The Democratic advocate., 1880-11-06
Ghin9s Sbroad.
INDIAN FAKIRs.

We arc not told whether the Seven
Sleepers, who retired to cave in Ephesus
dnrlHg the reign Of the Christian killing
Emperor Decius, and only woke up 155
years afterward, when Theodosius Ii was
on the throne, made any special prepara-
tion, but probably they did not. Perhaps
1t was not necessary. Those were stirring
times for members Of the new faith, aud
they had little opportunity TO grow obese.
But, as a rule, TO fast successfully, it Is
said to be necessary for a man to abstain
beforehand, and reduce himself most care
fully to the required condition By long
course Of preparation. Pre-eminent at this
art Of suspending animation-for an art it
beeomes-are the Easterns; and most won
derful stories are told of the natives Of In
dia, which, whether their powers are due
to narcotics or any other process, seem to
open up--if true--a wide field Of medical
study. One of these Indian stories, not
easily accessible, but of considerable in.
terest on account of the known veracity Of
the witnesses, will probably be read with
interest at the present time, and is insert
ed here. The author of il is one Hon.
Capt, Osborn, and the notes made Of his
statement, here subjoined, come from an
almost unique copy printed for private
circulation.
FORTY DAYS hurled.
RuDjeet Singh had heard from n Seyd
or Fakir, who lived in the mounrains. that
the latter could allow himself to be buried
when in condition Of apparent death,
without really ceasing to live, seeing that
he understood the art of being brought
back to life on being exhumed after seye
raj months had passed. To the Mahara-
jah this appeared to be rank impossibili.
ty. In order, however, that be should be
convinced one way or the other, he ordered
the Fakir to be summoned TO the Court,
and caused him to undertake the singular
experiment, under a threat that no means
of precaution would be wanting toward the
discovery of fraud The Fakir conse.
quenty caused himself to appear in a state
of apparent death. When every spark of
life had seemingly vanished, he was, in
the presence Of the Maharajah and the
mobiles who surrounded him, wrapped up
in the linen on which he had been sitting,
and on which the seal Of Runjeet Singh
was placed. The body was then deposited
in chest, on which Runject Singh, with
his own hand, fixed heavy paddock. The
chest was carried outside the town and
buried in garden belonging TO the Min.
lister; barley was sown over the spot, wall
was erected around it, and seutinels posted.
On the fortieth day, when the chest con-
tanning the Fakir was dug up and opened
the man was found cold aud stark, ia pre.
ciscly the same condition as that in which
he had been left. With much trouble he
was restored to life by means Of heat an.
piled to the head, afflation iu the ears and
mouth, rubbing the body, &c. The Min.
ister, Rajah Dhyan.Sing, assured friend
that he had this Fakir, whose name was
Haridas, for period of four months upde,
the earth at Jummoo in the mountains
On the day Of his burial he had caused hi,
beard to be shaved off, and whom he wa,
taken up again his chin was Just as smooth
as on the day when he was consigned 10
the earth-a proof, as would seem, of sus
pended animation. 1t is related that the
Fnkir in question took purgative some
time before the burial display, and, for
several days afterwards, lived only on q
scanty milk diet. On the day OF the in.
terment it is said that, instead of takino
any nourishment, he swallowed thirty wards
of strip Of linen Of the breadth OF three
fingers, which he Immediately drew up
again, his object being to clean the stom.
aeh. However wonderful and perban.
laughable these operations appear to many
it is plain that these people must have q
singular control over the different organ,
OF their bodies, and more especially over
their muscular contractions. When al
the necessary preparations have been nc.
complished, the Fakir closes all the opon.
ings Of his body with shoppers made Of
aromatic wax, lays his tongue far back ia
his throat, crosses his hands on his breast
aud suspcnds animation by means Of hold.
ing his breath. Ga his being brought
back to life one of the first operations Is,
by means Of the fingers, to draw the tongue
away from the back Of the throat; warm
and aromatic paste made of meal is then
placed on his head, and air is blown into
his lungs and into the ear-holes, from
which the wax shoppers have been removed,
the shoppers in the nostrils being presently
forced out with an explosive noise. This
is said to be the first sign of return to
life. llo then gradually commences to
breathe, opens the eyes, and recoyers con.
sciousness, continuous friction of the body
being carried on all the time.
THE DISAGREEMENT.
Here is a further curious statement of
opinion on the subject of the Indian sto.
ries from an equally rare source, the little
pamphlet Of Sir Claude Wade, published
in 1887, | was present, he write !, at the
Court Of Runjeet Singh when the Fakir,
mentioned By the Hon. Capt. Osborne,
was buried alive for six weeks; and. al.
though | arrived few hours after his &C.
tual interment, and did not, consequently.
witness that part Of the phenomenon, /
had the testimony of Runjeet Singh him
self, and others of the most credible wit
ncsses of his Court, 10 the truth of the
Fakir having been buried before them;
and, from my having been myself present
when he was disinterred, and restored to
a state Of perfect vitality 10 position so
close to him as to render any deception
impossible, it is my firm belief that there
was no collusion in producing the extraor.
dinary sight which | have 10 relate. /
will briefly state what | saw, TO enable
others to judge Of the weight due to my
evidence, and whether my proof Of colIu-
sion can, in their opinion, be detected.
On the approach Of the appointed time,
according to invitation, | accompanied
Runjeet Singh, to tho spot where the Fakir
had been buried. II was in square
building, called bdrra dura, in the mid.
die Of one Of the gardens adjoining the
Palace at Lahore, with an open yeranda
all round, having an inclosed room in the
centre. On arriving there, Runieet Singh,
who was attended 90 the occasion by tho
whole Of his Court, dismounted from his
elephant, asked INC to join him in examin-
ing the building to satisfy himself that il
was closed as he had left il. After our
examination we seated ourselves in tho
yeranda opposite the door, while some Of
RuBjeet Singh's people dug away the mud
wall, and one Of bis officers broke the seal
and opened the paddock. When the door
was thrown open nothing but dark room
was 10 be seen. Runicet Singh and INV.