THE MANGO TRICK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 238, 13 November 1909, Page 3

THE MANGO TRICK.

The explanation of the Indian ju,gleis" tricks which has long baffled the keenest observer, recently attracted considerable attention in a Home journal. Dr. Andrew Wilson has given i very reasonable solution of tire 'wclknuwu mango trick. Jle says:—ln isiij a friend of mine was 011 the point of leaving Calcutta, when some native jugd'cis cai board Hi,, steamer' 1,1 give an exhibition of their powers. The surroundings were thus very unfavorable for anything but a very dexterous trick, and the mango exhibition was IgiM'ii onthc bare deck.

The performer was almost naked, so there could have been no opportunity for the concealment uf a ilvwer-uu't under a robe.

He placed before him, first of ~11, | a small. Hal. native wicker-wprk basket, such as flakes are carried in. This v,,i»l Idled with earth. 4 mango s eed was then produced, It was a very large one-a point, this, of importance in view , of what follows—and was displaced ill the earth and covered up. The earth was watered, and the basket in its turn concealed by a small cotton cloth. Then began flic usual inuttcrings and incantations, while the earth was again sprinkled with water ami stirred 'with the finger ofthe opeiator. After a few minutes' interval the jug-, gler lifted the cloth and showed to th" spectators two small mango leaves appearing above the surface of the earth. The basket was once uioro covered up,, the watering of the eartfy a-ml the incantations proceeded, and, in a short time, when the cloth, was removed, a, mango plant, Tiji or Sin high', and bearing four or live, leaves, was d,isclo,Wl fo view. After another, intcy.va],' a seedling malign appeared, at least i.'iin high, unit bearing seven or eight leaves. Here the performance ended. Curiosity was rife, of co\iy~-;o., ,<.ganlii|g Urn juggler.', modus operandi, and my friend,' anxious to know how the I rick was performed, offered the juggler a good round sum of money fp.r tl|e disclosure, of Ids, secret, .\(tur some tilt hill, Win man consented to reveal his art, stipulating that ids revelation should lie conducted in a secluded spot. A cn.l.i» on the ship was offered and accepted as 11 suitable place, and fte juggler and my friend rdircd tlicre.tn. Tin.; basket \y.qs! piepaiwl as 'before, and Hie imiugu seed was handed round. It was', as before, a large one. On its being returned to the juggler he pressed one cud of the seed with his !o,u« (jyifcOcnail, when tl|e seedopened. Two small leaves, thoV first seen iu the deck trick, were then withdrawn from the seed, and next in order came forth the stem, willi four leaves. Ultimately, the full thirteen inches of the plant were manipulated out of the seed before the eyes of the spectators. The seed was, in f H ct, a hollow one, and the young plant th'nd been dexterously folded within its compass. It Is the art of folding the plant inside the seed which constitutes the csstmce of the trlok.