CHINESE JUGGLING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4897, 5 October 1901, Page 4

CHINESE JUGGLING.

A writer in the ' New York Times ' | gives some interesting details as to feats of Chinese juggling. He saya -• — • Tb© juggler threw off his jacket, then twioed his long pigtail rouod his shaven scalp, and was ready for business. All eyes were fixed on him. He bad no accomplice visible to the observers in the company. Opening the box, be took out a porcelain vessel, similar in shape and size to a common washbowl. This be carried round tbe room, allowing each to examine it with eye xnd hand. He placed tbe basin on the bare floor sft or 6ft away from tbe box, unwound bis waistcoat, and with it covered the basin, which, so far as our senses of sight and touch could distinguish, was empty. All tbo time he bad been mumbling to himself in a sing-song tone what was presumably an incantation to Joss. In a minute's time be withdrew the cloth. Tbe basin was full of water, and a lively fish 3in long was swimming in it. Each spectator satisfied himself that there was no deception. Hid 1 second performance was the familiar feat of growing a small tree from seed. This is common in India, but tbe Chinese wizard surpassed any Hindoo fakir I "nave ever- seen. Out of the box he produced a flowerpot, passed it round, allowed it to be prodded with a stick in order that we might be convinced that it contained nothing but earth. He planted the seed, and covered the pot with a cloth. In 20 minutes the seed bad grown into a plant. Half-an-bour later the plant bad become a shrub, and after an interval of about tbe same length tbe shrub waß in bloom, the flowers resembling those of an aster. At no time, except when covering or uncovering the pot, did be approach it nearer tban sft. The third trick was stranger still, and took much longer to perform. Out of tbe box be produced a large blue disb, on which be placed a pound or bo of unboiled rice. All of us handled the dish and tbe rice. According to our tests there was nothing abnormal about tbe plfltrei", and the tice was-unmislakablr raw, if munching a few sample grains between the teeth was any criterion. Tbe lid of the box was closed. Tbe dish of rice was laid upon tbe*floor, and the magic cloth concealed it from view. "Then, squatting on his haunches he bared his handß and arms up to bis elbow, and to tbe accompaniment of his incantation performed a number of quaint aranipalarioas under the sheUer of tbe cloth. After a while queer movements of an undulatory kind were visible beneath the cloth at a distance apparently beyond bis reach. In half-an-bour tbe veil was removed. Instead of a single dish of unboiled rice with which he began operations, we were astonished to behold six platters of uneven B.zes, eacb filled with some comestible of tbe country, and only one containing rice— this time boiled. Tbe necromancer passed the plates round for inspector. Some of the boldest of us not only looked but tasted. The dishes of fieb, flesh, and fowl were pronounced capital.