nt. He produced a snapshot of a man purporting
to be showing the Rope Trick in Poona, or Kirkee, one of its suburbs.
Captain Holmes explained that though the boy did climb up what he
(Holmes) thought was a rope, he did not disappear at the top, nor did
the disgusting exhibition of blood and disjointed limbs take place.
This snapshot was carefully examined through a powerful magnifying
glass, and the supposed rope had distinct joints in it similar to any
bamboo pole, which Japanese jugglers use when showing the feat of
balancing a pole on their chins and allowing a boy to climb to its
top. A trick that most of us have seen many times in the music halls
of London. At his lecture, Captain Holmes stated that he did not see
the man throw the rope up into the air, as he arrived late just in
time to take a photo of the boy while in the air.

Many explanations have been given from time to time as to how this
mythical trick has been done. The most amusing is that which was
quoted at the Mass Meeting referred to above, and as far as my memory
goes I will quote it here.

"The trick is performed during the heat of the day, when the sun is at
its zenith. The performer gets his audience to sit in a verandah
facing the most powerful glare of the sun. The rope is thrown up and
the boy climbs to its topmost end. On the explosion of a gun the boy
completely disappears only to re-appear from the other side of the
house or garden.

The explanation is simple, on the sound of the gun, when the audience
are somewhat startled, the boy jumps from the rope on to the top of
the verandah up which he climbs, coming down the other side of the
house and re-appears."

I make no comment on this explanation. It is not worthy of one.

"It is done by mesmerism." How many times have I heard this futile
remark when discussing the Rope trick. What always defeats me is this.
Supposing it could be done by mesmerism, why does this wonderful
mesmerist, hypnotist, or suggestionist limit his powers, marvellous as
they are, to making people believe that they see a boy climb up a
rope.

Why does he not make people believe that he is Mahatma Ghandi and the
Ali brothers rolled into one? As the trick is done for a means of
livelihood, why does he not make people see him as Dr. Barnardo asking
for funds for charities. His limitations are unbounded, yet he sticks
to this absurd rope and the boy climbing up it.

"Tum tua res agito paries cum proximus ardet." I do