SEQUAH—A RECOLLECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 5

SEQUAH —A RECOLLECTION

TO THE EDITOR. Sir —There were undoubtedly two Sequahs. The first I remember about 1890. I was then a boy attending Ayr Academy, and had an hour to wait tor my train. Sequah gave an excellent and inexpensive form of entertainment, tic was dressed ns a Red Indian, and was a powerfully-built man of medium height, clean shaven, with golden hair. the teeth-drawing operation was always accompanied by the brass band with plenty ot big drum! I remember seeing a very well-dressed man being carried on to the stage. The patient was screened and rubbed by Sequah with his famous embrocation. When the screens were removed the man and Sequah danced —the former in the most courtly and elegant manner of the early Victorians. I understood the cures were not lasting, hut temporary movement was certainly given by the vigour of Seqn ah’s rubbing. Sequah would then be, I think, in the forties. The second Sequah visited Napier about 1920. He merely took an office, did a little advertising, and sold various health remedies. —I am, etc., David Rankin.