St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-09-05
SOUND ASLEEP A WEEK.
An Indian Faktr Rests Seven Days ia
Hypnotic SIumber.

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To the student of hypnotism and
auto-suggestion there is no more inter
esting study than the sleeping fakirs
of India. These men go into sleep
which lasts for many days. For years
their ability to do it was doubted by
all Europe, where the fact of the
strange accomplishments was first made
known in a general way.
Even when a number of them visited
England and demonstrated their power
| the British scoffed at them. though
some of the stphysicians of England
vouched for the gennineness Of the
tests Since that time, however, the
singular ability of the faleirs has been
recognized, and they are no longer re-
garded as impostors. e
During the recent Hungarian millen-
NAL exposition at Buda-P Pesth fine OPP
portunity was presented to learn as
much about the fakirs and their rel
narkable industry as they will permit
anyone not of their own caste to know!
The management of the exposition en-
gagged three of them. ,f
The fakirs were in London at the
time of their engag cement. and arrange
ments were made with one of them
to enter the cataleptic sleep before
leaving London, and to he, transported
in that state to the exposition, where
he was to be awakened. He was to re-
main asleep week.
The preparations for the long sleep
were simple. The fakirs sat down to-
/ gether to a meal which consisted only
of a little milk. That they drank in the
dining-room of the motel, in the pres
ence of their attendants and others in
4 tercsted in the performance.
i When they had drank the milk they
began what at first seemed converse ton
/ in their mother tongue. IT soon devel-
oped into monotonous singing. When
through they addressed the guests
about the table, proposing a toast In
good English.
Then the one who was to go to sleep
before tie journey to Buda-Pestb was
begun withdrew from the room and ar
rayed himself in the garment which he
was to wear until he should again
awaken. It was loose, flowing gar
ment Of light silk that enyeloped his
whole form and reached to his feet
When attired in that he reentered the
him in English.
In niche in one corner of the room
rested a coffin made entirely of glass
The glass was thick and heavy and cal
culated to withstand the strain of the
journey. The top was removed from
the coffin, the fakir entered it and
stretched himself on the bottom on his
back.
One of the attendants wrapped the
fakir's legs about with silk cover. The
fal1ir fixed his gaze ON the tip of his nose
and continued to gaze in that direction
1t made him appear cross-eyed.
At that point one of the other fakirs
stepped beside the coffiE and laid hi
hands on the forehead of the one within
The eyes of the fakir in the glass coffif
: began to stare, and in about two min
utes he was in deep sleep. Then the
coffin was closed and prepared for tn,
journey.
The coffin containing the sleeping
fallir, with the attendants and all o
those interested, journed together from
|, ,, London to Buda-Pesth. The fact Gaa
that fallir was coming was well adver
! tised by the management of the exposi
I ton, and consequently great interes
: was manifested by the public. A GROVE
saw the coffin taken from the train ant
followed it to the largest theater in tn
city, where, it had been announced, tn
fakir would be awakened.
:, Within a few hours and in the pres
! ence of a great throng the coffin wa
: opened. A physician thrust needl
: into the arm of the fakir without elicit
!. Ing any sign of life on the part OF tn
: sleeper. Several other tests, not so Sc
i we're, were made to ascertain if the Hin
;. doc were really in a eataleptic state o
, only shamming. The entire compan
:, was agreed that there was no shammins
! about it.
) When the means employed had failet
! to arouse the sleeper one of the othe
: falSirs approached the glass case ant
: murmured something in his nativ
!, tongue which sounded like a prayer
+ Heexplained subsequently, that his muI
s murings were the suggestions that hay
I to be made for awakening one in tn
cataleptic condition of his fellow-fakil
/ As the murInuring continued it wa
l., noticed that the chest of the sleepin
v faleir began to heave. Then he wa
Ii found to be breathing, though heresp
e ration was so irregular as to be spas
S modie. At the same time the arms an
= legs were still rigid.
IS The pupils of the eyes could not b
y seen at that time, they having contract
Is ed to remarkable degree. The mu1
d muring by the other fakir went o
/. and the pupils grew slowly larger. Whe
&C they had regained their normal siz
: the extreme rigidity had left the body
l. The sleeper, not yet altogether out 9
1t the condition in which he had been for
&c week, greaned aloud. Then his lowe
4 jaw began to move and by degrees he n
s, gained consciousness, and after awhil
It was given glass Of milk.
n He complained of pains in the bac
Ie and asked to be lifted from the glas
coffin. His request was complied witt
10 and it made him groan SO that he coul
N be heard all over the building. It wa
le fully half an hour later before he wa
e able to lift himself. He told the al
u dience that while asleep he had been
y the other world, where he had hear