The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-06-22
ynisfeAann

o %
The Black Art in Siam.
syomderfnl. Tricks by Royal jug
E&gleFs- ---The Miracles OF
! Ancient Days Surpassed
inthc Present,
/ Tic Siam corrcspon letit of the N. Y
! World, inlan Interesting ietter,slates tha,
be heard of the sacred troupe of jug
lghrss deiearning that they were abea
.ia6give perfornancc in The great 'Pago
4 "a sleanf, 1t BangissslS. after natlct
tdnfchify succeeded ii obtainfng an seh
trance to the temple We extract the
| following from his graphic description o.
the marvellous things he witnessed:
| l found, indeed, that the prospect was
very slim for me to see the feats of this
mysterious fraternity. The royal family
of Siam claim to be native of Paklaie
and this troupe of jugglers is of the
royal race-a branch, however, that only
claims priestly, not Smperial preroga
tives. They never perform in public al
all, nor in the presence of witnesses a
any time, except upon two occasions
One Of these is the incrematiou of the
dead king; the other, the coronation OF
the young king. This is reported to
have been their custom from time imme
mortal. l could not hear that their per.
formances had ever been witnessed by
any white man or stranger. Indeed, no
one was admitted but certain branches OF
the Siamese nobility, having either rcla-
tionship with the royal blood or certain
nierocratic affinities, and holding high
grades in the semi religious confraterni-
ty akin to our Freemasonry in purposes,
perhaps, but in regard to which have
never been able to get any definite infor-
nation These privileged persons flock
to the performances whenever they take
place-sometimes not for generation
but always in one or the other of the five
great temples or pagodas Of Siam and
Laos.
The pagoda itself is an immense round
building with a square top, like a gasom-
eter, and trimmed around with gallery
supported by gigantic columns, painted
vivid red, ,and dashed over with dust
! ing of gold, giving them a peculiar bril-
liant effect. Underneath this portico the
building was entered by eight tall door
ways, each grotesquely sculptured with
lgriffons, crocodiles and serpcnts. Be-
hind the building, like a pile of plates
narrowing TO candle e1tinguisher at
the apex, rose the characteristic bell core
Of all these temples. 1t was multitudin-
ons with bells, banners, gay lanterns,
bright streaners. 1t was elaborately,
even gro,esquely, ,--ornamented, gilded,
lcolored and decorated with curiously-
shaped squares of porcelain, so that it
was almost too dazzling in The sunshine
to gaze at for any length of time. At
its base forest of small pagodas clus.
tered, crowding up to the very base of
the columns supporting the temple gal
lery.
Soondatch and Woun- Tajac each hold
ing me by an arm, now directed me to.
ward one Of the doorways Of the tenn
pie. 1t was guarded by two men with
drawn swords and very fierce aspect, who
stood in front of heavy drapery of red
cloth that completely concealed the inte-
rior of The temple from outside eyes
At triple password these men admitted
my companions, but crossed the swords
before my breast. Soondatch whispered
in the ear of the elder of the two-he
started, gazed at me intently, but did moi
withdraw his barrier. Woan showed him
a sgnet. He took it and reverently
placed it on his forehead, yet he still re-
fused to admit me. There was contro
versy between the doorkeeper and my
companions. and at last the elder guar
dian whistled shrily upon bone pipe
tied about his neck with strand of silk
A tall man suddenly appeared; l could
not see f ON whence. He was middle.
/ aged, athletic, and had mos: peculiar
cunning, self-possessed look of person
and intelligence.
"Tapada p exclaimed both of my com
panions at once, but the man, who was
/ naked except for breech cloth, took nc
notice of them. He put his hand heav-
lily, but not unkindlv, upon my breast,
gave me long, piercing look, and said,
in excellent French, care you brave
man ?" "Try mel! l said. Instantly,
without another word, he bandaged my
eyes with part of the long robe which
l wore; be snapped his fingers suddenly,
whispering in my ear, "Not word, for
your life!' and the next moment l found
myself seized in the hands of several
strong men, and borne some distance
along devious way, ascending and de-
scending several times. At last l was
put down, the bandage was quietly re-
moved, / found myself squatted on a
stone floor, between Soondatch and
Woun .Tajac, who, with bowed heads and
faces partly shrouded in their white
robes, squatted like statues Of Bohoda,
their shins Fat to the ground, their haun-
ches resting on their heels, their hands
spread palm downward on their knees.
their eyes detected ,and look Of devout
reverence and abstracted meditation in
their countenances. The light was dim
to my unaccustomed eyes, but all around,
as far as could see, were white -robed
worshippers, crouched in the same atti-
| ,uae of silent reverence
Suddenly there was wild and start
ling crash of barbaric music from under
the stage-gongs, drums, cymbals and
horns and with q wonderful alertness
and really indescribable effect band
of naked men came out from behind fhe
curtains, bearing each scented torch in
his hand, climbed the columns with the
agility of monkeys, and lighted each a
hundred lamps, strung from the base al
NEST Ct the columns sheer up to the
apex of the vault, which, I could now
see, rose in lofty dome, that pierced
far up into the interior of the pagoda
proper, the appearance Of which outside
l have described. The illumination OF
these multitudinous lamps was very
bright and brilliant, too soft to be daz-
zlins or overpowering,yet so penetrating
and peryasiye that one missed nothing