The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-08-29
Foutt'a department.
Indian Jugglers.

Will lllN All amusing account VI lit 'NN'
done by company of jugglers in India. in
presence of rajah and some European
visitors at his court
4 party of them being introduced, the
usual prcliminarios took place, such as
swallowing the sword. eating fire, and few
other tricks common to every exhibitor at
the provincial fairs in our own country. After
which one of the men, taking a large earthcn
vessel, with capacious mouth, filled it with
water and ,nrned it upside down, when all
the water flowed out but the moment it was
placed with the mouth upward, it always be-
came full He then cmpticd it, allowing any
one to inspect it who chose. This being
done. he desired that one of the party would
fill it. His request was obeyed still. when
he reversed the jar, not drop of water flowed:
and upon turning it. to our establishment. it
was empty. These and similar receptions
were several times repeated; and so skillfnlly
were they managed. that although any of us
who chose were allowed to upset the vessel
when full. which did many times. upon re-
vcrsing it there was no water to be seen. and
vet no appearance of any having escaped.
examined the jar carefully when empty.
but detected nothing which could lead to a
discovery of the mystery. was allowed to
retain and fill it myself: still, upon taking it
up, all was void within. vet TIE ground around
it was very dry: so that how the water had
disappeared. and where it had been conveyed
were problems which none of US were able to
cxpound. The vessel employed by the jug
eler upon this occasion was the common
carthcnwarc Of the country. very roughly
made and in order to convince US that it
had not been especially constructed for the
purpose Of aiding his clever receptions. he
permitted it to be broken in our presence ::
the fragments were handed round. for the
inspection of his hiShrc>s ard the pratv with
him.
The next thing dorc was still more extra
ordinary. 4 man now took hagfull of brass
balls. which he threw. one by one, into the
air. to the number of thrtv-five. None of
them appeared to return. When he had
discharged the last. there was 4 pause of q
minute he then made 4 variety Of motions
with his hands at the same time grunting
forth kind Of barbarous chart in a few
seconds the balls were :ecn to fall. ore by
one. until the whole of them were replaced!
in the bag. This was repeated. at least half
a dozen times.
\ gaunt-lookins IIindoo next stepped for
ward and declared he would swallow snake. .
Opening box he produced cobra de CAP
clio. not less than five feet lorS. and as big
as an infants wrist. He stood. however
apart at some distance from us. ard. like his
predecessor. would not allow any person 70
approach him 81 that The deception became
10 longer cquivocal. He then. as it appeared
to us took the snake. and. putting its tail III
10 his mouth. gradually swallowed it. until
nothing but the head appeared to PROJECT
from between his lips. when. with a sudden
gulp, he seemed to complete the disgusting
process of deglutition. and to secure the
odious reptile within his body.
After few moments. he opened his mouth
and gradually drew forth the snake, which
he replaced in the box, making salaam to
the raiah. This w. lv no mcars pleasing
sight but his hishncss laughed hearth and /
threw the performer handful Of rupees.
thus clearly showing his pleasure was no
counterfeit. like the jusgler's trick.
The next thing that engaged our attention
was feat ofdcxterity altogchthcr astonishing.
\ woman, the upper part of whose body was
entirely uncovered, presented herself to our
notice. and taking a bamboo twenty feet high
placed it upright upon a stone. and then.
without any support. climbed to the top oft
with surprising activity. Having done this.
she stood upon one leg on'thc point of the
bamboo, balancing it all the while. Round
her waist she had girdlc. to which was fast
ened an iron socket; >prinsing from her up
right position on the bamboo, she threw her
self horizontally forward with such exact
precision that the top Of the pole entered the
socket of her iron zone, and in this position
she spun herself round with velocity that
made me giddv to look at. the bamboo ap
pearing all the while as fit were supported
by some supernatural agency.
She turned backwards her legs until the heels
touched her shoulders. and grasping the
ankles in her hands, continued her rotation
so rapidly that the outline of her body was
entirely lost to the eye, and she looked like
revolving ball. Having performed several
other feats equally extraordinary, she slid
down the elastic shaft. and. raising it in the
air. balanced it upon her chin. then upon her
nose. and. finally projected It to distance
from her without the application of her
hands She was an elderly woman, and by
10 means prcposscssing i'll her person. for
which reason. l believe, the raiah, though he
applaudcd her dcxtcrity, did not give her
proof of his lbcralitv. We. however, threw
her few rupees. which perfectly satisfied her
Many other extraordinary things were done
which have entirely escaped my memory, but
the concluding feat Yves too remarkable to be
easily forgotten.