River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-08-27
SOUND ASLEEP A WEEK.
An Indian FGkir Rests Seven Days
Hypnotic SIumAer

all Europe, where the fact of the
strange accomplishment 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 best physicians of England
vouched for the genuineness of the
tests. Since that time, however, the
singular ability of the fakirs has been
recognized. and they are no longer re
garded as impostors.
During the recent Hungarian millen.
nial exposition at Buda-Pesth fine op-
portunity was presented to learn as
much about the fakirs 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
usain asleep a week.
The preparations for the long sleeE
were simple. The fakirs sat down to.
gether to meal which consisted only
of little milk. That they drank in the
Gining-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. II soon devel
oped into a monotonons singing. Wher
through they addressed the guests
about the table. proposing toast in
good English.
Then the one who was TO go to slceE
before the journey to Buda-Pesth wa.
begun withdrew from the room and ar
rayed himself in the garment which h,
was 10 wear until he should agar
| awaken. II was a loose. flowing gar
ment OF light silk that enveloped hi.
whole form and reached to his feet
When attired in that he reentered The
dining-room and greeted those about
him In English
In a 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 tn,
journey. The top was removed from
the coffin, the falir entered IL and
stretched himself on the bottom on hi.
back.
One of the attendants wrapped thu
fakir's legs about with silk cover. The
falIir fixed his gaze on the tip of his nose
and continued to gaze in that direction
1t made him appear cross-eyed.
At TINT point one of the other fakirs
stepped beside the coffin and laid hi,
hands on the forehead of the one within
The eyes of the fnkir 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 tn,
| 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 falIir was coming was well adver
| tised by the management of the exposi
ton. and consequently great interos
was manifested by the public. A GROVE
saw the coffin taken from the train ant
followed II 10 the largest theater in th'
city. where, II had been announced. tn,
faSlr would be awakened.
Within few hours and in the pres
ence of n great throng the coffin wa:
opened physician thrust needle
| into the arm of the falxr without elicit
ing any sign of life on the part of the
sleeper. Several other tests, not so Sc
we're, were made TO ascertain If the Hin
| doc were really In a cataleptic state oil
only shnmming. The entire company
was agreed that there was no shammine
| about il.
When the means employed had failed
to arouse the sleeper one of the Other
fakirs approached the glass case ant
murmured something in his nativ,
tongue which sounded like prayer
He explained subsequently that his muir
murings were the suggestions that have
to be made for awakening one in the
cataleptic condition of his fellowfakir
As the murmuring continued il wa!
noticed that the chest of the sleeping
| fakir began to heave. Then he was
found to be breathing, though the respi
ration was SO irregular as to be spas
modic. At the same time the arms anC
legs were still rigid.
The pupils of the eyes could not b,
| seen at that time, they having contract
ed to a remarkable degree. The muir
muring by the other fakir went or
and the pupils grew slowly larger. Wber
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 lower
Jaw began to move and by degrees he re
gained consciousness, and after awhile
was give n glass of milk.
lie complained of pains In the bach
and asked to be lifted from the glas.
coffin. His request was complied with
and it made him groan so that he could
be heard all over the building. 1t was
fully hale an hour later before he wa.
able TO lift himself. He told the au
dience that while asleep he had been In
| the other world, where he had hearC
excellent music and felt extremely well
The name of the fakir who under
went the experiment is Bhim- ien-Prat
ley. He is % years old and is a nativ,
of Lahore, Punjab, India. He says that
his ability to perform the feat is due
entirely TO his great effort of will anc
to auto-suggestion.-N. Y. World.