Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-03-30
THE ORDEAL BY FIRE
a Hindoo Ceremony That Puzzles
the Uninitiated.
WALK OVER GLOWING GOALS.

rh. Participants In the Mystlfy'ns
snsctacIe Play With the Fiery EN-.
hers as Children Play With sano
and EMERGE Unframed.
I once witnessed most remarSaoIe
nrdeal by fire at Benares, lnuia'
was held on the grounds OF vliia Oh
rho outskirts Of the city, and among
=. wore some Of the most prominent
mon and women of official ana soclai
ufe in British India. Army ana navy
oeicers touched elbows with frencn
savants. all more than glad to accept
an invitation that might at least onei
onnorunity either to catch some Gle"
toward solving the mystery or tne III
dian fire ordeal or else eaten the priest
" performers in nice trap at consum-
mate and age long deception, success
fully worked among supersuuouS
and overcredulous people like the Hin
docs.
Seats had been arranged for our par
~ out on the spacious lawn, where
trench had been dug sixteen rect long,
s,x feet wide and four feet deep Inc
fire in the trench was lighted pe1ore
noon. but the ordeal itself was not "
come off until after sunset The trench
was filed with kindling wood and logs
and was set afire by the attendants,
who kept up a blaze as hot as oias'
furnace all day long. until the trench
by sunset was filed three feet deep
with a compact, glowing bed OF reu-
hot Goals.
We were escorted to our seats at
about $50. and we were not mchneu
TO question the reality of that nre ITO"
the moment we sat down within twelve
feet Of II. Whatever else might pe
fraud or hypnotism in this Indian nre
ordeal we could not for moment
donbt the realism Of that screening
heat that made our eyes smart anu
grow bloodshot. We, who had come to
scott and doubt, were soon realizing
that the managers of the Benares NV
ordeal had already gained 20 points ou'
of 100 in favor Of their honesty and o.
their mower over the mighty elemen
of fire that figures so la"gely IN orien
tal philosophy as one of the three o.
forr nrimal elements Of the physlca
universe.
A great commotion and babel o
voices soon proclaimed the coming o
The procession of priests, headed o.
the arch priest Brahmapoots, carrying
a huge Indian sword, followed py I'll
two minor priests who were destine
TO walk unframed through that var
thick fiery bed, scintillating IN the II
oreosing darkness and lighting up IN
dark faces of the hundreds Of gapln
Hindoos standing behind US. Wnll
we Europeans and Americans AWAY
hvpercritical and given to sclenunc II
search. were awaiting the coming
the moment when our 10 per cent
credulity was either to be shattered
rounded ont to the fullness OF con
Melted and abiding faith in Hindc
control and mastery Of the devourln
element of fire. our HindOo fellow o.
lockers on the other hand, were antlC
pating the ordeal with all the slhpii
ity of credulous children. ours was
almost terrifying heart tension, ana
almost wished that we were not oc'
dental skeptics, always bent on uoul
ing things Of an extraordinary natui
The priests marched about the tren'
chanting and performing mystic inca
tations, carrying along glass reno
arv. or shrine in which was seen |
image Of the god silva, who, IN I
Hindoo religious system, Is one OF [
trinity and is wOrshiped as Tue
strover. Brahma being the creator a.
Vishnu the preserver OF the uniVer
We do not know to this DAY "na' u.
nr,ests said as they perampuia'
ahout that fiery trench, but we
know what soon followed, for at
end of the incarnation, the TWO Gun
dates for the ordeal plunged INTO
rodhot Goals and walked ankle de
the whole length Of the trench, Da
ward and forward, time and u
AGAIN. They played with that sem
latjpg. glowing fire as children pl
With the sands Of Coronado pea
kicking it with their feet and stoopl
down to pick up handfuls OF the giC
ing Goals, tossing them IN the ar
no blown by the rising evening pre-
all over our heads and our easily
fammable clothing. we were re'
afraid. No doubt about those spa
and live, falling Goals!
When the two priests had walked
and down alone through that n
trench unscathed and unscorcf
then the whole Hindoo throng seer
TO suddenly catch the spirit OF u
nriests. and, sure Of their conquest
the mower of fire, they began plunG
into the trench. Old men and 70
children walked through that fiery
maze forward and backward,
when they had tired of this play
with fire. they came out as they
entered. not a hair or garn
scorched. not even the soles or I
feet blistered.
Only males are allowed to go thrc
the fire ordeal.
Never yet has any scienunc III
evnlained the power Of the silva
shippers over fire We ourselves
absolutely convinced that tricKery
not to be considered as an explan'
Of what we had witnessed.-Los a
les Times.
a Cadde's Cadenza.
lady Golfer Ito would be cad(
q