Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-10-27


The so-called spiritual medium of
the present day bears q closer resem-
blance, in methods and manipulations.
to the well-known coniurer Of history
than any other representative Of the
magic art. How far short he still re-
mains Of the performances Of his pro-
totype is illustrated below.
Tn 1915 delegation Of highly ed
ucated and distinguished men HON the
English East India Company visited
the Emperor Jehangire. While on
their mission they Witnessed many
most wonderful performances, almost
causing them to discredit their senses,
and far beyond any hint even Of so
luton. A party of Bengalese conjur-
ers and jugglers, showing their art
before the Emperor. were desired to
produce upon the spot, and from seed,
ten mulberry trees They Immediate
ly planted ten seeds, which in few
minutes produced as many trees. The
ground divided over the spot, when q
seed was planted, tiny leaves appear
ed, # once fpllQxnd BIZ slender ahaots,
which rapidly gained elevation, put
ting outleaves and twigs and branches,
finally spreading wide in the air, bud
ding, blossoming and yielding fruit.
which matured on the spot, and was
found to be excellent. And this be-
fore the beholder had turned away
his eyes. Fig, almond, mango fhd
walnut trees were at the same time
under like conditions produced, yield
ing the fruit which belonged to each.
Wonder succeeded wonder. The
branches were filed with birds of beau
tiful plumage. fitting about among
the leaves and singing sweet notes.
The leaves turned 10 russet, fell from
their places. branches and twigs with
cred. and finally the trees sank back
into the earth, ont Of which they had
all sprung within the hour.
The same conjurers performed Sc
ries of marvels One of them pro-
duced a chain fifty cubits in length.
One end Of this he threw into the air,
when the chain rapidly ran out its
whole length. and remained fixed in
the air as If fastened against the sky.
A dog was then placed upon the chain,
when he ran up to the further end, and
at once disappeared heavenward. A
hog. panther, and other large ami
mails were successfully despatched up
this erial pathway. and each in turn
disappeared from the far end. Nor
We're they seen again; and finally the
chain was withdrawn and placed in q
bag for convenient carriage. s.
Another had bow and about fifty
steel pointed arrows. He shot an ar
row into the air, when, lol the arrow
became fixed In space at q considera-
bic height. Another and another ar
row was sent of, each fixing itself in
the shaft of the preceding. until all
had formed a chain of arrows in the
air. excepting the last shot, which
striking the chain. brought the whole
10 the ground in detachments.
They set up two common tents IA.
cling each other, about bow shot
apart These tents were critically ex-
amined by the spectators, as are the
cabinets Of the mediums, and pro-
nounced empty. The tents were fas-
tened to the ground, all around. The
lockers on were then invited 10 choose
what animals or birds they would have
issue from these tents to engage in
battle Kahaun-e-J Jahann, increda-
ously asked TO see . fight betweea os-
triches. In few inmates an ostrich
came out from each tent. rushed to
combat with deadly earnestness. and
from them the blood soon began to
stream; but they were 20 nearly
matched that neither could win the
victory. and they were at last separa-
ted By the coniurers and conveyed
within the tents. After this the va
ried demands Of the spectators for
birds or beastS were complied with,
alwAEs with the same ressIlfs.
1hey took man and apparently
severed Emb from limb, actually at
last cutting of bis head, as It appear
ed. They scattered these members
along the ground for considerable
distance. and allowed them 10 remain
for some tine- GATHERING them To-
gether. they spread over these re-
mains sheet, under which one Of
the juggIers erawled. and s0on came
out foilowsd By the man Who had
been discovered n0w sound IN every