New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-03-13

MARTEI0Cs' FEATs OF AN INDIAN MAGICIAN: A.
BRASS CON CHANGED INTO \ LIVING SERPENT.-The,
fort at Calcutta (wrcs an English officer in Once.
Il l|eek}, commonly known as Fort william is one.
Of the most splendid and convenient military es.
tabli3hments to be found in any quarter of the
globe. 1t is spacious, and somewhat resembles
the Tower Of London, in that it consists of various
streets and squares adapted for different military
purposes On all sides it il guarded by a high and
strong built rampant which is surrounded in its
turn by broad and deep rosse, over which are
placed draWbridges leading to the principal gate
ways. Arrived in Calcutta, a raw griffn of course
went to inspect the lions, and among others the
fort.
The fort is often the scene of animated festiyitv.
from the presence of natY&juggIers, renowned for
their surprising skill aud dSXterty The perform
ances OF these strange people have been often
described that shall only mention few, for
otherwise | might tire the reader. One of them
struck me as being curious, from its having strong
resemblance to the feas recorded in sacred history
as having been performed by the magcians Of
Pharaoh. Indeed, it is well known that the.
Hindoo tricks have been handed down from the
most distant ages from father to son, there is little
wonder that such similarity exist.
The particular trick alluded to is the apparent
conversion of a brass coin into snake The Jug
gler gave me the coin to hold, and then seated
himself, about five yards from me, on small rug
from which he never attempted to move during the
whole performance. showed the coin to several
persons who were close beside me, on a form in
front of the juggler. AT a sign from him, not
only grasped the coin l held firmly in my right
hand, but crossing that hand with equal tightness
with my left, | inclOsed them both as firmly as /
could between my knees. OF course was posi-
lively certain that the small coin was within my
double fists. The juggler then began a short in
centation, accompanied by a monotonous and dis
cordant kind of recitative, and repeating the words
" Ram Sammu." during some minutes.
He then suddenly stopped, and still keeping his
seat, made quick motion with his hand, as if
throwing something at me, giving, at the same
time, puff with his mouth. At that instant felt
| my hands suddenly distend, and become partly
Open while experienced a sensation as if a cold
ball of dough, something equally SOFT nasty and
| disagreeabla, was now between my palms. [
started to my feet in astonshment of others, and
| opening my hands, found there coin but to
| my horror and ALARM (fOr of all created things I
det est and lHathe the genusJ | saw young snake,
all aliyeoh and of all the snakes in thesWorld a
cobra. di-capello, folded, rather coied roundIy
up. ! threw it instantly to the ground, trembling
with rage and fear as if already bit by the deadly
| reptile, which began Immediately to crawl along
the ground, to the alarm and amazement of every
| one present.
he had sat d0~n, and catching hold of the snake,
displayed its length, which was nearly two feet
! two feet, all but an inch and half. He then took
mouth to its widest extent, let the head of the
snake drop into it. deliberately commenced to swal-
low the animal, till the end of the ul was only vsi-
BILE then making sudden guip, the whole of the
snake was apparently swallowed. After this he
| came up to the spectators and opening his mouth
wide permitted us to look into lis throat, but no
snake or snake i tail was vi,be-it was seemingly
down his throat altogether
During the remainder Of the performances we
never saw this snake again. nor did the man pro-
tess his ability to make it reappear But he per-
| formed another snake-trick which surprised us
| very much. He took from bag another Cobradi-
| capcllo. and walking atO the ccnter of the room,
incOscd it in his hands in folded state He waved
| or shook them for some time in this condition. and
then opened his fists when, hey presto the
snake was gone, and in its place appeared several
small oues, which he suffered fall from his hands,
when they g!ed, with their peculiar undulating
movement, almost like the waves Of the sea- across
the floor.