The Mineral argus., 1884-07-17
THE coNJURER.
Description of Some of His Tricks Very
Simple When You Know How.

simple When You Know How.
Correspondence Commercial Cincinnati.
THAT" said the amateur, occurred
near Tomnock, in the east. I was
younger then, and was travelling around
the country with the idea in my head
that the Office of Americans was to
teach the world, and, as a consequence,
[ often got left, as the Arabs say. On
this occasion 1 went ashore to spend the
night at a native village four or five
miles inland, where it was reported that
a famous iuggler lived. We were a
jolly party, all besides myself being
sailors, and having q hard time riding
on the native ponies they provided us
with; but after many capsizes we man
aged to reach our destination, where
we found the fakir, and made up 8
purse of about 50, without which moth
ing could be done. Some of his tricks
beat anything I ever came across.
He was a tall, thin, olive-hued fellow,
with long black hair caught up behind
aud tied with a string. He was ex-
tremely reticent, and all through the
performance neither smiled nor uttered
a word. The first trick was to arrange
our party about him in a circle of about
thirty feet in diameter, and we were so
close together that no one could pass
out without our knowing it. To prevent
such possibility he gave us a cord to
hold. This being done he and a smaller
native with a bundle of wood took their
places in the center. The young man
arranged the wood in a pile and lighted
it, when it blazed up thes older man
seized him, threw him upon the flames,
and held him down. Immediately there
arose a dense, suffocating smoke that
seemed a mixtue of flesh and sandal
wood. 1t rose about their
heads and spread about until
it completely hid them, and
from it came such groans and cries that
several of the men called out that we
had better lend a hand, as the boy was
being murdered. But Ireminded them
that it was only a trick, no matter how
realistic. We waited perhaps five min
utes, when the yells ceased and the
smoke gradually cleared away and there
stood the old fakir alone, the young
man having to all intents and purposes
been burned. He was scooping some
thing from the fre-evidently ashes
into a flask which was handed to us and
passed around-the cremated remains
of the assistant.
But" interrupted a gentleman at
the foot of the table, "didn't he slip out
in the smoke?" "There was no place
to go to-" was the reply, "as W were
in a clearing, away from the trees or
busher. But the strangest part is to
come," he continued. after passing
the flask around he took it back and
placed it in the center of the circle.
and, putting some wood under it, light
ed it. Almost Immediately the flask be-
gan to grow before our eyes; the fire
blazed, and a rich odor of sandalwood
foated about, and in ten minutes the
flask had expanded until it was the
size of a large key. The fire was then
put out, and we were beckoned to come
near and examine. touched it, and it
seemed a jar of earth made of plaster
or mud; it had a ringing sound as I
struck it with my seal-ring and to the
hand was hot. After looking it over we
returned to our places; the old fakir
took hammer, waved his hands in the
air, utlering some mystic words, and
struck the vessel a hard blow hat broke
it in pieces, when out stepped a
boy we had seen-or thought
we had seen-cremated, as bright as
you please. l should be glad to
have the trick solved, but have never
found any one who could explain it sat
isfactorily. Some averthat the old fa-
kir concealed the young man about his
person but that was simply impossible.
as l felt of the fakir myself, and he had
nothing on but a shirt open in the back
and a pair of trousers.
"These tricks are equally as remarka- |
ble," continued the story-teller, ''as
those Polo claims to have witnessed in
China years ago.
Zone of these consisted III the coniur-
Or taking a ball of wood that had been
perforated in many places, and through
which strings were passed, and hurting
into the air. Up it went, dragging the
cord after it, and finally disappearing.
The head man no" instructed a boy as
to mount, which he did, climb
nd up the cord until finally the specta-
5Ors lost sight of him, or they
they did. The fakir now
seemed to be in distress at
,osing him, and called loudly; then, as
rs if in rage, he seized the rope and
up after him, having a knife in
lis mouth. In a few minutes a dis
rendered leg, all bloody, fell to the