Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-03-24
MEN WHO EAT FIRE.

,vs ps,,.h a Diet OF Biazi"G
Goals.
The earliest mention Of Ore eaters 10 Eng
land IA to be found in Sir Henry ~.
correspondenee under date June y iO'S
says; ..n In
ssThere "a a strange thing to be seen ~
london for a couple of pence when AnoN
not whether l should call piece OF arr w
nature. IL is an Englishman, IKE som0
swabbcr OF . ship come from 'ne inu'es'
where he has learned 10 eat nre Is isin'v
"a ever saw suy eat cakes, even whole gov
Ing brands, which be will crush VITA ns
,..,h ana swallow, l believe he hath been
hard famlshed 10 the Terra del tuesH ON 'ne
south OF the Magellan strait" o.,oh.r
Evelyn- IN his diary under date OF OctooeT
a 1871 elves a graphic account OF th9 re-
murkable feats OF another hte-ea~h
created q great sensation In his day.
az took leave Of my Lady sunderland, nho
WAS going 10 Paris 10 my lord, nov AmbAs-
ssdor there. She made me stay 10 dinner ~
IeIeester house, and afterward sent los
Riehardaon. the famous tire-eAter. lie acVout-
ed brimstone on glowing Goals before US,
chewing and swallowing themi ne melto a :
beere glasse aud cate Il quite up lhen 1AAIns
live coale on his tongue he put y on nIAn
oyster. the cOale was blown on win bellows
Till IL iamed and sparkled In his moulhs, Anu
so remained until the oyster gaped anu was
sTben he melted pitch and wax with sui;
phur. which he drank dOWne As IL nAneu l
saw Il flaming 10 his mouthe good WINE pc
also tooke up thick piece OF iron, suen AZ
Ianndresses use to put In their smoothing
boxes. when 1t was nery hot held y between
Ills teeth, then in his hand, aud then threw
II about like stone; but this observed, ne
cared not to hold very long. Then ne atooue
on a small pot and bending his body, locke
glowing iron with bis monthe rom petNeea
his feete, without touching the pot OF kiOunu
with his hands, with divers other proiigtous
featsn -
Riehardson,s secret wss disclosed By bis
servant about the time Evelyn made his entry.
According 10 his servants showing con,
| sisted only In rubbing tho hAnds anu
thoroughly washing the mouth, Ups, tonKuss
| teeth and other parts which were 10 toueh
the fire with pure spirits OF sulphur.
By this means the epidermis, or upper skin,
was burnt and eauteFlzed until II became az
| hard a. thick leather The bad effects which
the frequent swallowing OF redhoi Goals, melt
ed sealingEaI, resin, birthstone ana otheI
calclned aud inhammable matter might hAye
had upon the stomach were prevented by
drinking plentiful draughts Of warm water
and oil as soon as he bad left the company,
until he had yomited IL all up again.
Another hre-eater was De Helterkett,
native Of AnuiYl In Savoy, who flourish
ed at the beginning OF the eighteenth CEN
| tury.
This Individual ate burning coal chewed
| and swallowed burning birthstone. licked q
redhot poker. placed redbot heater on hli
| tongue, ate melted pitch, beesHaI, sealing
wax, and resin with a spoon, as 40 ordinary
mortal takes soup kindled Goals on M
| tongue and brolled meat upon them, and, Il
I 80 - IL. NFaHHa Ill
| five times a day at the duke Of Marlborough
head, IN Fleet street. his prices being half I
crown, IS pence and shilling.
De Helterkslt bad the honor OF exhibiting
bescre Louis XIV, the emperor OF
Au@,rla, the king OF Sicily And th'
dodge Of Venice, and, his name hAVinI
reached the inanisltion, that molly Office pro
posed experimenting on him 10 hud gu
| whether be Was fireprOof externally as well Al
| internally He was preserved from this un
pleasant ordeal, however, By the interference
! of the dutchess royal, regent Of SAVOY.
But the most famous OF all hre-eaters wa
Robert Powell, who WAS before tbs puGlie foi
nearly sixty years, aud was seen By many no
BILE aud distinguished men--smong Others b.
| the dukes Of Cumberland aud Gloucester and
| Sir Hans Sloane. Mainly through the instru
| mentality OF this last named, the royal sOcletl
| in 1851 presented Powell with purse Of Eolt
and large silver medal
mere Is MS programmed
First-He eats red-hot Goals out Of the hr'
as natural as bread.
Second-He lleks with the naked tongue red
hot tobacco pipes. flaming with birthstone.
Third-le takes n large bunch Of dsa
matches. lights them altogether and hold
them in his mouth Til the fame Ia exlingnlsh
ed.
Fourth-He takes q red.hOt heater out o
| the ire, ticks II with his tongue several time
and carries It around the room begEeen hl
| teeth.
Ftflh-He ills his mouth with red.hod char
coal and broils . slice OF beef or mutton ~
| his tongue, and any rersOn may blow the Or
with pair Of bellows At the same time.
Slxth-He takes quantity Of resin. pitch
beesWaK, sealing war, birthstone, alum an
lead, rlelts them together over chAhug dis
OF Goals and eats the same with a spoon as
| Il were a pOrrlngeT OF broth, 20 the great an
agreeable surprise Of the spectators, etc.
The last tiTe-eater OF whom We shall spea
| ls Chamouiu, who bad the name % the Rnl
| sian SalamaBder.n He was remarkable a.
/ simplicity aud singleness OF his character
| In swallowing fire. He was above all artlhcs
and would often entreat his visitors to mel
their own lead or boil their own mercury, %
tssy might be perfectly satisfied Of hls gent
ineness and OF the qualification be had
| drinking these liquids
He would also present his tongue in N
most oblging manner TO all who wished d
| allow them to pour moulten lead upon II, an
| n they chose stamn IN impression With the
seals London I'd Bttt.