Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-09-17
SOUND ASLEEP A WEEK.
An Indian Fakir Rests Seven Days II
Hypnotic Slumber.

Hypnotic Slumber.
To the student of hypnotism ant
auto-suggestion there is no more inter
esting study than the sleeping fakirs
of India. These men go into a sleep
which lasts for many days. For years
their ability to do it was doubted by
all Europe, where the fact of the
strange accomplishment was first made
known in a general way.
Even when number of them visited
England and demonstrated their power
the British scoffed at them, though
some of the best physicians of England
vouched for the genuineness of the
tests. Since that time, however, the
singular ability of the falIirs has been
recognized, and they are no longer re-
garded as impostors.
During the recent Hungarian millen-
NAL exposition at Buda-Pesth a fine OPP
portunity was presented to learn as
much about the fallirs and their re-
markable industry as they will permit
anyone not of their own caste to know.
The management of the exposition en-
gagged three Of them.
The fakirs were in London at the
time of their engagement, 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 a week.
The preparations for the long sleep
were simple. The falsirs sat down to-
gether to meal which consisted only
of little milk. That they drank in the
dining-room of the motel, in the pres
ence Of their attendants and others in
terested in the performance.
When they had drank the milk they
began what at first seemed conversation
in their mother tongue. 1t soon devel-
oped into monotonous singing. When
through they addressed the guests
about the table, proposing toast in
good English
Then the one who was to go to sleep
before the journey to Buda-Pesth was
begun withdrew from the room and ar
rayed himself in the garment which he
was to wear until he should again
awaken. 1t was a loose, flowing gar
ment OF light silk that enveloped his
whole form and reached to his feet
When attired in that he reentered the
dining-room and greeted those about
him in English.
In niche in one corner of the room
rested 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. rhe
falSir 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 falSirs
stepped beside the coffiE and laid hi,
hands on the forehead of the one within
The eyes of the falsir in the glass coffir
began to stare, and in about two min
utcs he was in deep sleep. Then the
coffin was closed and prepared for the
journey.
The coffin containing the sleeping
fakir, with the attendants and all o.
those interested, journed together from
London to Buda-pesth. The fact thai
that fallir was coming was well adver
tised by the management of the exposi
ton, and consequently great intercs
was manifested by the public. A crowt
saw the coffin taken from the train ant
followed it to the largest theater in thu
city, where, it had been announced, tn,
faliir would be awakened.
Within few hours and in the pres
ence of great throng the coffin wa,
opened. A physician thrust a 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
we're, were made to ascertain II the Hin
doc were really in cataleptic state ol
only shamming The entire compan,
was agreed that there was no shamminl
about it.
When the means employed had failed
to arouse the sleeper one of the Other
faklrs approached the glass case ant
murmured something in his nativ,
tongue which sounded like prayer
He explained subsequently that his mur
murings were the suggestions that have
to be made for awakening one in tn,
cataleptic condition of his fellow-fakir
As the murmuring continued it wa
noticed that the chest Of the sleeping
fakir began to heave. Then he wa.
found to be breathing, though the respi
ration was 80 irregular as to be spas
modic. At the same time the arms ant
legs were still rigid.
The pupils Of the eyes could not b,
seen at that time, they having contract
ed to remarkable degree. The mur
muring by the other fnlsir went OF
and the pupils grew slowly larger. Wbe,
they had regained their normal siz,
the extreme rigidity had left the body
The sleeper, not yet altogether out O
the condition in which he had been for
week, groaned aloud. Then his lowel
jaw began to move and by degrees he re
gained consciousness, and after awhil,
was given glass Of milk.
He complained of pains in the bacl
and asked to be lifted from the glas
coffin. His request was complied with
and it made him groan so that he coult
be heard all over the building. 1t wa.
fully half an hour later before he wa.
able to lift himself. He told the au
dience that while asleep he had been il
| the other world, where he had heart
excellent music and felt extremely well
The name of the fakir who under
went the experiment is Bhim- -jen-Prat
ley. He is 23 years old and is nativ,
OF Lahore, Punjab, India. He says tina
his ability to perform the feat is du,
II