The Nevada Democrat., 1857-12-16
A Magician in Government Employ.


A Paris correspondent Of the London Times
relates the following in late letter:
Every one has seen or heard Of the great Rob-
ert Houdin. Besides being the prince Of conjur-
ers, he is an able mathematician and mechan-
clan, and his electric clock, made for the Hotel
de Vile, Of bis native town OF BlOis, obtained q
medal at the Paris Exhibition. 1t ia net gener-
ally known that he was sent to Algeria by the
French Government on a mission connected
with the black art-probably the first time that
q oonjurer has been called upon to exercise his
profession in Government employ. Some details
Of his expedition have just been published. Itl
object was to destroy the influence exercised
among the Arab tribes by the marabouts, an
influence often mschieveusly applied BY few
clumsy tricks and impostures these marabouti
pass themselves of as sorcerers; ne one, it was
thought, was better able to eclipse their skill
and discredit their science than the man of in
exhaustible bottles. One of the great preten.
tions of the marabout was invulnerability. At
the moment loaded musket was fred at him.
and the trigger pulled, he pronounced q few
cabastic words and the weapon did not 20 off.
Houdin detected the trick. and showed that the
touchole was plugged. The Arab wizard was
furious and abused bis French rival. "You
may revenge yourself" quietly replied Houdin
''take pistol load it yourself; here are bullets,
put one in the barrel, but before doing so mark
il with your knife" The Arab did as he was
told. "You are quitc certain now," said Hou-
din, "that the pistol is loaded and will 60 off.
Tell me, do you feel no remOrie In killing me
thus, Notwithstanding that l authorize you ?"
"You are my enemy" coldly replied the Arab
81 will kill you" Without replying Houdin
stuck an apple ON the point of knife, and held
FIRE. The pistol was discharged, the apple few
far away, and there appeared in its place, stuck
on the point of the knife, the bullet the mara
bout had marked. The spectators remained
mute from stupefaction the marabout bowed
before his superior; "Allah is great" he said,
II am vanquished." Instead of the bottle from
which, in Europe Robert Houdin pours an end
less stream of every description Of wine and
liquors, he called for an empty bowl, which he
kept continually full Of boiling coffee but few
Of the Arabs would taste it, for they made sure
that it come direct from the DEVILS own coffee
pot. He then told them that it was in his power
to deprive them of all strength. and to restore
it to them at will, and he produced small box,
80 light that child could lift 1t with its finger
but II suddenly became SO heavy that the strong
est man present could not raise it, and the
Arabs, who prize physic strength above every
thing, looked with terror at the great magician
who. they doubted not, could annihilate them
by the mere exertion OF his will. They express
ed this belief, Houdin confirmed them in it, and
promised that, on day appointed, he would
convert one Of them into smoke. The day came,
the throng was prodgious; fanatcal marabout
had agreed to give himself up to the sorcerer.
They made him stand on table and covered
him with transparent gauze then Houdin and
another person lifted the table by the two ends,
and the Arab disappeared in cloud Of smoke.
The terror of the spectators was indescribable /;
they rushed out of the place. and ran long
distance hefOra aome of the boldeat thou 0ht of
returning to look after the marabout. They
found him near the place where he had been
evaporated; but he could tell them moth
ing and was like drunken man, ignorant Of
what had happened to him. Thenceforward
Houdin was venerated and the marahouts were
dcspised the object Of the French Government
was completely accomplished