INDIAN MAGIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 588, 17 August 1909, Page 8

INDIAN MAGIC.

THE TRICK OF. AERIAL SUSPENSION." Two thousand years ago Indian fakirs performed the trjck of aerial suspension! The performer toot in' his hand a bamboo rod, five or six feet' long, and a large cloth was thrown over himf .-When the cloth was removed the fakir was observed sitting in the air, orossed-leggcd, with hiis hand' resting on tho rod. The secret of the trick ■ was 'discovered, and much more wonderful' effects produced by modern magicians. , The modern performer produces a short base running on castors, which the audience can-seo below; or it may be this base is dispensed with, according'-to the taslo of the operator. Two.brightly-polished brass rods ..are brought • forward, ■ and one/, of them handed around for examination. These rods, .nay be about five feet long, .more or less: While the audience is. examining the rod'the performer is' placing ,the second rod in a socket on the stage, and when this' is accomplishod the.first rod is handed back and placed in a similar socket two feet from the ■other. A,lady'steps forward and mounts a lo\v stool which has. been placed .between" the two rods. This "stool is of such-height ;as to permit the ends of "the rods, to come under the lady's armpits. The performer then hypnotises- the: lady, -arid the.' lights arp turned down, while a brilliant' limelight-is thrown upon the figure of the woman. : . ■■ The operator makes a few taystic passes over her, and •then'.:carefully removes/the stool,-leaving the subject suspended by the armpits He thfen makes a few more passes, and removes the. rod; say,- from'her left side, the. one, ■ in any case, which tho audience, has ■ examined. The'.lady .'is thus left 'hanging by .one arm. •;_,.' • , .■ V ' •'. -.The operator proceeds with. ,his passes down the'side :of the.'lady,, and slpwly her feet begin to rise,'.the armpit always rest-' ing; on the.'p.ole, until she has" assumed a horizontal position.-. .-She is supposed to,be. asleep, ,pf- course, and the,performer takes 'care during of raising, her. to this position to place her right hand under her_head, and thus,'with:the bright light playing .upon, her,: she lies; her only support being the. slender pole Under ...her arm., ■■'•. But the climax,has.-yet to come.- 'Tho.-ope-rator,-after more, passes,.and. \yith great.'care, removes the rod, andvleives'the lady floating in -the air Avith- absolutely nothing beneath her;' aad, it may be, she will float slowly round,'describing a complete circle. Ho.theii' replaces the rod beneath'her arm, brings tho body, to the Jperpendicular.position, puts the second rod into,its ; place: and.the stool beneath her feet; whereupon he. awakens his subject.. - , -~.. .;'. . ■ ■.'- . .■...'•

Mirrbrsl 'An optical illusion I No , ; the sense of reality is too intense for'that; The brass', rods are tangible;' and one <has the most conclusive evidence, that they.are placed upon the'stage.; ','■ [ . ■'* '•".',;.'■' ' '." ■"'■■ . Yet-the. explanation is very simple.'- Strapped : upon her right.side, .the lady wears an ironV bar'beneath her dressj carefully, fitted arid;padded. v This , extends from her armpit toiler kneej : and• the straps fastening it to her body arc so arranged , : that, the bar cannot shift itg.position, or'.an unnatural, strain be placed upon, any part of.it, 'The! pole at the right sideof' tlie.latlj'v'is: rtiadp! of iron ; with a casing of brass/" and when the lady mounts the:stool, arid placesher armpit over it, 'tho .top! of ■■•the. iron' bar' fits, into a. socket, in the top of the pole. When tlie stool'is removed subsequently-"the lady is left'hanging by the iron bar,; and her straps and supports are so perfect that. she is as comfortable as.if&he'was sitting in an. .armchair. The removal of the pole at her, left side does Hot affect her.position in the' slightest degree; in fact, this pole' is ' only, used as a blind 1 The raising of the body to'a horizontal position is accomplished by a mechanical, arrangement, easily worked, which, however, is too intricate to explain hero. ' • There, remains, therefore;;but the removal of the last support to • account for. It .will be remembered that tho stago. is darkened, and the onJy-light, falls upon tho so-called hypnotised lady. Tlie performer, instead of removing the rod, removes .only the brass case which surrounds the iron. As the iron is black the people see nothing, and concludo that the rod has been removed! ■. •