The Indianapolis journal., 1903-09-06
THE QUEEREST THING | EVER saw.
WHAT THE SWORD rHRUsTERS SHOWED Me
By DR.. ANDREW WIson.


them occasionally dropped into the lighted
braziers something which appeared to US to
be of the nature of powder. This had the
effect OF changing the character OF the
odor that we had perceived on first enter
ing the room. AS the chanting proceeded
the devotees. If so 1 may call them, became
more and more excited. They appeared
to lose themselves in the process of their
incarnation. Their eyes were fixed, the
muscles of the face rigidly set, and as they
stood firm in two lines. their bodies swayed
backwards and forwards with very
curious. sinuous. and almost graceful
movement. The chanting continued for a
considerable time, until at last we per-
ceived that certain members of the group
became apparently fixed in position which
strongly suggested to our minds the rigidity
that one sees in the cataleptic state. In
other words, the individuals in question
appeared to have passed into a state of
rigid trance. 1t was different with certain
other members of the party. In place of
becoming quieter they exhibited a much
more lively behavior. Four of them threw
their bodies into contortions and executed
series Of acrobatic leaps, whilst one men,
Der of the party falling down on the
ground foamed at the mouth, his body be-
ing contorted In convulsiye movements sug-
gesting the oncoming of epileptic fit So
far as the entertainment had been ap-
parently of an extremely tame character.
Our interpreter friend, however, sotto voce
remarked that these were but the prelimi-
naries. He added that they appeared to be
necessary preliminaries for what was to
follow. One of the party, 1 may mention,
whilst induging In his incantations ap-
peared to retain, If one might so call It,
higher degree of consciousness than the
others and seemed to assume a kind of
authority over his fellows. Suddenly dart
ing from the room he reappeared carrying
small basket in his hand. Out of this
basket were taken snakes. I am unable
to say whether they were poisonous or not.
The interpreter asserted that they were
Whether they were poisonous or not the
snakes were allowed to pass over the bare
necks and arms of the men, and apparently
to bite them where they would. / lay no
stress on this part of the exhibition, be-
cause the bite of a poisonous snake, whose
fangs have been removed, could have no
effect, and IL the snakes were harmless the
same result would follow. But this part OF
cuucu Dy SudhcS DciuS
eaten. The heads were first bitten off and
the rest of the animals were devoured.
SO far nothing extremely wonderful, but
on the other hand something fairly dis
gusting, had been our portion. Another
interval succeeded, the chanting still con-
tinuing, and the convulsive movements
proceeding. Again our long friend departed
from the room, this time bringing in his
hand a sheaf of knives. Now comes the
recital Of the queerest thing think ever
saw. Throwing the knives to his compan-
ions they performed with them some very
extraordinary antics. In the first instance
the knives were thrust down their throats,
not gently. but with what appeared to us
to be considerable force. 1t might be sug-
gested that these knives were trick knives