New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-09
HIGH.CASTE INDIAN MAGIC.
PROFESSOR KELLAR's VIEWS AND EXPERT
ENCES

Prom The North American Review.
Fifteen years spent in India aud the far East nave
convinced that the nigh caste fars, or mSs'ciah',
Of Northern India have probably discovered natural
laws OF which In the West are Ignorant. That
they succeed in overcoming forces OF nature which to
~ seem lnsurmounable. my observation satisfies me
beyond doubt. No topic of the marvellous has excited
more general interest and remained In greater obsoury
than Hndoo jusicry. Discussion has, through d
confusion of terms lent to the subject vaeueness
which IL might otherwise have escaped. Magic Is
defined as the art Of putting In action the power OF
spirits. or the occult powers of nature: so II seems
proper t0e term magician In speaking OF Inc
csoterc marvel worker, in the sense of human beng
who is able to put In action the occult powers Of
nature
News Of the strange performances OF the HindOo
magicians has reached the West for centuries Marco
Polos stories Of their feats though first received
in Europe with some credence. afterward served 10
foster the impression that he the Wiling Vlc't
OF deson The tales Of the Crusaders rlVdled those
told of the achievements OF the great Merhn ana we
CLEAN from the exploits Of Thomas of Ercildo'ne and
the wizards Of the North ghmpses Of what may be
the reflected potency of che Nbetan esoterics Yet,
through thousand years of rumor, the high caste
fakr has succeeded in preserving the secret OF his
powers. which have on more than one occasion bafed
my deepest scrutiny, and remained the ineApicabie
subject OF my lasting wonder and admiration
These fakirs-ior that term does not imply re-
very dgnhed men. OF patriarchal appearance, WIN
sscetic faces and long gray boards. All the SINFUL
ones have seen were quite advanced IN years. anu
were sad to have spent their lives In study anu
In secluson. 1t seems plausible indeed TO beheVe
their story. that 1t Is only after lifetime OF con,
temptation aud study that they are ADMITTED INTO e
higher circles Of the esotere orotherHooc "noSe
recessss Of northern Hndustan. They quiet,
shave and secretve and appear to attach an Amos
religious Significance to the manifestations OF 'ne
is nnfh inherently
theory that they inflated into knowledge wnose
secrets have been successfully preserved ior ee,tS
That there l. anything supernatural In their power
would be the last concede for have spent my ,fe
in combating the delusions OF supermturasm and the
so-called manifestations OF sprituaiiSm
FEATs OF LEVITAr1oN.
The most marvellous phenomena which have
observed may be described under the heads OF fTls
OF evl,ation the humiliation Of gravity feAs o;
whlring Illusion, In which one human form seems 10
multiply Itself into many, which again resolve theih
selves into one and fcats Of voluntary inerment MY
FIRST experience with tie phenomenon Oh ievltauoh
WAS In January 1852, during the course of an en-
cagement | was filling at the Chowringhee Theatre
ROYAL in Calcutta. Mr. Eglnton. a protested spiritual
medium, giving seances In Calcutta at the une
and as openly avowed my ability to expose the iraus
of an so-callsi mediums, taken 10 one OF them
which occurred In brilliantly lighted apartment:
Will not describe II Otherwise than say that II :"
puzzled and Interested that | gladly accepted inc
invitation evening or two aiterward 70 Dc presvhI
with several others at dark seanee given by MI.
1t was now that the feat of deviation was appar-
entity performed in presence of these spectators
The only furniture in the room WAS plain teak"Ooa
table, a Athcr. chairs. Nv" musical boxes ana
was placed on Sr Esnlons lett ana seized his left
baud firmly in my right nIaa .as,v on IN i Ie a
and as retained firm hold Of his hand. was pulled
10 my feet, and subsequently compelled 70 Jump on
a chair and then on the table In order ~ retain my
hold Of bin. That his body did ascend into The ar
that occasion with an apparently utter err hf'er
musca-bOxes, PLAYING brisly then appeared to noit
{ rough the air above our heads small green ieAt.
visible cause, and the either playing near the ceiling
Immediately over our heads: mention tls ln,i
dent preface TO The more rendrhaoe ies's 10, %,
deviation will describe and also TO say that
this being my first eXperenete OF tna srahs T1r
NAV speak OF II fact without qualification lhai
when Mr. EsniOn rose from my Sa ana a 10y him. b M
own body appeared for the time being 10 nave Deeh
rendered non Grs 81 The TO S f" OF the Prince of Wales
to Calcutta during the winter OF l3'o-'6. saw -,
may Of eV W sSm tSosan se sPecso The
place the Madam. or Great PlaZa OF oa." "a
and The ola fair VINO WAS IN 1nf open paza Around
lin. In raised seats and on ana un1er pig ee d
Bcgums gathered by the score arrayed IN Their
sifs and Jewels. Win magnlhcence 10 VINCE . our
10 the Prince. the old fakir took three sword, with
straight cross-barred hilts. and buried them III III
q poins Of these swords were very sarp, as
afterward Informed myself y9S1Se w. i ndr
call the English fashion although 1T originated in
ndustan then appeared, and at gesture from III, n;
len 9Th his feet together and his hands Close %
bis sides. and after pass or two made by The hams
G @. the 0a third iaSir now came forward taking
hold OF the feet Of his PROSTATE companion who's ,
head was lifted by the master, the two lald thc
siircned body npon the points Of the swords. which
appeared to support without penetrating e m,S
The nape OF the mans neck that OF the second rested
midway between his shoulder and that Of the ,hra
kaua ~ htE
under his legs. After the body had been placed on
the swordponts the second far retired, and The Ola
man. who standing some distance from H. turned
The body uppd neither TO the right nor to thc LETT
curacy. Presently the master took dagger WIN
which he Temoyed the to round the nt Of er e sn r
exertion quietly stuc! 1t into his glrdle, The body
meanyhe retaining S kd P9qn taken IRE om GDa h
body. which, there In broad daylight ana uhurr ,hi
rositon without Visible support about Zee, from
The ground murmur Of admiration pTrva" prIpr~
Vast vas maT TSns ama %iih his Gw and Hs
suspended body from Us airy perch they laa II gG.
hand the inanimate youth was himself again
ZULU WITCH DOCTOR
During the Zulu war / was In South Africa. travel
ling north through Zuuland. In Dunn's reservntioI
eco miles north from Durham, In Natal, saw "tch
doctor evitae the form Of young Zulu by having
tuft OF grass about his head, amid SURROUNDINGS
calculated TO impress themselves deeply upon 'he
most prosac Imagination II was evening aI' tie
witch DOCTOR who belonged to the class described more
than once by Rider Haggard with great accuracy was
as revolving In his appearance as the high caS'e ia'
had been pleasing number OF fakirs had gathered
ahout our camp fire and | had given them some H.
iugtrations OF my skill. They seemed rnzled
but were not specially curious one OF them .loic
sway and after some minutes returned with their
own coIjuror. the witch doctor In question: Airr
considerable solicitation from the natives. I'll" III
iricaccs OF which my knowledge Of the Zulu hn|uage
did not enable quite to penetrate, IN" c"nluror
who at first seemed reluctant To give his consent 10
an exhibition OF his powers leOre me, TOOK KNOB
kerry or club and fastened It at the end OF thong
of riyybidc about two feet long. young native tall
and athletic, whose eyes appeared to b, hN'd upon
those OF the conjuror with apprehensv" scadiasi
ness took his knob kerry and fastened at the