air, when the legs and arms,
disjointed, and finally the trunk and head of the little boy fall with
a profusion of blood upon the ground at the foot of the rope. By means
of an incantation these resume their natural positions, and the little
boy gets up and walks off, apparently none the worse for his most
trying ordeal.

This trick was first described in writing by one IBN BATUTA, an Arab,
who made a journey round the world about the year 1368. (I am not
quite sure of this date). As far as I remember he saw it in China. He
gives the most blood curdling description of the trick, and ends up
with "so much so that we had to have another drink." Please note the
expression "another drink." I am of opinion that "this other little
drink" did all the harm.

Missionaries have from time to time stated that they have seen this
trick performed, though in no instance do they give the place or the
name of the wonderful man who did it.

Although I have been most anxious to see the trick for the last
twenty-three years, during which period I would gladly have travelled
from one end of India to the other to do so, I have never yet met
anyone who has definitely told me that he with his own eyes had seen
the trick. There is one exception to this statement, an Irish
bandmaster of a Gurkha regiment, who was I think, trying to pull my
leg.

I have met innumerable people whose aunt's sister's cousin saw it
done, but never have I had the pleasure of meeting anyone directly
deceived by it.

A reward of a year's pay has been open to every sepoy (or Indian
soldier) I have met, who has seen the trick and can give me the name
and residence of the performer. This for 23 years. So far there have
been no acceptances.

Eminent conjurors have travelled throughout India on purpose to get
into touch with any man who does the trick, but their travels have
been in vain. Large rewards have been offered for such a meeting, and
larger still for the performance of the trick. One single performance
only, not the exposition of it. These rewards have never been claimed.
The late Mr. Charles Bertram was one of these eminent men, and though
he travelled twice throughout India, he returned to England without
having been shewn the trick.

In 1918, Captain Holmes, V.C., gave a lecture on this illusion before
the members of the Magic Circle at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street,
London, at which all the press correspondents of the leading
news-papers were prese