Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1893-10-19
ASTOUNDING MAGIC.
TftRlLLlNe fsATs PERFoRMED BY
ANCIENT oRiEsFA WceLEes. :

Tales which Mortified our forefathers
while they were trusting and ignorant,
whichs stirred a later generation to mirth
and were dismissed at length as thread
bare lests become interesting again now
that we can perform these miracles our
selves. The best Of our conjurers' tricks
have been learned in the east, and in
many instances they have improved on
the original. But it is not certain that
their modus operandi is the same.
The most ingenious professor in Ed
rope might despair when set to achieve
that feat which is the first trial of an as
pirant among the Kalzhuens, as Sir z.
slade describes it. The neophyte must
climb ladder of which the rungs are
naked swords, edge upward, and sit
upon a platform thiclly studded with
spikes for an uncertain time before he
even "goes up for examination"-and
this in the open air among crowd Of
tribesmen.
OF the stories told by the Ibn Batuta
some have been verified, so tospeak, but
not all. One day, when he was talking
with Mohammed TughlalS at Delhi,
three Yogees approached, and the en-
peror told them to astonish his guest.
Forthwith one took the form Of q cube,
rose into the air and hung above their
heads. I'm Batuta tainted promptly, but
the emperor gave him a draft which
brought him to in an instant.
It has been suggested by those who
can read the original text that this must
have been alcohol in some form. How
ever, when he recovered his senses the
object was still suspended. The second
Yogee then snatched sandal from ono
of the bystanders and struck it sharply
on the ground, thereupon the sandal
mounted and slapped the cube, as If
upon the face, when down the Yogee
fell. Mohammed TughlalS promised to
show his guests things yet more surpris-
ing, but Ibn was seized with palpita-
ton of the heart, which put a stop to the
entertainment for that time. Perhaps
there was no draft handy.
On another occasion, however, some
Chinese jugglers gave performances.
"ln my presence" says this respectable
traveller, "they produced n chain so GU
bits long which they tossed upward, and
it stood erect. A dog was then brought
forward. 1t ran up on the chain and on
gaining the top vanished. In the same
manner a boy, panther, tiger and a
lion mounted one after another and dis
appeared. At last they took down the
chain and put it into bag, no one dis
corning how the animals were made to
vanish in the mysterious way I have de-
scribed. This, may venture to affirm,
was beyond measure strange and sur
prising."
An exact pendant TO this is tale civ,
In the "Liao-chai-chih-i," translated by
Mr.. Giles under the name Of Strange
Stories FROM a Chinese Studio" The au-
thor declares that he himself beheld the
marvels related-the only instance, we
believe, in which he vouches his personal
experience, a fac. worth noting, for he
tells q thousand marvels of the sort.
When a little boy, Sung Lung was taken
to the provincial capital for the spring
feast and followed the crowd into the
judges yamen. In the middle Of the hall
was a man with little boy, who under
took TO perform anything demanded of
of him. The great men seated round
asked for peaches. 1t was the month Of
March.
Much business followed, but at
length the juggler said he must get them
from the orchard Of the royal mother,
who dwells in heaven. He took from
his box a piece Of cord "some tens of feet
long" arranged it carefully and threw
one end into the air, where it remained
fixed, las if caught by something and
he paid it out from below. Higher and
higher the rope mounted, until a small
piece only remained in his hands. Then
the man called his boy and bado him
climb up Up went the boy, after more
"gag," like u spider running up its
thread, and in a few minutes he was Out
Of sight.
Presently a peach fell down as large as
basin. While themagistrates were ex
amining it the rope dropped suddenly il
a heap. and the man cried: "Alas, some
body has cut i'll What will my son dl
nowg" At the same instant the boy'
head fell from heaven, and Lamentations
which may be imagined followed. Limb
and body came tumbling after. To omi
business" the juggler collected them
put them in his box and begged help fo
the funeral expenses. The Mortified spec
tators subscribed literally, and whei
they had given as much as could b.
hoped the man tapped upon the box, say
, ing, "Why don't you come out, you ras
/, cal. and thank the gentlemen Forth
/, with the boy threw up the lid, jumpel
out and bowed TO the company.
Sung Lung says: Il have never forgot
4, ten this strange trick, which, rs / hav
heard now. is performed by the Whit
Lily sect, who probably learned it from
this man." The White Lily, otherwis
do Nothing Wu-Wei-Keaou. is tn
most dreaded secret society of China
said by Mr.. Giles to date from 1850 Mr.
: Maskelyne. we hear, has been consultel
. upon Ibn Batuta's trick. He answered
"Ihese apparent effects were due doubt
less to the aid Of concave mirrors, tn
use Of which was known to the ancients
especially in the east, but they could no
have been produced in the open air.
The explanation seemed almost as in
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