. turn underwent various transforma-
tiouS; common cotton balls moved at COM
mand, going away an immense distance,
but returning on the ground very obedi-
emily, until we were completely tied up,
and turned inside out ourselves with a
mazcment and edulity. Then came the
great feat Of the greatest Jugglcr in In
dia-the most notorious and wonderful of
all descriptions, and for the night only.
The performer, the leader of the party,
had rested quietly with his wife and child
outside the circle, watching the entire
proceedings of his men, and noticing the
general effect upon the assemblage. At
the conclusion of an announcement, pro-
portionate with his dignity and elevation,
he stepped into the enclosed space to give
a grand finale to the whole performance
Taking the child, little boy five or six
years of age, from its mother, despite her
tears and entreaties, he signed the at
tendants to procure the required imple-
ments for his feat, directing their arrange
ment and position according to his mind
\ large basket, six or seven feet deep,
made of straw was shown the spectators,
that they might assure themselves of its
being basket, without any addition or
improvement--simply basket of straw,
very common in all parts of the world
Inverting it, after the diligent investiga-
ton Of the entire party, he stood his little /
boy in the centre Of the circle, and coy-
cred him with the basket, like an exiting.
usher on a candle. The room allowed
the little fellow an upright and apparent
ly comfortable position. We were per
mitted to see him under the basket, and
to satisfy ourselves of his being there
without doubt. A naked sword having
received an equally close examination,
was placed in the mans hand and the
feat commenced. Assured of the chiid's
concealment under the basket. of the
keeness and validity of the sword, we a.
waited in silent horror for bis next pro-
ceeding. There was no table in the a.
partment, no trap in the basket, nothing
but the hard stony floor, and no confed-
crate with him. Taking the weapon in
his hand he waved it in the air, mutter-
ing jargon and commenced series Of
rapid thrusts through the basket, making
the point penetrate every time the op-
posite side, down into the basket and all
over it, until it could hardly support its
own weight from mutilation. 1t was per
forated like sieve
A cry came from the interior, and
stream of blood began to trickle from un-
der it, along the stone floor on to the feet
of the spectators. Cries of horror pierced
4ba ,Do4bor ro,, skr. nG;po 70 tIn