A CHINESE CONJUROR.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 268, 20 March 1873, Page 5

A CHINESE CONJUROR.

There is a heathen Chinee in New York who is performing wonders in the way of legerdemain. He opened his exhibition with the "Supper of Hades," in which he placed in his mouth with a fork the blazing cinders of sundry combined chemicals which, being on the point of erhaustion, lost their heat and collapsed at a puff of the breath upon entering. He appeared to swallow them, and then drank a glass of red liquor. After this, smoke and sparks issued from hia mouth. He thon, in illustration of the " Magic Bouquet," chewed cotton wool, and pulled from his mouth many yards of paper ribbon. Holdin? theae in a bunch, he drew from them artificial flowers, which he threw among the audience. Finally he pulled from the bunch a brown gutta-percha or indiarubber tube, seven feet long, and shappd like a candle. At the end of this a small taper was inserted as the tube arose, which kindled fireworks, and the candle then retired in a blazs of spluttering glory. This was styled the " Pyrotechnic Column." The next feat was -that of swallowing an egg. It was veritably accomplished, as the nmscles in the man's throat showed as the egg subsided. A lighted candle was subsequently placed in the mouth to show that the egg did not lurk there. Tt, however, was but partially swallowed. A little muscular action of the throat, accompanied for effect by a pressure of the stomach, brought it again to view. It was taken in the hand and broken, that the flowing yoke might prove its nature. Ling Look's next and last performance was the insertion down his throat of a sword nearly three feet long. It was narrow, straight, round at the point, and smooth at the corners. It was gradually and circumspectly pushed down into the stomach, and then withdrawn and wiped. When again inserted, a caunon ball, with a hole in it, was placed upon the projecting point of the handle, which drove it to the same depth as before. On a thir.l insertion, a small musket, with a hole in the stock, was placed on the handle, and fired by means of a string attached to the trigger. It may be remarked, that during the operation, the sword descended to a little more than its. length.