Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-24

~ "a YSTERIES of Hindu magic, Of those bewil-
dering and impressive feats which hold the
attention of the beholder in thrall are re-
vealed trickery in remarkable
brochure by Mr. Hereward Darlington which
has just been published in London in the Annals of
Psychic Research.
Travellers from time immemorial> have told won
der tales of the performances of the fakirs which
bafaed the Occidental mind and left the impression
that they genuine supernatural manifestations
which could not be explained in the light of the
knowledge of the Western world All these ideas, or
most of them, at least sent glimmering by the
expose of the methods of the supposed thaumatur-
giss of the Orient most of whose achievements are
now proved to be merely the rickery of adept char
atans.
Mr. Darlington until recently assistant to Pro-
fessor James H. Hyslop, of the Society of Psychcal
Research, Of this city and has had wide expert
ence as an investigator of psychic phenomena OF all
kinds He recently returned from Italy, where he
examined into the claims of the noted medium Eu-
sapa Paladino, and he has also made first hand
studies of the work of Spiritualists.
This last volume "Hindu Magic" is gathered from
his own experience and also from that of his rather,
an Anglo-Indian who made extensive studies Of the
methods Of fakirs Of the Far East. Mr. Caring
ton before devoted himself exclusively to psychic
studies was magician and his facility in eger-
demain peculiarly fitted him for the role of deliver
into the mysteries of the Yogi art.
He is now resident of New York, where he Is
engaged In Independent research. He sets forth in
his introduction that he will describe the chief tricks
performed by the picturesque practitioners although
he does by any deny that there are certain
of them who powers beyond the ken of ordinary
men, He strips most of the performances of which
the returning tourists tell with bated breath of much
of their enshrouding mystery.
The Mango Tree Trick
One of the star performances of Hindu magic is
the mango tree trick. 1t is thrilling in the extreme
as all eve witnesses of 1t agree There is first pre-
sented for the inspection of the spectators seed,
which, after solemn ncantations, the fakr bur1es IN
earth and waves cloth over it. In the twinkl1ng OF
an eve he causes it to sprout to grow a plant and
finally to evolve tree which before the eyes OF the
assemblage is seen in rapid growth
Inch by inch the plant seen rising out OF the earth
and unfolding its leaves the light of day. The OBJ
is certain that he has the laws OF nature
set at nough many is the tale told in all sincerity
and wonderment of this remarkable sign of the power
of the human will.
The traditional method of performing this trick-and
1T varies so little that may be considered that there
&c standard method of procedures described by
Mr. Darlington. The performer comes forward almost
nude He has a small loin cloth, which would not
nermlt of ANYTHING being concealed. He has no cuffs
in which objects might be hidden, because he has no
shirt to which they could be attached.
The very simplicity apparently of the properties
used by the fakirs disarms suspicion. They use no
stage They perform in the open air. in some grove, on
an open plain or even on the deck of ship. There
is nothing to create a suspicion of prearrangement
The fakIr approaches bearing little earthern pot
tin vessel filled with water and another containing
a fair sized measure of loan or sand perfectly dry
Careessly shows in one hand several seeds OF the
mango tree.
Simple Equipment.
Across one bare is flung cloth. about four feet
SQUARE which he shakes out before the spectators,
showing one side and then the other Nothing but the
fibre can be seen. So simple are the poor and cheap
equipments that the fakir to have that the
tators look at him in good natured Indifference at first
Would anybody like to look at The mango seed2 He
passes them around, and surely there is nothing re-
markable about them.
The fakir makes mud pie or pyramid of mud
for as he squats the ground he has mingled to-
gether a little earth and water and moulded the
mass into form And the mango seed! Which
wond mem sahb have planted? This one? 1t
makes difference. He places 1t in the top of the
little pyramid and presses the mud all around IT.
Then he throws the cloth it and places his bare
arms under the little tent so formed, and is seen
going through the motions of pattng the little mound
more tightly about the mango seed
AS the arms of the performer are entirely bare 1t
seems TO the spectators to make difference what
he does. Sometimes he murmurs weird incantations
or causes beating of drums Then on comes the
cloth and there quite naturally may be seen two tiny
green leaves showing above the mound
If there be any who doubts that the seed Is
actually growing the fakr prizes the seed out of the
ton of the mound and shows him the tiny roots which
are growing out the bottom of it. After everybody
i satisfied the fakir puts the cloth back again
the seed and the mound, manipulates little more
with his hands and presently whsks the covering off
again and reveals mango sprout several inches In
height.
Amazing Growth.
Half dozen times this process is repeated and
mango tree two or three feet high is shown This is
substantially the feat it is usually performed al
though there are reports of the tree apparently grow
ing to greater heights and developing from the seed
until 1t bears fruit Several sojourners in the Far
East have told stories of trees of such size that boy
was seen climbing them although the camera did not
.z.vao 80 e,ob an oh4ect Among the