Year: 1878

1 was sIAOkluB my cHlDouA on IhS


wide verandah of a bungalow, or gov


ernment inn, one day in Northern In


dia. 1t was in January, but The


weather was intensely hot, and my


Oak gahrra, with its rough, unframed


horses, had stopped here for midday


rest. Ny HindOstanee servant, with
an unpronouueeable name, whom |


had nicknamed Handy Andy" on
account Of certain unhandy ways, and
a merry twinkle Of the eye that indi-
Gated no lack Of HibShian humor,
came up to the porch, and, with a
salaam, said: "Would Sahib like to
see conjurer make tricks" Eyes,
bring him on" 1 suspected the fel-
low was consulting his own fondness
for amusement more than mine, but it
was too hot to sleep, and | was ready
for any thing that would kill time. A
tall, fne-looking Hindoo, with clear
cut, intelligent face, and eyes that
looked straight at you, with no indica-
ton of ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain" next appeared on the
scene. He was dressed in the Ordi-
nary long white robe of his race, with
a rich cashmere shawl wound round
his waist, and his salutation and man.
ners we're respectful, without the least
shade of servility. He was followed
BY two attendants, carrying the vari-
GUS implements Of his profession,
which they spread out before him, and
a dozen or two hangers on Of all ages
grouped themselves at q respectful
distance to enjoy the free show. The
ground in front of the bungalow was
paved with large, fiat stones, and upon





one of these the cOnjurer seated him
self, curling his legs under him in
Oriental fashion, and asked in Hin
dostanee, "What special trick would
the Sahib like to see? At the same
time he barred his arms, long, we'll
formed, but muscular, and united his
shawl to open his robe and show me
that there was no concealed mechan-
ism about his 9persOn. l told him
through Handy Andy that ! would
like him to perform the mango trick
which / had seen once before at
Delhi without being able to penetrate
its mysteries. He nodded assent, and,
taking box about ten inches square,
filed it with earth. and in it planted
a mango nut shout the size Of an Eng
lish walnut. having first handed it to
me for examination. He then made a
frame work or tripod, Of three sticks,
six or eight feet long and tied togeth-
er at the top, placed it over the box,
and covered the whole with a piece of
white muslin. The only thing thus
far that looked like charlatanism was
a muttered incantatiOn, rolling up his
eyes, with Outstretched palms, as if
appealing for aid to some higher
power.


Again seating himself not more than
ten feet in front Of the varandah he
went through the most astonishing
performances Of Observation-Disclosures,
such as swallowing swords, tossing
balls in the air, drawing from his
mouth colored ribbons Of interminable
length, &C., some Of which l had seen
before, but not in broad daylight. He
borrowed my watch, and after mash
ing it to flinders it was mysteriously
returned unharmed to my pocket He
burned my handkerchief. then poured
from a vial some elixir upon the
ashes, and the linen was restored to
me without any smell of fire upon its
hem. These and many other equally
curious things he did for nearly an
hour, with the most intense gravity Of
manner, and an air Of candor that
would disarm suspicion. Ny eyes
were wide open, and / watched him
SO intently as scarcely to wink, and
vet | was unable to detect . single
flaw or account for one Of these trans
formations.


Some of the tricks he repeated at
my request, but the result was the
same. At the critical moment his
motions were quick as lightning. In
all cases where fire was used I noticed
that he either poured sonic liquid or
threw whitish powder upon the
flames, which produced for an instant
intense smoke, and left a pungent arO-
matte odor in the air.


In the meantime the Mango-tree
was growing. Four times, at inter
walls Of ten or fifteen minutes, be raised