ALL NATIONS EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 31, 30 July 1892, Page 760

ALL NATIONS EXHIBITION.

They came, they were seen, and undoubtedly they have conquered—Wirth’s Japanese and Arabs, that is. They have been playing in Auckland during the past week, but their tour southwards will commence very shortly, and as everyone will see the circus, a detailed account of the performance would scarcely be fair. It recommends itself. We were of this opinion when last Saturday afternoon we paid a visit to Messrs Elias J. Nahra, Fadlalleh Abosalleh, Mansor Hana, and Salym Jhjb, Bedouin Arabs, and the Godiyou Family of Japanese jugglers. When the genial manager—all managers are ‘ genial ’—took us into the greenroom we had half an hour's chat with the gentlemen above named, whose cognomens are really too distressing again to repeat. As the gladiatorial combats of the Bedouins are attracting a good deal of public interest, the chieftain, Elias, explained the sword passes —72 in number — informing us en passant that the same kind of swords and shields were used in Arabia 4,000 years ago — ‘ long before time of pig gannon and rypheels.’ These are also similar weapons to those used in the bloody men-fights of to day in the Arabian arena away from the coast, where ‘backsheesh’ equal in value to half-a-sovereign, enables a ‘ peace-loving Englishman ’ maybe, to witness the fight and the death. ‘ Arabs too much fight,’ Nahra continued grimly, making a savage feint upon his comrade Monsor, who was harmlessly smoking a perfumed cigarette. Monsor, springing to his feet, picked up his gleaming steel, and dancing a fandango around Nahra retaliated. Peace was immediately declared and the Bedouins proceeded to show us their choice selection of silks. ‘ All handt made, all handt made by ladies, pretty ladies with big, black eyes,’ put in the gallant Fadlalleh, making a circle with his first finger and thumb to express the size of the houris’ eyes. Well did the silks deserve the term choice, and we made a mental calculation of how many minutes it would take the sight of the shawls and turbans to make the ordinary colonial girl turn green with envy. But the mention of silks brought out our friends the Japanese, and these gentlemen came forward with their products of the industrious little worm, in the shape of gowns curiously worked with the figures of men and animals, kites, and what appeared to be angels of the dark order. Mr T. Kitchie speaks eight languages, and is extremely well versed in European geography. The whole troupe—Arabs and Japanese—we found to be most interes ing and intelligent, and we came away with more liberal ideas on the equality of the races of mankind than those we had previous to being introduced to Messrs Elias, Na ira, and Co., at Wirths’. They are drawing splendid houses, as well they deserve to do, for the Japanese sustain their extensive European, and the Arabs their American fame.