Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-10-28

hitlOn OF ms powers oil Deing buried
alive, and then exhumed and resur.
rected after some time had elapsed.
Meechum Doss was to receive con-
siderable sum in silver rupees for the
performance, and the time named by
himself to 0e quietly. Injured was
four weeks.
On certain day the baboo having
called his friends together in durbar,
lsr court, they came from all plrts, on
elephants, camels and horses, to wit
ness The show. The divan of the
oaDoo wasin the center of circle,
and the greater and lesser magnates
sat around enjoying their hookans.
and elated with the noise of the tum-
tum wallahs and the excitement of
the nautch dancers, which were pre-
limlnary to the main object of the ex-
j hibition. Near the center of the cir
Gle q grave, zealously guarded, some
five or six feet deep, had been pre-.
pared, and by it a coffin was placed.
In due time the blowing of trumpets
and the sounding of gongs annOunc-
ed the advent of Meechum Doss.
He was dressed, rs magicians usually
are in the East, very plainly, but
very well; middle-aged man in fine
linen, who looked as if he Jared sump-
tuously every day, though curried
rice eaten with the fingers was
doubtless his only food. He descend
ed from the gayly caparisoned ele-
phant on which he had travelled and
made many gracious salaams to the
assembled crowd. Having invited
full inspection OF himself, the cof-
fin and grave, he proceeded to per-
form various incantations by the aid
of fire which he kindled, and into
which he threw what appeared to be
aromatic spices. He then spread
over himself 4 garment ON which he
pronounced magical words.
All this time Committee, of
which was 4 member, appointed for
the purpose by the baboO, was watch
ing his every move very closely. At
length, after various turns and twists
of his body, which were sometimes
very violent, he appeared to lapse
into rigid state, with his eyes and
mouth closed, after which he fell
back into the arms of an attendant
Mephistopheles who accompanied
him. He was now placed in a coffin,
which was securely closed and sealed.
Then commenced the process of
lowering the casket some five feet,
which was done in manner that
would have excitad the envy of New
York undertakers. The hole was fill
ed up and well battered down, guards
provided by Badoo Lall Chunder be
ing placed over it.
After the interment, notice was
given that exhnmation would take
place four weeks thereafter, at which
all were invited to be present. The
tum tum wallahs and the nautch
girls resumed their operations and
noise, and the immense crowd dis
persed in very orderly manner on
the camels, elephants and horses.
At the time appointed l was again
present, when the same initlatOry
ceremonies were enacted as at the
burying, and every thing was as be-
fore, except that the people looked
solemn and talked in whispers, won
dering among themselves whether
necromancy could make the grave
give back her dead.
The sentries who had kept guard
and watch were paraded, and testified
that they had done so faithfully for
four weeks. The grave was then
dug into until the coffin was reached.
Everything was found in order out
side, and upon the coffin being raised
the seals, which were of metal, were
found untouched. The box was
opened, and there reclined Meechum
DOss looking tranquil. He was taken
out. His body and face presented
the chilliness and rigidity of death.
But there was no sign of decompOsi-
ton. According to orders given by
him to his familiar before burial, he
was well champooed from head to
foot, and given some decoction to
swallow upon returning animation,
which occurred in a very short space
of time. External heat appearing,
the limbs became gradually relaxed,
and then the opening of the eyes,
which had a sort of somnOlent ap-
pearance.
Shortly after the elixir had been
given him he stood up in his right
mind and salaamed to the Committee
and those around him. When asked
how he felt and where he had been to,
ne said that Brahma was good and
that he had enjoyed close fellowship
with their godships Brahma and
Vishnu in the bosom of the sacred
rivers and on the tops Of the noun
tains.
This was highly satisfactory to the
spectators, who began to cOngratu-
late themselves that no Coroner In.
quest was necessary, while others oil
a devotional turn would no doubt
have consented to be buried alive
forthwith if they could but have been
sure of enjoying the same distln-
guished privileges.
The crowd were now loud in their Z
vindications, some callingo on Mahom-
ct and Allah, others on Brahma, Yish-
nu and Gale and all the calendar of
Hindo deities, which, by the way, is
by no means so large as another cal
endar of canonized saints that L
know of.
Meechum Doss was now escorted
in triumph before the assembled
crowd, and the noise on all hands
was something terrific. The magi-
clan made many salaams, and affec-
tionately embraced his attendants,
give you the matter as l saw it
occur, and it may, at all events, be
pleasing to some to hear of the way
=: ,.,h;oh tho Eaofarnc amucp their