Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-01-12
EXTRAORDINARY FEAT.
Exhibition of HyPnotism BY Fakfr
I'm India,
From a Foreign Letter.

l kAAOA AIRY FEAT.
Exhibition of Hypnotism by a Fakfr
| I'm India.
| From Foreign letter.
The most extraordinary feat performed by
| the fakirs of India is, undoubtedly, that of
| being buried alive, an account of which was
published recently in a Vienna paper by DIR.
Hon1gberger, former court physician to the
raJah of Lahore, and corroborated by Sir
Claudius Wade, English envoy resident of
| throws the forty days fasting of DR.. Tanner
| completely into the shade. The preparations
made by these fakirs when about to subject
themselves to the danger of inhumation are
| thus described by the doctor
| 1.-The first duty consists in tie construc-
| ton of tomb or cave from which the air
and light can be wholly excluded, to be en-
tered by small door, which is walled up
| with clay as soon as the fakir enters This
| cave is provided with soft bed formed of
| sheepsk1ns and cotton. In order to aecus-
/ tom himself to this abode, the experimentist
begins by remaining here at first but few
hours every day, increasing the time to sey-
eIal days, or until he can almost wholly ex-
lst without air. During this preliminary in
haoltatlon OF his tomb, he passes his time in
/ meditation upon the power of divinity,
chanting his prayers, and counting the Bra
| hamic chaplet until he is able to pronounce
| 5000 words in less than twelve hours He
| also accustoms himself to positions in which
the feet are elevated in the air and the head
hanging down near to the earth, or the limbs
| bent, doubled, and twisted into all sorts of
contortions.
IN TRAINING FOR THE TRIAL
After this practice with the hinges of the
body comes the training of the respiratory
organs. Beginning by holding his breath
for five minute he soon succeeds in holding
1t twenty. He also practices the feat of infa-
ting his lungs, allowing the air to escape by
degrees, until the power he acquires in this
direction is something marvellous Then fol-
low the weekly incisions of the under mus
cles of the tongue, twenty-four of which are
made, when this organ becomes susceptible
OF being curved SO as to completely close the
opening of the larynx. To accelerate this OBJ
lect the tongue is frequently treated with as
tringent oils, and rolled back and manip11-
lated by the finger for hours. In addition to
these special preparations, the takir observes
the rules OF his caste, notably that of alb
staining from all animal food After
having eaten, to remove all particles adher-
ing to the coating of the stomach, he swal-
lows, at regular intervals, a narrow strip of
linen, which he soon withdraws from the
mouth again. After the accomplishment of
this severe course OF training, which requires
several months, the fakir is ready to under
take the trial of inhumation.
The most noted of the fakirs who had
passed through this ceremony was Harides,
"uOSe Durla1 WAS Witnessed Dy LIZ. t1OnlgDel-
ger, and whose portrait is now in his posses
sion.
On the day appointed, in the presence Of
the court and large concourse of people, |
Harides appeared in their midst, and, seating |
himself upon white shroud crossed his |
legs and turned his face toward the east His |
countenance was serene and his expression e1-
allied. Centering his eyes upon the extre1ni-
ty of his nose, in short space of time the |
magnetic catalepsy was produced. The eyes |
gradually closed, and the limbs be- |
came rigid. The servant of the fakir-Har- |
ides being an ascetic of the highest order
hurried forward to close his eyes and plug
the apertures of his nose with linen satur-
ated with melted wax. Wrapping the body |
in it's shroud be closed it over the fakir's
head, tying the ends firmly, after which the
body presented the appearance of a filed
sack. This knot was sealed with the seal of |
the rajah, and the body, now inclosed in a
wooden box, sealed in like manner, was
placed in the cave, the door of which was
closed sealed, and walled in with clay. This |
tomb was guarded day and night, ard thou
sands of pious Hindoos remained about the |
spot, glorifying the saint who was believed |
now to be enjoying the special favor of Brah-
ma. 1t was time of great religious exalta-
tion.
RoUsED FROM HIS LONG SLEEP.
When the day agreed upon for Harides' |
exhumation arrived the raj jah and his court |
appeared at the tomb. Ordering the dried |
clay to be removed, and examining the seals |
of the door and finding them intact, he caused |
the cave to be opened. Nothing had been
everything remained when the
fakir entered upon his long sleep.
The doctor upon touching the shroud found |
it covered with moisture. Upon the servants |
removing the body from the box he allowed |
it to stand upright against the cover for
some moments while he proceeded to pour
warm water over the top of the sack. Upon
the removal of the snck the doctor requested
to be allowed to examine the bodysbefore any
attempt was made at resuscitation. He
found the legs and arms wrinkled and
stiff, the head resting upon the right shoul-
der; no pulsation il the arms or legs was dis |
cernible, nor in the region of the heart. The
whole body was cold with the exception of |
the head upon which the warm water had
been poured. The servant was now hurried
y occupied in bathing the body, after which
be vigorously rubbed the limbs, arms and
body with coarse linen cloths. Applications
IF warm cataplasms were made upon the
lead, to be repeated as soon cooled The
linen plugs were removed from the nostrils
and the mouth opened, but the fakir still re-
NAMED inanimate and the doctor began to |
loubt the possibility of his resuscitation, al
;hough repeatedly assured that such would
De the case, Harides having several times be-
:ore passed some time in state of suspend |
ID animation.
A knife was now brought, and the tongue
lnrolled and placed in its normal position.
It would not stay, and the servant was
obliged to use force for time to hold it in
place. The eyelids were rubbed with oil,
md the servant raised them. The eyes ap- |
oeared CLASSY and staring. After several ap
olications of the warm cataplasm upon the
,ranium the body was noticed to tremble
lightly, the nostrils to dilate, the pulse to
eebly move, and the limbs to become more
,liable. Upon covering the tongue with oil
II butter again, it was seen to move percepti-
,ly, and the eyes to partially recover their
brightness. The fakir was, indeed, return
ng to life. For some moments he appeared
ngaged in collecting his wandering thoughts,
which, when accomplished, he turned to the
a. jah and calmly inquired
''Do you believe in me nowF'
The whole process of resuscitation had oc-
upied somewhat more than an hours time.
weak and partially dazed in his
conceptions, the fakir was carried to the resi-
lence of the rajah, where he was seated at
he head of the royal table, clothed with a
,obe of honor, a chain Of pearls placed about
lis neck, and gold bracelets eneircling his
wrists. For six weeks he had lain in his
grave, and the feast was ordered in honor of
lis return to life
COIN COLLECTING.