New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-01-27


An English paper tells the following story, which
is certainly most wessderful, II true
There ia a man, vsry strange msB, among the
Sikhs of India, a Fahr or Fagueer, toot one Who
gains biz livelihood by putting on tile appearance
of death, and suffering himself TO he bagied for
three SIX or twelve months according to the agree
ment or compact he enters into with his en5nIoy-
ers- This man, far from being misdoubted IN those
parts, or being treated as mountebank, IS held IN
extraordinary respect by ske Shikh people. The
stories that are told Of this men truly wonder
ful, and try to sift the mattev you will the mar
vel only increases. Both natives and Europeans
are alike psrpIexed; every one in the East has
heard Of his extraordinary psigers every means
has beer tried to detect The irspostrre whfeh has
been suspected, but still his credit remains nm
shaken to tie last.
One of those who witnessed ti.is prodigious feat
IS Capt W., the political agent at Loodianabr Who
stood by when he was dsinterreds after burial Of
ten consecutive months and his body seemed thsn
as it had seemed at first, to be ina state Of sns-
pended animasion. In this country IL was th0#xht
most wonderful thing, and very jnstly, whsn !
dozen years agD young frishman allowed himself
to be locked mp in chamber for tiirse weeks, and
seals to be placed on the door and window and
agreed to stay there in that confinement witheut
meat or drink. This feat, as far as couil be seen,
he did perform according to the attesta*ion Of sew
eral medical gentlemen, writers for newspapers
and others.
But look at the difference. In the case Of this
Indian, instead Of the confinement In a spacious
up and sealed with several seals by men OF credit
and distinction. Then II Is put into box, and the
seals are again applied to that box. This one
would suppose, were test enough in all conscience.
NOT at all the box IS put into stone grave or
vault, and grain is sown in the very sod which
covers the living body Of this bold and:maryesoas
experimentalist.
Reader, do you marvel? What think yas of
this2 # this be really cunning man, who fences
with the sharp eyes, and looks, and Thoughts Or
FIVE millions Of people, and does this for fifteen
twenty years without being caught tripping, it
not be denied he does his feat in a very workman
like manner. Buried for twelve months. under
ground with corn growing over his body! How
Is he to enter into eollusion with his confederates
II the trick il trick there be 2 Men of the highest
rank, doubtful Of his powers and among these
the celebrated Runjeet Singh seen him buried
at the commencement and have afterwards been
present when the body was taken up, after sus-
pended animation of twelve months continuance.
AS far as all human observation could go, that ex
traordinary man had lived without food witfleat
drink without air. for the space Of one entire year.
and there he was at the end of this experiment,
alive again and hearty.
This wonderful man is now about forty-afve
years old, and enjoys all the ruddy health that
vigorous body and q sound constitution can be-
stow. He is always ready to repeat his surprising
performances, in fact be lives Wy them. he gains
his bread by living under ground, in close grave
He says that during the time he lies thus, In
state of suspended animation, he has the most
beatifc dreams that can be conceived. These
they are long, durable, continuous full of incident
and ramifed intrigue, like well written-fofnance
Of many goodly volumes. But these beautiful
dreams are never completed and brought to d
close, because he is in the very midst Of them when
the term Of his probation comes, and the earth ia
opened to restore him to the world. He does not
regret the time he hoses by these interments, for
the ctions of his teemng brain which pass through
his fancy have to him far greater charm than
real life. One day when the great Runjeet Singh,
with his avorte minister and the several gran1ees
Of the Maharajahs court, were conversing with
him upon the subject of these extraordinary
dreams, and trying to form some idea of thing 10
marvellous, he described it very happily by conn
pairing it to one Of those fits of musing which every
one has at times when the mind in full viger in
dulges in the flow of its inventions, and which
SO agreeable TO the patient that the most amiable
and kindest of men are ready to denounce the Off
cous friends who arouse them from so agreeable
state OF hafsuspended consciousness.
When the Fakir is taken up after burial, no pal
sation can be felt; at once the heart, the wrist,
and the temple are still there is no breathing the
body Is not cold as 9 corpse would be, but it is
cooler than that Of other living men, except over
the seat of the brain, which is feverHhly hot and
burning. All the secretions fully stopped, the
nails have ceased to grow, SO have the hair and
beard. He feels great dizziness at first, and for
several days he continues to experience the sensa
tons of man in swing, or one just landed after
long voyage. But gradually he RECEIVERS his
health and good spirits, and enjoys amazingly the
wonder and admiration he has excited.
The Sikhs lookupon this man a superior being,
gifted with supernatural faculty, and they take
great pride in his powers OF bodily endurance.
After the disinterment. they always exhibit the
greatest joy, and celebrate the occasion by the
discharge of guns and the letting OFF of fireworks.
The Rajahs and Sirdars, and other men of state
load him with presents. They do not distrnst him
as should do, but rather glory in him as speei-
men Of the miraculous, vouchsafed to their own
privileged country. He is said to be very rich
and is the only rich man among the Sikhs who
would dare to be so long away from court for fear
of his place being filled up during his absence.
He is the only who does not suffer the baleful
effects OF calumny and SANDER when ont of view,
for, as his peculiar merit does not interfere with
other men, they leave him unmolested in his glory.
DRAWING IT MILD-A resident of Lexington,
KY, has written and published in the Tribune,
what Is called g reply to Rev. Theodore Parker.n
1t opens thus:
Sri notice in your Semi Weekly of the 27th
ult., a letter from Theodore Parker, written from
Rome to friend in Boston, in which thatreverend
gentleman makes use of some expressions which L
think eynce spirit not in accordance with the
principles of love and charity taught by our Di-
vine Master, whose servant Mr.. Parker claims
to be.
The tone OF this opening must have amused the
Trlbuntal authorities. The writer would at first
sight appear to be faeetious; but he is really in
earnest. His euphemsms reminds us of John De-
castros opinion, given in reply to his brother
Bait, who asked John, while he rebuked him for
his profanity, what he called such speech as
cd - my soul to -" " 0h,o replied
John, merely an uaguarded erpression.n They
recall, too the memory Of well guarded censor,
who, passing Judgment on notorious liar, pro-