76

X. SNAKES AND CROCODILES 89

XI. GENERALITIES AND OTHER MYTHS 98

* * * * *

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

My old friend Shah Mahommed, aged 87 years,
son of Ghaus Mahommed, who died aged
75 years, and grandson of Nur Mahommed
who died at the age of 78 years, All three
were itinerant conjurers and had never
seen the rope trick Front

Shah Mahommed singing Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay
between two experiments Facing page 10

Shah Mahommed with two assistants for the
Ring on the Stick Facing page 28

Preliminaries of the Restored Rope, the only
rope trick that I have ever seen performed
in India Facing page 46

Shah Mahommed performing the egg bag trick Facing page 52

The Dancing Duck, performed with an enamel
bowl instead of the cocoa-nut shell Facing page 54

The preliminary stage of the mango tree trick
as shewn by Shah Mahommed Facing page 60

Conclusion of the mango tree trick Facing page 62

* * * * *

INDIAN CONJURING

CHAPTER I

A COMPARISON

Since the world began Magic and wizardy seem to have held a great
fascination for mankind, an example being in the story of the Witch of
Endor. That this tendency has in no wise altered is clear from the
popularity of conjurors, illusionists, and so called magicians who
still, be it East or West, attract an audience so easily and so
surely. This little volume is written in the hopes that it may prove
of interest to the thousands who reside in India, and those other
thousands who, visiting its coral shores from time to time, often
discuss in wondering amazement how the Indian conjuror performs his
tricks. It is also written to uphold the reputation of the Western
conjuror against the spurious ascendancy held by his Eastern confrere.

Before describing the many well known tricks that are shewn by the
"house to house" Jadoo-wallah, and explaining how they are done, we
will compare the average Indian conjuror with his mystic friends in
Europe, America and China.

Let us for a moment picture in our mind's eye the stage and person of
the European or American conjuror. A few small tables with spindle
legs (upon them a steel frame or so, transpa