The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-10-06
A STORY FROM INDIA.
Il L. Very Tough, but Nobody Is
Compelled to Believe it.

A traveller from India relates the
following trick of the fakirs, which, il
true, certainly out Heudinizes Houdin,
says the Boston Home Journal. A fakir
makes a wager with some skeptical
person or persons, generally officers OF
the British army, that he will allow
himself to be buried in the earth "frOm
corn to corn" a period of about six
months. When the arrangements are
completed the takir betakes himself tO
his family, probably for the purpose OF
going through n course OF treatment.
He is then brought forth dressed in the
flannel, which is the chief article OF ap.
parel among his class. Every oDe who
desires is permitted to witness what
occurs from this point.
The man is then laid upon the ground
by his brother fakirs, and his tongue
is thrust upward and backward into
his throat and there secured. This is
probably done, physicians think, tc
prevent the flow of saliva. His knees
are then drawn up and his head thrust
down between them, bringing him into
as small a compass as possible. In thit
position he is allowed to remain unit
such time a. he becomes unconscious
and his respiration imperceptibie. L
is supposed that Inconsistencies is pro
duced by the position of the tongue
He is then placed in a rubber bag tC
protect him from all moisture, and thu
bag is sealed up. BY this time physi.
| clans claim that he has passed through
the comatose state, and into a state o
coma only one emove from death.
The persons who have made thu
wager are then allowed to select tn,
spot in which they wish the body bur
led, there being but II restric.
ton imposed upon them, which is tina
they shall select a place slightly eleva'
ted above the surrounding country, il
order that the water or moisture ma
not settle about the buried fakir. Ii,
is buried in plain view of all. Owe
him the ground is narrowed and cor
sewed aud reaped. In M instanc,
where this trick was performed tn,
officers who laid the wager kept tw,
sentinCls, who were relieved according
to regular military custom, pacing owe
the body of the buried fakir both nigh
and day from the time he was interre,
to the time he was exhumed in thei
presence.
When the six months or thereabou
had expired the body was d%isinterre'
and laid upon the ground in the pres
ence of a considerable audience. Ate
u sholt time the rubber bag was re
moved, are being taken to keep tn
body always on its right side, an,
another interval occurred. Then th
flannel covering was loosened an
shortly after the tongue was brough
back to its proper position. The bod
was then raised to a standing position
and carried about between two fakir
until its limbs became capable G
motion. These demonstrations wer
continued but a short time before tn
fakir, to the satisfaction of his audi
ence, walked up and down unaide,
several times before them and then de
parted alone to his home to be care,
for by his family.
Medical men who we're present d
this experiment and were allowed I
examine the fakir when exhume
asserted that they were unable to detec
the slightest evidence of circulation b
feeling of the pulse or heart.