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HPB-SB-5-61: Difference between revisions
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| source title = | | source title = London Spiritualist | ||
| source details = | | source details = No. 176, January 7, 1876, pp. 3-4 | ||
| publication date = | | publication date = 1876-01-07 | ||
| original date = | | original date = | ||
| notes = From The Times, December 28 | | notes = From The Times, December 28 | ||
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... | {{Style S-Small capitals|One}}''' '''day at Parell His Royal Highness had an hour of quiet amusement in camp, watching the tricks of some Indian jugglers and snake-charmers, which have been described a hundred times over, and which never lose their interest for the spectator. After breakfast a ragged train of fellows leading apes and carrying bags was seen coming up the main street of the camp to one of the tents. These were followed by seven or eight ugly, shapeless elderly women in bright drapery, carrying what are considered here musical instruments. They all squatted under the shade of the trees in front of one of the tents apart—conjurors, ape leaders, singing women. Presently the Prince sauntered down from the house and took a seat in front of the tent, and his suite sat or stood around him, while the charmers and conjurors prepared for their exhibition, but the natives had no idea of the illustrious person’s identity. The camp followers gathered round, and soldiers from the tents near at hand, till one of the suite, remembering what occurred on a similar occasion in India, cleared them away. The jugglers and snake-charmers were the first to show off. They were only two—old chatty fellows whose skin hung on their bones as if it were cracked brown paper. They did some clever “passes,” swallowed and spat out fire, produced an enchanted inexhaustible water vessel, walked on wooden pattens held on by the action of the feet making a vacuum —in fact the withered, vivacious old juggler and his ragged old confederate performed all the orthodox tricks of their confraternity. Where did he get the cobras which he produced suddenly out of two baskets which had been turned over, inside out, in our presence? It was not the drumming of his friend or the playing on the dry gourd which drew the reptiles out of coyer. A little thrill went through the spectators as the reptiles raised their flaming eyes and hooded crests, hissing fiercely, reared on end as if to strike the garrulous charmer. Dr. Fayrer opened the jaws of the larger with a stick while the man held it, and showed the Prince where the fangs were ''not.''''''' '''''The snakes danced to the music of a gourd drum, but it was with rage and fear, not with pleasure. Meantime a mango under the dirty cloth was growing, and in an interval of snake work, the old fellow dashed at the latter and exposed a fresh bright green mango tree some eighteen inches high in the ground, where he had apparently only put in a mango seed. Expressions of wonder followed; then the cloth was thrown over the tree and another of the famous legendary legerdemain feats was executed. A shallow basket about 18in. high and 3ft. long, with a cover, was placed before the Prince. It was plain there was no deceit. It was a basket and nothing more or less, and it was put on the bare earth before our eyes. At a call there came out from the group of natives near at hand a lad of 12 or so, slight of figure and pleasant of face, with not an article of dress save his loin cloth and a dirty turban. Him the old man, chattering the while, bound hand and foot ''a la''''''' '''''Brothers Anyone in twine. Then a sack, made of strong netting, was produced, and the old fellow slipped it over the lad, whom he squeezed down on his haunches so that he could tie the cords securely over his head, and lift him from the ground to prove how secure he was. He seemed to use great force to put the lad into the basket, and to have much difficulty in fitting the lid on the top of him. When that was done the music was renewed by one, and the other juggler began to talk to his basket. Presently the lid was agitated, and the cord and net were jerked out and fell on the ground. Then the juggler ran at the basket in a fury, jumped on the top, crushed in the lid, stamped on it, took a stick and drove it with force through the wicker {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on|5-62}} | ||
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<gallery widths=300px heights=300px> | |||
london_spiritualist_n.176_1876-01-07.pdf|page=5|London Spiritualist, No. 176, January 7, 1876, pp. 3-4 | |||
</gallery> | |||