The Osceola times., 1884-11-01
INDIAN JUGGLERS.
BY AN ANGLo-INDIAN.


10 at all times entertaining; and those
who have had the pleasure of witnessing
the performances of such accomplished
professors of the art of magic as the late
Wizard of the North, or Messrs. Maske-
lyme and Cooke, of the Egyptian Hail.
london, are moi likely soon 10 forget the
same. In Britain, however, it is only
now and again that a magician of the
frst-class, who is likewise a native Of the
British Isles, appears. Eminent British
jugglers are few and far between. But
in the ancient East, magic is, and has
from time immemorial been, much more
generally cultivated India, as every
one who has resided in our great tropi-
cal dependency knows, counts its jugglers
by thousands. Indeed magic is there a
recognized calling or business; it de-
scends from father to sou; and an Indian
juggler, be he Mussulman or Hindue,
would not dream OF teaching his son any
other business than his own-that of
magic. And so il comes about that the
supply of Indian jugglers is both large
and continuous. The Indian juggler is
a very humble individual; he does not
appear before his audience in the glory
of evening dress; his only costume is a
cloth bound round his loins. And thus.
if coat-sleeves or pockets at all assist in
magic, the Indian juggler is at decided
disadvantage, for both his arms and leg.
are bare. He is thin, an unnaturally
thin, wiry- looking individual-the In
dian juggler. do not know why he
should be thin, but do not recollect
ever having seen fat Indian juggler.
Fat natives Of India there are plenty, as
those who have travelled on Indian rail.
roads know to the detriment of their ol-
factory nerves; but can not recall sin
gle fat Indian magician. Again, the In
dian juggler does not appear before his
aud ence with the swagger of the man
who knows his power 10 command the
applause of crowded houses. On the
contrary, he appears meekly before you
at the foot of your veranda steps, obse-
quiously salaaming, quite prepared to be
turned away with rough words, but hop.
ing to be invited up the steps to perform
for he knows that ifhe once reaches the
top of the veranda steps he will, an hour
thereafter, be one rupee, perhaps two
rupees, richer, and he will thus have
earned his living for week. Not very
liberal remuneration this, you may
think; and vet it is fact that a juggler
whose receipts amounted to ten rupees
say eighteen shillings in one month
would consider himself a fortunate
man.
His performance is remarkable one,
though perhaps not more remarkable
than first-class exhibi lion of magic in
Britain. But between the British and
the Indian juggler there is one great and
important difference The former has
all the usual elaborate paraphernalia Of
home magical entertainments pre-.
pared stage, back curtains, table, chairs,
boxes, &c; the latter has nothing of the
sort-all his appliances are contained in
a cotton bag which he carries about with
him; he is nearly naked, and his stage
is the ground or the stone floor of YER
anda. Very often two or three jugglers
combine and pay visits to the bunga-
lows, thus giving variety to the perform
ance, for each juggler has his own tricks.
Recently had a visit from an amalga-
mated troupe consisting of seven MEM
bers-fve men, one woman and boy.
Probably the seven had conjeined their
entertainments for that particular day
only, and next day they might be per
forming separately again. If give a
description of what this party of seven
did you will have fair idea of a Juggling
entertainment in India.
Two OF the seven-one man and the
woman-performed a single trick only,
namely, the famous basket trick. The
man took an oblong basket about two
feet long, one foot broad, and, say foot
and half high. The woman was bound
hand and foot with ropes, and put into
net made ofrope, which was securely
tied, so that she was practically in a sack
of network. She was then lifted and
placed into the basket on her knees.
But two-year-old child would have FL
led the basket, and the result was that
the whole Of tie woman's person from
the loins upward was above the basket.
The woman bent her head; the jugcler
placed the lid OF the basket on her shoul-
der, and then threw sheet over the
whole-hiding both woman and basket
from view. In about minute he pulled
away the sheet, folding it up in his
hands, and behold, the lid was in its
proper place, and the woman was gone.
The juggier now took sword about five
feet long and with it he pierced the has.
ket through and through in all direc-
tions, horizontally, diagonally, upward