The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-05-06
WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES.


The National IntelHgencer thus describes
the wonderful feats of some Japanese per-
formers who have been playing Washington:
One of the finest feats of their programme,
is a regular japanese nobleman, rightful owner
OF title akin to a European cOuntshlp. The
Count is certainly the star performer OF the
troupe, and his superior is not to be found IN
Japan. Certainly his equal has never been
seen here nor in Europe. The feat to which
we allude is thus performed: Denkichi lies ON
a platform, his head resting on pillow, his
legs raised, forming a right angle with his
body. A round, large, empty earthenware jar,
with smooth, slippery, polished surface, is
placed on the sOles of his feet With this awk.
ward vessel he plays like one of our own people
with a globe, but its oblong shape is far more
difficult of management; yet he throws, and
Catches and balances it cr0ssWise, lengthwise,
by top and bottom, on the sOes of his feet,
with marvellous certainty. Little "All Right"
is then placed inside the jar, under which are
placed by the magic feet tub after tub, till the
fabric, raised like child's card castle, seems
likely to come to pieces at every move neces-
sary to bs!ance it, All this while the balance
is so perfectly kept, Denkchi's eye is SO true,
his foot SO fair, his knee joints so iron like in
their steadiness, that one might imagine the
ar, rested on basis firm and immOvable as
the dome OF the Capitol. Suddenly, but slow
ly, and with gliding motion resembling a SER
pent's, "All Right catches with both hands
the upper rim of the jar, protrudes his little
head and exclaims, "All Right" In doing so,
however, he has changed the centre of gravity,
and the column now rests on Denkchi's feet
at an angle of nearly forty-fve degrees, look
, ing like a miniature of the Leaning Tower of
Pisa. With sudden piayfulness Denkichi
bends his knees, and the whole seems about to
topplc. "All Right" shakes his fist at him, a
thrill goes to the audience, and ere 1t has
passed away the boy is standing on his hands,
which rest on the middle of the jar, his body
and legs extended upwards, and the whole mo-
tonleSs rs an obelisk at Carnack. On and
around this jar, resting ON this disconnected
column Of tubs, upheld by these marvellous
feet, the boy easily and gracefully performs a
series of acrobatIc eyoutions with calmnesS
equal 10 that which he displays on the solid
ground. From the outside he crawls back in
to the Jar: as he does so the balance forces
the column once more into leaning position,
butit gradually resumes its perpendicular, and
AT last from the inside, is again heard the
crow of the little fellow, "1All Rightr' Dem
kichi raises and lowers the column, suddenly
Jerks away the Intervening tubs, catches jar
cnce sit spell bound at the feat, scarce know
ing which most to admire the pluck and ad-
dress of the boy. or the endurance, SKILL and
nerve of Dcnkichi Exhibition of tricks Ia
lloudln, by female, top spinning on the razor
edge of knife, balancing of large, awkward
screens on the feet, and playing with them as
if they were symmetrical globes, and finally
the ladder feat by Denkichi and All Right,
make up performance puzzling, unique, and
wonderful enough to satisfy the most exacting.
The grace. ease, and what the French would
call dplomb with which these japanese do
everything takes away in great degree from
the appreciation that would attend their efforts
if tlngcd occasionally with little awkward
ness. They never fall. never miss, never seem
oyer-exerted, and convey an idea of reserved
powcr-seening to say, this is play, but we
could do more in earnest.
The great ladder feat referred to above, like
that of the jar on the column of tubs, is per
formed by Denkichi and little "All Right"
and like that feat, is n display of balancing
skill performed OH the feet. Dankichi lying on
the ground. the sides of a observation-disclosures
ladder resting on his feet and rising to the cell
ing of the Opera House, and at its top another
ladder attached runs along the ceiling ut right
angles to the former. These ladders, in all
three hundred and fifty pounds in weight, and
lllat weight lopSIucu, VI course, Denklcnl
holds and balances for nearly twenty-five min
utes, while little "All Right" mounts from
ring to ring, and actually goes on till he walks
to the outermost ring of the second or horizon
tai ladder. At this moment to preserve the
balance, one foot of Denkichi's is elevated far
above the other, and the supporting ladder
bends to the other side at frightfu angle
While the boy is playing above, Denkichi's eye,
glued as it were to the spot on the ladder
which he feels to be its centre of gravity.
calmly fans himself or wipes the perspiraton
from his brow with the ample sleeve of his ia
panese robe. From such endurance and
strength one would imagine that Denkichi
must be powerful man; but he does not look
SO. Of about five feet ten inches in height,
rather light build, were it not for his features
and dress he would attract no particular no.
tice in crowd. His face is handsome, for an
Asiatic unusually so. The eye is less sleepy in
its brightness, the mouth more firm in its
meaning To the touch his limbs feel like iron
bars; to the eye, when he walks, they are
springy and supple, though the Japanese sandal
gives an awkward shuttle to the gait which
our better-deyised chaussure Obviates
STATUE OF GRANT-SenatOr Sherman of