Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-11-05
INDIAN JUGGLERS.
American Redmen Who Perform
Some Great Tricks.


Do In the Line OF Leg.
erdemain.
Christian missionaries have found the
Indian magic serious obstacle to their
evangelizing efforts. Sorcery Is in
timately associated with the aboriginal
worship, and the savages, after astonish-
ing the priests with their tricks, laugh
ut them, saying: "Your religion can't
do such things" happen to know Of
the case of Jesuit priest who some
years ago went to work among the
Arapahoes and Cheyennes, west Of the
Mississippi. He gave up the business
If saving their souls after awhile, and
came away entirely discouraged. They
did things which, he declared, were en-
tirely beyond his understanding. The
mystery men would go out on the bare.
sandy prairie, where there was not q
sprig of vegetation, and, after some
chanting and various performances,
grass would come up out of the ground
quite patch of il, green and growing.
He himself saw it grow, and there could
be no doubt aboutit.
The bravest act I have ever known
was performed by one Of these Indian
jugglers. A favorite trick of his was
one that has often been performed by
white magicians. It consisted in per-
uniting himself to be shot at, the hocus-
pocus being an arrangement by which
the bullet fell out of the barrel into
cavity in the stock of the weapon before
the latter was discharged. Meanwhile
he had another bullet concealed in his
mouth, which at the instant of firing he
pushed outward with his tongue, 50 as
to make it appear that he had caught
the projectile between his teeth. Now,
1t happened that this man had rival,
who was engaged in the conjuring bust
ness in a neighboring village. On an
occasion when the trick was to be per-
formed, the juggler announcing, as
usual, that he was ready to be shot at by
anyone present, the rival stepped for
ward and said that he would do the
shooting. But he demanded permission
to use his own gun. Naturally the Jug
gler objected, but his protest was over
ruled.
It was decided that the rival magi-
clan might use his own weapon. This
meant almost sure death to the per-
former, yet he did not blanch. To re-
fuse the test would have been per-
manent disgrace. There was one chance
out OF hundred, perhaps, that the
marksman might miss. He decided to
take that chance, and SO permitted the
volunteer executioner to take deliberate
aim and fire at him from a distance of
half dozen PAGES. An instant later he
fell dead; the bullet had passed through
his brain.
In some tribes of Indians it used to be
the rule that sorcerer who failed three
times must pay the penalty Of death.
That regulation has been remarkably
widespread among the savages. l un.
1t to have been accepted as
'ar south as Patagonia on this continent,
and undoubtedly it survives to this day
In parts of Africa and elsewhere. But
there was an ingenious magician of my
acquaintance who saved himself from
this fate by little device of his con-
irving. Being permitted to furnish the
bullet by which he was to be shot, he
made one in mold in which piece Of
PAPER was inserted in such manner
hat the ball was cast in two hemis-
oheres. These he put together, caus-
ng them to hold by rubbing the edges
with his knife blade. In this way at the
same time the deception was concealed.
IN being fired from the gun, the bullet
lew in halves, which, being Of such q
'hape, scattered and left the man I'M
ouched. By this means he escaped on
several occasions the penalty which
'ught to befall the wizard who is a
allure. Finally, however, he was found
nut and executed.
once saw an interesting trick per-
ormed inside of ceremonial wigwam.
There was q lot of dancing and num-
merry, in the midst of which q woman
anne forward and struck the ground in
he middle Of the lodge. Then a mye.
cry man took his turn and began
with q stick on the spot
which the woman had struck. In q
minute or two were exposed to view the
caves of fullgrown wild turnip. The
egetable was dug up and thrown
mong the spectators, to show that
here was no deception and to quell the
ppetite Of the hungry ones. Scratching
ONE more with his stick, the magician
several more turnips-two or
hree dozen Of them. It was really
'onderful.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.