Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-06-27


entertained few friends in Omaha with
some of his experiences in India, which
may prove interesting reading.
Naturally on his first visit to India
Hermann was curious to see something
of the famous jugglers of whom travellers
have told such marvellous tales. He went
out of his way to meet any famous per-
former who could only be reached in that
manner, and the result was that between
the time he landed at Calcutta and the
time he embarked at Bombay he had wit
messed about everything of note in the
juggling line that the country afforded.
The opinion he formed after securing
all they could show him was that, apart
from their skill as snake charmers, in the
basket trick, and one or two other illu-
sions, the ability of the entire fraternity
of Indian jugglers is beneath contempt.
Il had heard great deal about the
wonderful mango trick, )" said this mod
ern Merlin, in which the native jugglers
were said to plant a mango seed in the
earth, whence it would be seen to sprout
and gradually grow into full size mango
tree, blossom and ripen fruit in full view
of the spectators.
"They further declared that the fruit
would be handed around to whomever
cared to taste it. Stories to this effect
had been told by so many travellers of
reputc that really expected to find some
merit in the trick. At Allahabad, Gavin
pore, Lucknow, Delhi, and Bombay saw
native jugglers who did the trick, and
each time they performed it precisely as
follows: The fakirs usually five or six in
number, would squat on the ground and
the spokesman would ask the spectators
to select spot of earth on which they
desired the trick to be performed This
being done, he would pick up the earth
with small pointed instrument in order
to make a soft spot; then putting up a
skeleton frame of tripod shape he would
throw a shawl or cloth without which
the fakir would be like ship without a
rudder) over it, so as to make sort of tent
One of the con- jurers, wearing a long
robe with side sleeves, would then pro-
duce mango seed, and placing both
hands and arms under the improvised
tent would plant the seed, his hands and
during the operation. His comrades
would then perform some simple tricks
with cups, balls, etc, after which the
cover over the tripod would be removed
and small sprout would be seen in the
side of the mango seed.
when the cover was again thrown
over the tripod the fellow with the long
sleeves would once more put his arms
under the tent so formed. After another
interval of three or four minutes the
cover would be again removed and there
would be seen branch of the mango
tree about two feet in height, bearing a
few mangoes, some green, Others ripe.
"The secret of this trick is very simple
and so shallow that it requires little ex-
planation. The man who placed his
hands under the cover first inserted the
sprout in the seed, and the next time he
drew from his ample sleeves a branch cut
from neighboring mango tree and
thrust the cut end into the earth, which
had previously been softened."
Some one then asked Hermann if he had
ever seen the trick performed of throwing
ball of twine in the air to form a sort of
Jack and the-b -bean-stock, up which the
juggler climbed out of sight, pulling the
string after him, and that the pistol shot
of companion conjurer brought the
aerial climber to the earth in fragments,
which, when brought together, became a
living, uninjured man again.
mo, l never saw that trick, replied
Hermann, and the people who believe
it can be done must have their brains
stepped in hasheesh. You hear of this
trick in India, but somehow never was
able to find con jurer who would at
tempt it. Most of the wonders attributed
to Oriental jugglers have never existed
outside of the imaginations of those who
tell them.
THE feats of snake charming, how
ever, are marvellous, and, if tricks, they
utterly defy detection. When l was at
Allahabad fellow came into my room
with nothing on but breech clout and
said: Plenty big snake here, Sahib.
Plenty big snake in the room.' I told
him to go off; that 1 had seen all his
snake tricks, and did not want to be
bothered, but he insisted upon it that
there were plenty OF SNAKES IN the room,
SO told him to go ahead and call them
out if there were any.
He stood up in the middle of the room
and began to play on sort of flute he
had with him. Now, mind you, there
was no furniture in the room but cot
bed and two or three chairs. He had not
played two minutes before saw the sheet
on the bed rise up till it looked like a
small tent, ank then an enormous cobra
crawled out and coiled itself on the floor
with its head erect and its tongue darting
out in anger.
an an instant saw other snakes crawl
ing from all corners of the apartment and
they placed themselves alongside their
companion. The fakir, still playing on
his flute, led the way to the door and the
snakes followed him. He paused at the
threshold and they reared their heads in
anger. just as was beginning to get
nervous another fakir crept up behind
them and cut their heads off with sharp
sword which he carried.
"Now have no other explanation for
this trick than that the snakes were
trained to wind themselves around the
bodies of the men underneath the breech