Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-04-24
WONDERFUL TRICKS.

IL no country has the art of the con-
jurer advanced to such stage of per-
lection as in India and China. The
marvels performed by the Chinese are
similar 10 those practiced in medieval
Europe and India; such as making wa.
ter flow backward ,reviving the dead and
flying through the air. Real Hindoo
and Chinese conjurers look upon such
tricks as swallowing knives and swords
as commonplace.
When the Chinese Viceroy of Khansa
gave an entertainment he always had
on hand o number of magiciaus who as
tonished the spectators with their ex-
PLOTS. II is related that one of the
Kaan's slaves would make his appear
snce carrying small wooden ball with
several holes in it. Through these
holes were passed number of thongs.
The magician hurled the ball into the
air. 1t went up so high that it was lost
to the sight Of the spectators. There re
NAMED in the conjuror's hand but
small end of one of the thongs. He re-
Quested small boy to mount the thong.
No sooner bad the boy begun to ascend
than he rapidly disappeared from sight.
The cOpjuror called him three times,
but receiving no answer he snatched
up knife, as in rage and began to
mount the thong. He, too, disappear
ed as rapidly as had the ball and the
boy.
In short space of time he startled
the spectators by throwing down one of
the boys hands, the trunk, limbs and
last of all the head. Finally the magi
clan himself came wbirling down
through the air, all putting and pantiug,
with blood-besmesred clothes. Af.er
he had kissed the ground in front of the
Viceroy, he took the dismembered parts
of the body, laid them in their PLACES,
gave them q kick, and, 10 and beholu
the boy stood once more erect, and was
as sound in mind and body as he haI
ever been. This trick was done in the
open court yard of the palace. The
performer had hardly any clothes on
MS person, nor any confederates to aid
him in any manner This is now a
common trick with them. Europeans
who have seen it are forced to admit
that such an occurrence takes place,
but they are not certain that they havr
seen rightly. The Kazi AfkbaruddiD,
in expressing his opinion of the per-
formanco, said "Wallah 'Tis my be-
lief that there has been neither going
up nor coming down, neither manning
nor mending; lis all hocus pocus"
It's the Hiudoo that has brought the
magic art TO such state OF perfection as
has never been known before. Kellar,
the well-known American magician,
made tour of East India. After his
return home he said that in no other
place had he seen such marvellous ex-
hibitions of coniuring.
Che mango tree trick is well known.
The Hindoo will take small seed,
bury it in a little mud, and cover it
over with either u jar or little sauze
basket. Ia few minutes the seed has
sprouted, and then before your very
eyes mango tree grows.
One of the great Hindoo tricks is
performed with chain 20 feet in
length. One end of this chain is thrown
ND in the air, where il remains as /!
caught on something up above. a dog
is brought forward. aud, being placed
at the lower END of the chain, runs up
to the other end and disappears. The
dog is followed in turn by boy, q
panther. a lion, tiger and cat. All
of these disappear and the chain is
taken down without any ofthe specta.
tors discovering how the different ami
mails and boy had vanished into space.
Il is remarkable fact that a gen.
uine Hindoo magician has never visit
ed this o. any other foreign country,