The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-10
The Charmers OF Hfndoostan

Many of these Hindoo jugglcrs who live
in The silence of the pagodas perform fcats
far surprising the prestidigitations of Rob-
crt Houdin, and there are so many others who
produce the most curious phenomena in
magnetism and catalepsy upon the fine OBJ
Jccts that came across their way, that
have often wondered whether the brahmins
with their occult science have not made
great discoveries in the questions which
have recently been agitatcd in Europe.
On one occasion while and others were
in cafe with Sir Maswcll, he ordered his
dobochy to introduce the charmer. In a
few moments Il lean Hindoo, almost naked,
with all ascctic face and bronzed color, en-
tered. Around his neck, arms, legs and
body, were coiled serpents of different sizes.
And saluting us, he said:
'God be with you, am Cribb Chondcr,
son of Chnh- Gontnalp- Nave"
eve desire to see what you can do, -
said our host
81, obey the orders of silva. who sent me
here, replied the fakir, squatting down
upon one Of the marble slabs
The serpents raised theirhcads and hisscd,
but without showing any anger. Then
taking a small pipe, attached to wick in
his hair, he produced scarcely audible
sounds initiating the tailspcca, bird that
feeds upon bruised cocoanuts Here the
serpents uncoiled themselves, and one after
another gldcd to the floor AS soon as
they touched the ground they raised about
one-third of their bodies, and began to keen
time to their masters music. Suddenly tho
fakir dropped his instrument and made sew
cral passes with his hands over the serpcnts,
OF whom there were about ten, all of the
most deadly cobra species of India. His
eye assumed strange expression. We felt
an undefinable uneasincss, and sought to
turn away our gaze from him. At this
moment sllocra, whose business was to
hand fire in small brazicr for lighting
yielded to his influence, lay down and fell
asleep. Five minutes passed thus, and we
1elt that II the mampulations were to con-
tinuc few seconds more we should all fall
| asleep. Chondor then rose and making
TWO more passes over the shocra, said to It.:
''Glve the commander some fire."
The young servant rose, and, without
tottcring, came and offered fire to it's mas
ter. He was pinched and pulled about, till
there was no doubt of his being actually
asleep. Nor would he move from Sir Mas
Wells side till ordered to do so by the fakir.
We then examined the cobras. Para
lyzed by magnetic influence, they lay at
full length upon the ground. On taking
them up we found them as stiff as sticks.
They were in state of complete catalepsy.
They fakir awakened them and they re-
turned and coiled themselves round his body.
On asking if he could make us feel his in
fiucnce, he made few passes over our legs.
and instantly we lost the use of them; we
could not leave our seats. He then released
us as easily as he had paalyzed us. Chibb-
Chandor closed his seance by experimenting
upon inanimate objects. BY mere passes
with his hands in the direction of the object
to be acted upon, and, without leaving his
seat, he paled and extinguished lights in the
tarthest parts of the room, moved the furn-
turc, including divans upon which we sat,
opened and closed doors. Catching sight
of a Hindoo who was drawing water from n
well in the garden, he made pass in his
direction, and the rope suddenly stopped in
it's descent, resisting all the efforts of the
astonished gardener. With another pass
the rope again d seconded.
'Do you employ the same means in act
ing upon inanimatc objects that you do up
on living things 2" asked
81 have ONLY one MEANS" he replied.
"What is it2'
''The will. Man, who is the result of all
intellectual and material forces, must dom
mate over all. The Brahmins know moth
ing beside this"