The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1867-12-03 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

HORRIBLY SIIIINATIONAL.-11r, Frank Back land writes as follows respecting an Arab "entertainment" (!) now given in London :—I have had the opportunity of being present at one of the most extraordinary exhibitions that have been brought before the London public- A company of Arabi, who tall themselves Aissa-tionha., or the African Cousulsiosaires, Soaks-charmers, Fire. eaters, sod Conjuror., held a private seance at the Egyptimi-hall on Monday. They come out from the Mega door beating toes-Lotus and marching round in • mmt solemn to . They then It and, down by mean§ of the tom-toms work themselyea up into a 'posies of frenzy. One, Kmida Ben Mustspha, takes out from a box, five snakes, and holding them ins bunch by the tail, teases them till they get angry. he then please cies of the snakes near his tongue, and the besot instantly seises it. The men thee walks round with the wriaing sacks fastened Labia tongue by it. sharp teeth. I and some naturalist friends, immediately upon seeing the snakes taken from the box, determined that they could not be poisonous snakes, the heads were too round and not fist like poisonous Brakes. Towards the conclusion of the performance the head of one of them snake, waa bitten off by an Arab, scd the body partially devoured. I obiained what remained of the snake, and it has been identified by Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Gardens, who was present with me, as being a harmless speaks. common in Frame and Germany. The Dint trick is performed by Mahommed Ben Omar, who advances with sharp steel skewers. He sits down on the stage and deliberately thrusts two of these skewers through the fleshy portion of hie tongue, and one through the thick of each cheek. This makes some of the audience feel rather queer, but determiiied to find out if there was any trick I managed to examine the man closely. The skewers I found were fairly run through the fifth. and were firmly Axed in their there wads very little blsotiog, and front this and other facts which I observed I conclude that the Arab had previously made permaneut holes through his tongue end cheeks, and that really the operator did not suffer more pain than does • lady when she pats in her Mr. tinge after leaving them off for some time. We were then treated to a sight of Mehonimed Ben All Data's, who did his ben to commit suicide in public, both by means of fire and sword; two men hold • sharp sword, and the Arab bale:seed himself upon his bare in usesbe centre of his body on the edge of Um naked sword, I be then put the hilt of the sword upon the peened and leaned against its bare point after the fashion of the prints we see of old barb-rian generals getting out of their difficulties when they have lost a battle. A hideous , negro, tall, gaunt, and as black as night, one Faradji Ben All, then came forward. The gas lights being lowered, he amused himself with • pan of red-hot eharcoal and a lighted caadle; passing the latter all over his fibre and around his nook he doe. his best to roast himself, holding the candle in one poeitioe for nearly • minute; if be doet not really hurt himself, at all event, he utters the moat hideous yells, se if in agony, but I do not think he really can hunt bimaelf, for I obrerved the hair did not caul up from the effect of the Mune- He then pl wed large Pleats of lighted cliarooal quite in the bask of his unonth, and ensued the sparks and flames to true from between hin.teeth ; in this attitade his *mammies was teeny diabolical. no performances in this amateur torturroltamber were concluded by El Hadj All Ben Zeds taking a deliberate meal of five iron nails and six small stones, finishing off by mune/him up a wine gins into towdrr. Theo come the very worst and most horrible of all the performance and thin luckily, perhaps, for some of the spectatcra, so.le of who. were getting very white about the gills. This WWI man Zerfa tam a loan skewer-like wmpon, and we were told that he was going to goege his eye out' almost to my horror he really began to do so. By inserting the mid of the skewer 'above the upper eyelie and twastillbit round, while he pressed it inwards, he sumeeded in aiming the eye to protrude' in a manner which I mold not attempt to d in worda. During all these horrible scenes an Arab 'priest and musician," one AleEl•X•der Mohammed Boa RAJ El Ejekikene, presided at the tambourine Altlgether, Ido not recollect having seen an exhibition which combines so many horrible sad Indy ssaiMissai *Ms to so shoos I 19114 01 time.