M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-11-29

amusements OF tn lively place and 1T
vicinage. 1t shows that the Arabs
are clevGrer than even our friend Hel
Ter; who is now astonishing the South
ern people by his experiments in mag
ic:
In a lew moments the tamlorinel
we've again in full force, and the shrek
ing and yelling was again repeated
but this time the number of dancers
was increased One OF the Arabs tool
a sword, and having stripped to his
oins, ran it for nearly quarter Ofar
inch into his stomach, ,twiring round
at the same time like a ginlet. To a
certain degree ttere was 10 deception
in this, but the absence of blood rous
ed my suspicious that the sword fitted
into an old scar long used iJr the pur,
pose, especially as it. was introduced
sideways. Then he rAn it into the
nape OF his neck in the Same manner
twir!ing it round as bdAoEe, but still no
blood followed. The invisible women
seemed pleased at this feat, for anoth.
er "lu, lu, lu!" swelled around US, and
then the frantic dancing went on
Presently four or five instruments re-
sembling thick kitchen shovcIs were
brought in red hot, and felt the sud.
den glow on my face as they were ia
ken past me. When tho Arabs be-
held these their cries changed into an
other key and by gestures they seem
ed like wild animals eager lor food
Each man took the glowing iron,
placed 1t on the shorn part Of his head,
and then stroked it earessiGgly with
his naked hand. During this feat
there was sickening smell Of burnt
flesh, and slight smoke arose from
the skin of the performers Whenever
The ruddy metal touched it, Then,
having licked them all over with their
tongues, they placed them between
their lips, holding them firm with
their teeth, and leaplng for few mo-
merits still higher in tune to the thun.
der oftlie tympana. A large scorpion
WAS aow brought in on one ofthe tam
bOurines, and as | touched it with a
stick e7, paSsaat it darted NJ its pois-
onons tail, leaving no DOUBT as TO its
vitality. One Of the Arabs took up
the reptile by its head, placed it in bis
mouth, aud swallowed it, making a
horrible crGnching noise in the pro.
cess OF nasticeti0n. How he escaped
the effects Of its sting is more than |
can imagine; but, at all events, the un
natural meal seemed to give him new
life for the maddeuiug orgies. One
OF the dancers now stepped forward
with dagger about loot in length,
and lifting up his eyelid thrust it some
way in just over the eyebal!, aud walk.
ed about with the weapon thus appa-
rently sticking ont OF lis eye. Then
he drew it slowly out, aud the host at
my request, having handed it to me
tor examination, | found that it was
sharp as Il needle, aud perfectly solid.
The voices OF the women, at this peri
cd, wero louder than | heard them be
fore, and 50 long did the shril ap.
plause continue that the Arabs looked
up hastily, and said "IIush," in the
satne sort Of col temptuous tone with
which CHARITY school. master endea
vOrS to stop the clatter of his retracto.
ry pupils, and the obedient chorus in
stantIy subsidized. Half u dozen cac
tus leaves were now brought in, and
the moment the dancers perceived
them they left oftheir frantic gestures,
and grOveled, like dogs, on their
hands and knees. The African cue
tus, or Barbary fig, grows round AL.
giers into regular tree Of twelve teet
or so i'll hight, and the leaves are large
in proportion, being geuerally about
loot long and a hall an inch thick,
and are very thickly covered with.
strong prickles Of an inch in length.
These prickIes are as thick as a drug
get pin at the base, anG very firm, So
that the handling Of the leaf ia a mat,
ter OF difficulty and pain, and should
the point OF the prickle break in so
doing, it forces itself beneath the skin
and causes excrutiating agony. The
Arabs crawled adroitly toward the
man who held the leaves, baying like
the dogs they initiated, and as he held
one torth they thrust their heads for.
ward and took rapid bites, devouring
1t, seemlngly, without the slightest in,
Convenience. The green fluid express Z
cd from the herb, flowed in streams
over their long boards, aud | noticed
that when they accidentally touched
each other they gave a low growl, like
ours who were, gorging. The applause
OF the invisible ladies was great, but
by no means as enthusiastic as before:
the tambouriues were again silent,
and the performers fell to the gronnd,
as itthe supe.human stimulus to their
exertions had been removed. | drew
deep brsath as LETT the house, like
one who has by a timely awakening,
been relieved from tht. incnhus l, oy,,