A SENSATION.
There is a heathen Chinee in New York of whose sensational feats, as they will probably be repeated in admiring Europe, wo may retail the description. He opened hia exhibition with the "Supper of Hades," in which he placed in his mouth with a fork tho blazing cinders of sund)y combined chemicals, which, being ou the point of exhaustion, lost their heat and collapsed at a puff of the breath upon entering. He appeared to swallow them, and then drank a glass of red liquid. After this smoke and sparks issued from his mouth. He thon, in illustration of tho "Magic Bouquet," chewed cotton- * wool, andj pulled from his mouth many yards of paper ribbon. Holding these iv a bunch, he drew from them artificial Bowers, which he threw among the audience. Finally he pulled from the bunch a brown gutta-percha or indiarubber tube, seven feet long, and shaped like a candle. At the end of this a small taper was inserted as the tube arose, which kindled fireworks, and the candle then retired in a blaze of sputtering glory. This was styled the " Pyrotechnic Column." The next feat was that of swallowing an egg. It was veritably accomplished, as might be seen by the working of the muscles in the man's throat as the egg subsided. A lighted candle was subsequently placed in the mouth to show that tho egg did not lurk there. It, however, was but par- # tially swallowed. A little muscular action of the throat, accompanied for effect by a pressure of the stomach, brought it again to view. It was taken in tHe hand and broken,. that the flowing yolk might prove its nature. Ling Look's next .and last performance was the insertion down his throat of a sword nearly three feet long. It was narrow, straight, rounded at the point, and smooth at the corners. It was gradually and circumspectly pushed down into the stomach, and then withdrawn and wiped. When again inserted, a cannonball, with a hole in it, was placed upon the projecting print of the handle, which drove it to the same depth as before. On a third insertion, a small musket, with a hole iv the stock, was placed on the handle, and fired by means of a string attached to the trigger. It may be remarked, that during the latter operation, the sword descended to but little more than half its length.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18721106.2.23
Bibliographic details
Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1333, 6 November 1872, Page 4
Word Count
405A SENSATION. Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1333, 6 November 1872, Page 4
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.