The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1893-09-16
TRICKS SEEN IN INDIA
TWO REMARKABLE FEATS OF lND!A's
CLEVER JUGGLERS

The NATURALIZATION of q Serpent From !;
Swallowed by the PGrformer-s1cigl,t o.
Hand In Which II Babe Figures
An article in IL recent edition on the
jugglers of India tended to throw dis
credit on the eastern wizards that have
SO long beeu held in esteem. Whether
or not the tricks the jugglers perform
are wonderful is matter to be deter
mined individually At any rate, in t;
vague way they have the reputation
Histories and books are full of the ac
counts of the miraculous feats that these
tricksters of India can perform.
And now comes Mr. Kellar, a nine
teenth-century- y-Broadway-up date1nas
gician, who adds his testimonial to ali
the rest as to the superiority Of oriental
over occidental magic.
Mr.. Kellar, it seems, has also Travelled
in India in 8 search for the wonderful
and succeeded in finding what he could
not understand.
Professor Kellar ism tvery old in years,
although his hair has g very wide part
in the center, but if you come to count
up his experiences Methuselah isn't in it
with him. There are few places on the
face of this earth that he has not seen,
and his travels in the spirit world are
also quite extensive. He has pulled rab-
bits out Of tho pigtail of the heather
Chinee on bis native heath; he has
wruDg silver dollars from tho nose of
the Australian kangaroo and has made
~ E,.,
in her sable costume of bare skin
Some years ago" says the professor,
Il spent considerable time in India trav-
cling through the country and visiting
the principal cities That is the land of
the magician, and nowhere on earth is
the art SO thoroughly known. The Indian
magicia1s appear to- have been born for
the business, and they have developed
their natural abilities to such wonder
ful degree that many of the natives be-
lieve them to possess supernatural pow
ers. Indeed one almost finds himself
concurTing with the general idea after
he has witnessed some Of their feats.
II have attended many wonderful
seances, but can remember none that
impressed me more than one which |
saw in the rooms Of the Chrddermunzil
club at Lucknow. was {. guest of the
club and was invited to attend tho per-
foln.itnce of one of tie native jugglers.
GLADLY consented to be present, and to-
gcrher with Captain Jenkins, the presi-
dent Of the club, and Captain Powers,
an officer in the queens navee. who had
just returned from the Zulu war took
q seat near the stage
During the early part Of the enter
tain1nent there were u half dozen jug
glers who performed only ordinary
tricks, and then the star of the evening
was introduced. He performed one Of
the most wonderful tricks ever saw
He took a board and placed it on four
glass goblets, thus elevatiny it from the
floor. A youngster sitting on the board
/ was then requested to place his hands to-
gethef palms up. Then the juygler took
glass of water and poured it into the
outstretched hands Of the boy In the
meantime the boy had been meslne1i2ed,
and his attention was fixed on point
indicated by the magician.
"Gradually the water turned green in
color. and then it developed into IL Jelly
which increased i'll density until it be-
came as solid as any stone article YOU
ever saw. Out Of the center of this there
appeared the head of a snake, which
gradually developed until in the place of
the water there appeared a Kissing rep
tile, was amazed, can assure you.
but the trick was not yet completed.
Hitting the reptile upon the head with
his wand, the juggler took it up care
fully and placed it back in the glass.
las we looked it became transformed
into a jelly, which in turn transformed
intoa greenish colored water. Clearer
and clearer became the fluid until it was
of its original color, and then the iuggler
placed it to his lips ard drank the entire
contents. That was the most wonderful
trick ever saw performed. and it is as
mysterious to Inc today as it was then.
There was another trick performed the
same evening which was not SO wonder
full, but was nevertheless remarkable
IA woman with baby swung in a
bag around her waist entered the stage
and endeavored to balance ball upon
her nose. This she Failed to do on ac-
count of the hindrance afforded by the
child. She repeated the attempt but
met with no better success than on the
first trial. The juygler all the while was
standing, OIL Tie side Of the stage, appar
entity furious at the repeated failures of
the woman, and y in il rage he
rushed toward her and tore the babe
away from her. The woman screamed
as she realized the danger into Which
the child was thrown, and the indigna-
ton spread to the audience
"Ulconcerned apparently about the
babe, it's mother or the audience, the
jlEaici toe; tie chic and threw it into
a Big which he held i'll | is right hand.
Then talsi!l:. Il I'm hold cn the neck of
the bag he w..:Iileil it over his head and
brought it'.ovu upon the floor with a
force that Doted 10 Sco.i to the occu-
pant at the same time the woman
screamed and trll on her knees, begging
the juyyler to tsesi:,t. bat he told Ter to
keep uuietand repeated the performance.
By his time Captain Jenkins and
Captain Powers wc.', on the stage and
We're struggling With tie .Isl:,rler, trying
i'll vain to get ho,l of ia. bag. The
magician pushed them to one side ant
scowletl an srily ever their interference
and then t3..cSd them off the stage.