The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-10-28

room was to be seen. Runjeet Singh
and myself then entered it,in company
with the servant of the fakir, and, a
light being brought, we descended
about three feet below the floor of the
room into a sort of cell. where a wooden
box, about four feet long by three feet
broad, with a sloping roof, contained
the fakir, the door of which had also
a paddock and seal similar to
that OH the outside. On opening
1t we saw a figure inclosed in a
bag of white linen, fastened by a string
over the head, on the exposure Of
which grand salute was fired and the
surrounding multitude came crowdine
to the door to see the spectacle. After
they had gratifiel their curiosity, the
fakir's servant, putting his arms into
the box took the figure out closing the
door, placed it with it's back against it,
exactly as the fakir had been squatting
like Hindu idoD in the box itself.
Runjeet Singh and myself descended
into the cell, which was so small we
were only able to sit on the ground in
front of the body and so close to it as
to touch it with our hands and knees.
The servants then began pouring warm
water over the figure, but as my OBJ
JecU was to see if any fraudulent prac-
tees could be detected, l proposed to
RunJeet Singh to tear open the bag and
have perfect view of the body before
any means Of resuscitation were en-
ployed. | accordingly did so, and may
here remark that the bag when first
seen by us looked mildewed, as if it
had been buried for some time. The
legs and arms of the body We're shrivel-
ed and stiff, the face full, the head re-
cllned on the shoulder like that of a
corpse. | then called to the medical
gentleman who was attending me to
come down and inspect the body,
which he did, but could discover no
pulsation in the heart, the temples, or
the arms. There was, however, heat
about the region of the brain which no
other part exhibited. The servant then
commenced bathing him with warm
water and gradually relaxing his arms
and legs from the rigid state in which
they were contracted, Runjeet Singh
taking his right and and his left leg to aid
by friction in restoring to their proper ac-
ton, during which time the servant
placed a hot wheaton cake, about an
inch thick, on the top of the head-a
process which he twice or thrice repeat
ed. He then pulled out of his nostrils
and ears the wax and cotton with
which they had been stopped, and after
great exertion opened his mouth by
inserting the point of a knife between
his teeth, and while holding his Jaw
open with his left hand drew the
tongue forward with his right in the
course of which the tongue flew back
several times to its curved position up
ward, in which it had originally been.
so as to close the gullet He then
rubbed his eyes with ghee Tor clarified
butter? for some seconds, till he sue
ceeded in opening them, when the
eyes appeared quite motionless and
glazed. After the cake had been ap-
piled for the third time to the top of
the head the body was violently con
vulsed, the nostrils became inflated,
when respiration ensued, and the limbs
began to assume natural fulness; but
the pulsation was still family percepti-
BILE. The servant then put some of the
ghee on his tongue and made | i'm
swallow it. A few minutes afterward
the eye-balls ,dilated, and recovered
there natural color, when the fakir
recognized Runjeet Singh sitting close to
him, and articulated in a low sepulchral
tone, scarcely audible. DO you believe
me now?' Runjeet Singh replied in
the, affirmative, and invested the fakir
with a pearl necklace and superb pair
ofgold bracelets, and pieces Of silk and
muslin, and shawls, forming what is
called a khelat, such as is usually con-
ferred by the princes of India on per-
sons Of distinction. | share entirely in
the apparent incredibility of the fact of
man being buried alive and surviving
the trial without food or drink for vari-
Gus periods of duration; but, however
incompatible with our knowledge of
physiology, in the absence, of any visi-
BILE proof to the contrary, am bound
to declare my belief in the facts which
| have represented, however impossible
their existence may appear to others"